Microwave Studies of Hydrated Acids and Ion Pairs

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案资助的（公法111-5）。在这个由实验物理化学计划支持的项目中，明尼苏达大学双城分校的Kenneth Leopold教授和他的小组将采用傅里叶变换微波光谱（FTMW）来研究含有酸或离子化合物和1 - 3水分子这项研究的目的是了解水分子如何与无机酸、有机酸和离子化合物等溶质相互作用。一个关键问题是：水分子如何促进酸和盐中正负电荷的分离？ 为了研究难以在气相中产生的离子化合物，Leopold教授的小组还将开发一种激光烧蚀系统，以促进困难化合物（低挥发性离子和耐火材料）的气相样品的生产。这项研究不仅对相互作用的分子和离子的行为，而且对我们大气中的化学过程都有重要的影响。许多对环境重要的过程涉及被水分子包围（水合）的盐或离子物质。除了直接参与研究的研究生和本科生外，利奥波德教授还将邀请高中教师和学生参与，他们将从涉及严格的光谱研究和更广泛的大气和环境化学综合主题的研究经验中受益。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).In this project supported by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program, Professor Kenneth Leopold and his group at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities will employ Fourier Transform microwave spectroscopy (FTMW) to investigate the intermolecular interactions within gas phase clusters containing acids or ionic compounds and 1 - 3 water molecules. The goal of the research is to understand how water molecules interact with solutes such as inorganic acids, organic acids, and ionic compounds in general. A key question is: how do water molecules promote the separation of negative and positive charges in acids and salts? In order to study ionic compounds that are difficult to produce in the gas phase, Professor Leopold's group will also develop a laser ablation system to facilitate production of gas phase samples of difficult compounds (low volatility ionic and refractory materials). This research has important consequences not only with regard to the behavior of interacting molecules and ions, but for chemical processes in our atmosphere. Many environmentally important processes involve salts or ionic species that are surrounded (hydrated) by water molecules. In addition to the graduate and undergraduate students directly involved in the research, Professor Leopold will invite participation of high school teachers and students, who will benefit from a research experience that involves rigorous spectroscopic studies and the broader integrating themes of atmospheric and environmental chemistry.