Discrete and Extended Arrays of Main Group Elements and Transition Metals

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This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports research by Professor Kenton H. Whitmire of Rice University to explore molecular routes to a variety of nanoscale materials with interesting magnetic properties composed of main group elements (E) and transition metals (M). Cluster molecules with well-defined shape and size will be converted into E-M materials by suitable thermal, chemical or photochemical treatment in order to define the factors that will permit control of the stoichiometry and properties of the resulting materials. In some cases nanoparticles arise directly upon mixing molecular precursors, and attempts will be made to isolate and characterize discrete molecular species that are intermediates on the pathway to particle growth in order to understand how the nanoparticles develop. Structures of these intermediates will be compared to the final materials for insight into the growth mechanism. One particular series that will be targeted is the iron/manganese pnictide system. A number of discrete cluster compounds having the correct E-M stoichiometry for conversion to known MxEy (M = Fe, Mn; E = pnictogen) phases are available. The conditions that are required to achieve these conversions as well as the effect of ancillary ligands and bound-organic functions will be examined in order to tailor the decompositions to optimize conditions and product properties. This system is particularly flexible because isostructural cluster compounds with different E or M constituents can be prepared and used to introduce dopants into the final materials. In conjunction with these fundamental studies, conditions for production of the cluster products will be optimized in order to make use of these compounds viable. The synthesis of magnetic materials as nanoparticles of well-defined composition and properties will contribute to the fundamental knowledge and understanding of the chemistry involved in the production of important materials that may be employed in the electronics and related industries. This project will also train students for the workforce that is necessary to support the electronics industry.