Novel Framework Materials and their Fundamental Properties at High Pressure

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DMR-0800415 The aim of this project is to discover novel materials as porous materials using hydrothermal techniques and ionic solvents. Characterization of the atomic architectures, which impart the selective properties unique to porous materials, will be accomplished by studying their structures in situ, including at high pressures, and uncovering general mechanisms responsible for storage and selectivity. The development of sample cells at synchrotron X-ray and neutron facilities, where the penetrating beams allow studies of materials under their operating conditions, will be continued. These devices are available to the solid-state and materials chemistry community. Transformational materials needed for energy storage and waste clean up require a varied approach for their synthesis and for studies of their structures. Solutions for gas storage and toxic ion sequestration may include novel synthetic porous materials operating at high-pressures to increase their capacity. Relatively few studies focus on in situ diffraction, leaving the storage mechanism under the material's operating conditions largely unaddressed. Graduate students will train in interdisciplinary settings at Stony Brook and at the national laboratories. The PI and his group are active in bringing science to a wider audience through well-attended annual lectures to the public and Suffolk County high-school teachers. The research proposed bridges synthetic chemistry and high-pressure research, a burgeoning field in condensed matter research in general.%%%Proposed solutions to the energy challenges of the next half centaury include the synthesis, manipulation and disposal of materials at extreme conditions, including pressure. Examples of the use of extreme conditions include the sequestration of carbon dioxide in deep reservoirs and the potential to store hydrogen in porous materials at high pressure. While characterization of porous materials at room pressure is convenient, the understanding of the pressure-induced changes is pivotal to the development of real-world applications for new classes of materials being synthesized. The graduate students involved will explore a new world in "extreme conditions" research that requires new tools for synthesis and characterization, including state-of-the-art synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering techniques capable of penetrating the cells we develop. Outreach to a broad community will raise awareness of the need for transformational materials to address global issues. These ideas are distilled into a freshmen seminar "On being human" which emphasizes how scientists view the world, into undergraduate courses on environmental chemistry and graduate courses. These endeavors will be presented annually to the public as part of a Friday-night lecture series, in a summer teacher training course and to high school students.