Ming Ju Huang and John Watts
“First-Principles Theoretical Description of Metal Clusters: Toward a Model of Metal Nanoparticles” This project proposes to study structures and properties of metal clusters using theoretical methods. Ab initio theory will be applied to gain understanding about principles of clusters’ structures and properties.
Tigran Shahbazyan and Serguei Goupalov
“Environment-Specific Issues in Nanoparticle Physics: Optical, Energy Transfer and Relaxation Processes” The proposed project involves theoretical and computational investigations of optical, energy transfer, and carrier relaxation processes in metal and semiconductor nanoparticles in an external media, either homogeneous or comprised of individual biomolecules and biomolecule ensembles. Research activities aim at understanding of (i) effect of environment on relaxation processes in nanoparticles, and (ii) energy transfer processes and optical response of nanoparticle-molecule and metal-seconductor nanoparticle systems.
Paresh Ray and Glake Hill
Nanomaterial Based Surface Energy Probe (NSET) for Detection of Toxic Heavy Nano Metal Ions from Environmental Samples.The goals of this proposal are (i) to devolop gold nanoparticle based NSET sensor for ultrasensitive detection of toxic metal ions from environmental sample and (ii) fundamental understanding of the NSET process on nanoparticle surface.
Huey-Min Hwang, Hongtao Yu and Paul Tchounwou
“Selecting Green Nanoparticles for Environmental Remidiation and Renewable Energy Applications” The main research objectives of this project are (i) to develop a safe and efficient immobilized enzymes technology for environmental remediation and renewable energy research and (ii) to elucidate the toxicity mechanisms by using QSAR models to predict nanotoxicity on the basis of bioassays with well characterized molecular parameters.
Jerzy Leszczynski and Danuta Leszczynska
”Modeling and prediction of toxicity and physical properties of nanomaterials” This project will used method of computational chemistry to characterize properties of nanomaterials. QSAR type of approaches will be developed to predict toxicity of such species. An analysis of molecular and physical parameters effecting toxicity will be performed.