RESEARCH

Dissertation Research Project:

The project looked at a new class of petroleum refining catalysts on the nanoscale level as opposed to those typically made on the industrial level, for which the nature of the underlying chemistry is not well understood. Highly dispersed, nearly-molecular nanoclusters of noble metals were synthesized in the nanocages of zeolites (see Figure 1) with techniques that parallel known organometallic solution chemistry, and the structure of the catalysts were determined through the mathematical analysis of X-ray absorption data (i.e. Fourier transform and curve fitting techniques). By synthesizing well-defined metal nanocluster catalysts, an understanding of the chemical nature of these nanoclusters can be gained with the future possibility of fine-tuning catalysts for industrially relevant processes.

Research Experience:

• Techniques of catalyst preparation including anchoring of organometallic compounds to the surfaces of various porous supports.
• Physical Characterization Techniques: Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy (EXAFS) including Fourier transform EXAFS data analysis; Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR); Solid-State and Solution-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (FT and MAS NMR) including 129Xe, 13C, and 1H; X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES); and collaborative use of Neutron Scattering and Neutron Diffraction.
• Testing of catalysts using a broad variety of chemical reactions.
• 3D computer design of chiral organometallic molecules using theoretical methods.
• Investigation of protein/salt interactions using Laser Differential Refractometry.

Scientific Presentations:

• 2001 18th North American Catalysis Meeting, Toronto, Canada - Oral Presentation.
• 2001 6th FIGIPS Meeting in Inorganic Chemistry, Barcelona, Spain - Poster Presentation.
• 2000 California Catalysis Society Meeting, Richmond, CA - Oral Presentaion.
• 2000 NEAT-IGERT Interdisciplinary Meeting on Nanomaterials, Lodi, CA - Poster Presentation.

Short Visits:

• 1998 and 1999 Visiting Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA.
• 1998 and 1999 X-ray Beamline User, National Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, USA.
• 1998 - 2001 X-ray Beamline User, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, USA.

Awards:

• 2001 NEAT-IGERT Travel Award, U.C.Davis
• 2001 NEAT-IGERT Equipment Award, U.C.Davis
• 2001 Kokes Travel Award, North American Catalysis Meeting
• 1st Place in Poster Competition at 2000 NEAT-IGERT Meeting