SGER Creating Catalytic Monodisperse Particles Using Microreactors

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ABSTRACTProposal Number: CTS-0647257Principal Investigator: McQuade, D. TylerAffiliation: Cornell University - EndowProposal Title: SGER: Creating Catalytic Monodisperse Particles Using Microreactors Intellectual Merit:Synthetic molecules make our lives safer, healthier, and happier. Unfortunately, the synthesis of many of these life-improving compounds is difficult and wasteful. The aim of the proposal is to develop catalysts that will enable organic synthesis can be made substantially more efficient by designing processes in which multiple catalysts operate sequentially in a single vessel or in a single microreactor. These multi-catalyst systems increase efficiency by maximizing the number of chemical transformations that occur before work-up and isolation of intermediates. Realizing this goal requires the development of new materials for supporting homogeneous catalysts.This proposed research uses a simple microreactor to make monodisperse siloxanes in flow with the goal of a deeper understanding of interfacial science, polymerization, and fluid dynamics. Since the use of microreactors to create novel materials is a new field of research, any contribution to this emerging area is a significant advance forward.Broader Impacts:The unique materials created as a result of this research will have broad impact in a number of academic fields as well as in industry. These materials will be used to facilitate more efficient pharmaceutical agent synthesis. These materials will also be used as supports for new drug discovery, for high-temperature ion exchange resins, and for other applications where high surface area and high temperature stability are needed. The knowledge gained from this research will also aid researchers who study fluid dynamics and materials.The proposed research will focus of the interplay between flow-induced dispersion and self-organization in microscale systems. The complex experimental procedures involve state-of-the-art instruments available in the PI's laboratory. The measurements performed will, in the future, be used to challenge current models that estimate the concentration profiles resulting from particle migration in 3D chaotic flows. The work will provide graduate and undergraduate research opportunities, and outcomes will be incorporated into a graduate level course.