|
David Atwood
Associate Professor of Chemistry (Inorganic Chemistry)
Molecules to Materials
|
Our research is focused broadly on the main group elements. In particular, we are creating new strategies for the remediation of mercury and arsenic from natural waters, the removal of mercury from the gaseous effluent of coal burning power plants, the precipitation of zinc and other elements from industrial waste water, and studying aluminum chelates for the catalytic destruction of nerve gas agents and pesticides, and the use of molecular precursors to prepare, under ambient conditions, nanoparticulate metal oxides, including alumina. Undergraduate researchers have been involved in all of these projects and have co-authored both publications and patents.
Due to the continuous impact of aluminum oxide on the contemporary economy, many researchers have focused on the development of new synthetic methods for its production. This is particularly true for nanoparticulate Al2O3 ,which is expected to have new and unusual properties. Typical methodologies for making n-Al2O3 involve either gas phase |
 |
reactions or "sol-gel" processes. Recently, Our group has used tetrametallic aluminum alkoxides [Al{(µ-OEt)2AlR2}3] (R=Me, Et, iBu) as precursors for the preparation of alumina. They are called simply "Mitsubishi" molecules because the skeleton of these compounds resembles the emblem of the Mitsubishi company. We have successfully synthesized nano-scale alumina particles by decomposing the precursor molecules in toluene at room temperature. It appears that the "Mitsubishi" skeleton acts as a template for the formation of alumina rather than boehmite. The research project will entail the synthesis and full characterization of the precursor compounds and investigation of the formation of nanoparticulate alumina. Training specific to this project will involve: Inert atmosphere techniques (vacuum line and dry box), NMR (1H, 13C, 27Al), IR-Raman, Mass Spectrometry (EI, CI, Maldi), TGA, Elemental analysis, X-ray crystallography, X-ray powder diffraction, BET and porosity measurements, and TEM. |
Further details of Dr. Atwood's work are given on the Chemistry website. |
|
