$290,204; NSF Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry (MSN)

RUI: Plasmonic Nanoparticle Sandwiches: Using Peptoid Nanosheets as Platforms for Free-Standing Nanoparticle Arrays
Principal Investigator: Ellen Robertson, assistant professor of chemistry

Through this project, PI Robertson will develop methods to prepare two-dimensional (2D) molecular nanosheets that incorporate gold and silver nanoparticles. The nanosheets prepared in her lab are promising for future use as sensors capable of detecting low-level hydrophobic pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in water. Development of these sensors could have an impact on the local community, as PCBs remain an ongoing, persistent concern for local waterways, including the Hudson River.

This work will provide hands-on research opportunities for three to five undergraduates each year. Additionally, through the establishment of a collaboration between the Robertson Lab at Union with the Proulx Lab at North Carolina State University, undergraduates researchers will have the chance to experience working in a graduate lab setting, introducing them to and preparing them for graduate studies in STEM. PI Robertson will also integrate this research into Union’s nanotechnology curriculum, engaging an even greater number of undergraduates in the project.