This thrust area comprises two subthrusts:

• Materials for hydrogen storage and sensing
  Two major classes of proposed storage materials will be considered. These are:
  1. hydrides, as represented by thin films and quasicrystals, and
  2. organic and coordination polymers, designed to strongly physisorb molecular hydrogen.
  In addition to existing preparation and analysis techniques, this sub-thrust will make use of combinatorial syntheses of solid-state materials in developing optimal film structures.

• Materials for solar energy applications
  We will address the fundamental optical properties and behavior of materials potentially useful in many areas of solar energy production and collection. Specifically, research will address
  1. the photophysical properties of porphyrin complexes to be used as active materials in solid-state photovoltaic cells,
  2. the optical characteristics of nanostructured films optimized for hydrogen production through the photo-splitting of water, and
  3. energy and charge transport in semiconductor nanowire assemblies, also with possible applications in photovoltaics.