The Electrochemistry of Nitrogen and Sulfur Oxides: In situ Spectroelectrochemical Studies

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This research project investigates aspects of interfacial structure and dynamics that control the heterogeneous oxidation and reduction of nitrogen and sulfur oxides and oxyanions in aqueous solution. With the support of the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, Professor Daniel Scherson in the Department of Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University, uses optical techniques that enable direct probing of chemical processes at metal-solution interfaces, including resonance and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopies, ultraviolet-visible reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray absorption methods, and second harmonic generation. The binding and reactivity of small nitrogen and sulfur containing molecules to ordered metal surfaces and metal surfaces modified by transition metal macrocyclic compounds are studied. An important thrust of the project involves the development of strategies for achieving temporal resolution in these measurements on the sub-microsecond scale. Information obtained from this project improves our understanding of chemical reactions involving molecular and ionic forms of nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Interest in this class of compounds spans a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from atmospheric sciences and toxicology to catalysts and neurobiology. Fundamental insight into the formation and dissociation of chemical bonds in nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide compounds is obtained from these studies.