Optically Guided Nanoscale Electrochemical Imaging

About This Grant

With the support of the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Lane A. Baker of Texas A&M University will develop new instrumentation and tools for measuring chemical and biological species at electrode surfaces. Specifically, reactions and processes where ions or electrons are involved in electrochemical reactions will be studied at nanometer length scales. To meet this challenge, new instrumentation will be constructed that enables the combination of multiple imaging modalities to be carried out at the same time. Specifically, hardware and protocols to enable integrated electrochemical imaging and optical imaging (e.g., bright field, dark field, fluorescence) will be developed. Methods to efficiently analyze and process data from newly developed instruments with statistical and machine learning approaches will also be pursued. This research project will help to advance the fundamental understanding of chemical and biochemical processes related to neuronal communication, wound healing. This research advances the understanding of molecular biology, and in turn informs efforts to improve human health and the treatment of disease. Additionally, this research project will study catalytic reactions at nanoparticle catalysts, which will aid in developing efficient and selective chemical transformations of interest in applications related to energy and materials. Students trained in this project will learn state-of-the-art fabrication, measurement and characterization protocols, which will add to their high-level technical skills and contribute to the STEM workforce upon their graduation. In addition, a web resource to disseminate information to other scientists working in the area will be developed. An annual meeting of undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral associates engaged in electroanalytical chemistry will also be coordinated through the auspices of this project. This project will develop Optically Guided-Nanoscale Electrochemical Imaging (OG-NEI) as a generalizable platform for integrating optical and scanned probe electrochemical imaging. We will quantify improvements in data collection, statistical analysis and high-throughput measurements. Machine learning approaches for data analysis will be developed to align data from complementary imaging modes. We will demonstrate incorporation of OG-NEI in scanning electrochemical microscopy, scanning electrochemical cell microscopy and scanning ion conductance microscopy platforms. Samples to be studied include neuronal cells, monometallic and mutlimetallic nanoparticle catalysts and epithelial cell monolayers. Success in these aims will advance knowledge by resulting in new instrumentation for electrochemical measurement and imaging with greatly expanded utility and applicability for modern nanoelectrochemical imaging. Results will be widely disseminated to the community as a functional OG-NEI imaging platform. Outreach efforts and impact in graduate electrochemical education will be continued through the Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry Student Group Meeting. The broader impacts of this project that will benefit society include contribution to the education of students trained in state-of-the-art instrument design and construction. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.