Placidus Amama Receives NSF Award

By Mary Rankin

Placidus Amama , assistant professor of chemical engineering at Kansas State University, received a $520,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.

His project, “Rational Design of Efficient Carbon Nanotube-Supported Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts for Air Purification,” will couple carbon nanotubes and titanium dioxide to produce low-cost and large-area coatings for efficient outdoor air pollution control.

This grant, from the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER), is one of the foundation's most prestigious awards for supporting early career faculty who effectively integrate research and education within the context of their institution's mission. Faculty recognition and awards are an important part of Kansas State University's plan to become a Top 50 public research university by 2025.

“This technology is expected to significantly improve urban air quality, and combat ozone at the source,” Amama said. “The work is a novel means for maximizing charge-separation efficiency of titanium dioxide and extending its photoresponse to the visible-light region, enabling outdoor application of the titanium dioxide photocatalyst.”

It will take advantage of the presence of semi-infinite states in the conduction band of carbon nanotubes, with the possibility of transferring electrons between them and titanium dioxide to tailor the function of a carbon nanotube-titanium dioxide heterojunction.

"I am pleased and proud of Professor Amamas' research funding efforts," said James Edgar, department head and professor of chemical engineering at Kansas State University. "To have his important studies in this area recognized and supported by the National Science Foundation speaks highly of not only Placidus' work, but our entire program."

The work will build on Amama’s recent research involving scalable and efficient carbon nanotube growth using a gaseous waste mixture from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and substantial prior work on rational catalyst design for controlled carbon nanotube growth.

As an educational component, the project will impact nanotechnology education at K-State through development and modification of curricula, and by broadening the scope of students’ research experience through an international exchange program.

“The proposed project will equip K-State engineering students with the needed skillset for innovative and successful careers in nanotechnology,” Amama said. “The international exchange and collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory will benefit both our student’s research and education.”