Calendar of Events

Teddy Friedman - "The Characterization of Individual Atmospheric Aerosol Particles: A Review of Methods and Future Goals"

Atmospheric aerosol particles, particularly those with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or less, are abundant in the Earth's atmosphere. The inhalation of these particles are capable of causing detrimental lung and cardiovascular illnesses, as well as consequences for the Earth's radiative balance and cloud condensation. The analysis of the morphology/molecular composition of atmospheric aerosols is of particular interest for atmospheric chemists. This presentation will cover numerous techniques utilized for single-particle analysis, with a particular focus on techniques revolving around Raman microspectroscopy.

Arden Clauss - "Metal-Organic Frameworks for Single-Atom Heterogeneous Photocatalysis"

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials composed of organic and inorganic subunits linked to create a network solid. Due to their ultrahigh porosity and incredible tunability, MOFs have been an immense field of research over the past twenty years. Alongside work in gas separation and storage, these projects have found particular success in catalytic applications. With the goal of improving the efficiency and lifespan of single-atom metal sites, numerous examples of MOF-supported catalysts have been developed. With carbon emissions a particular pressing concern today, one goal has been the conversion of CO₂ to higher value small molecules using the energy of the sun. By supporting catalytic sites and photosensitizers within the pores of MOFs, photoexcited states have been shown to facilitate the transfer of electrons and protons to the catalytic site to reduce CO₂ to carbon monoxide and water. This work aims to explore current literature that is pursuing an artificial photosynthetic system utilizing MOFs that would enable a new source of chemical feedstocks or a renewable cycle of fuel generation.