CAREER: Spectroscopic Studies of Ionic Transition Metal Complexes

在这个奖项中，来自科罗拉多大学博尔德分校的韦伯博士将用红外光谱和光解光谱研究过渡金属络合离子。离子将通过激光蒸发和超音速膨胀或通过电喷雾电离产生。过渡金属阴离子与烃分子或CO和CO2的配合物通常在多相催化中具有重要意义，特别是在CH和CO键活化中。在无溶剂环境中对卤素金属化物的研究有望提高我们对其内在性质的理解。通常，这些金属化物是用于形成在催化中起重要作用的金属纳米颗粒的前体。在他的教育计划中，韦伯博士建议开发一种新的量子力学教学方法，依靠学生的互动和参与。韦伯博士将与教育专家联络，并通过互联网广泛传播课程计划，供他人使用。许多工业过程依赖于多相催化。一个著名的例子是哈伯-博施法，其中氨是由氢气和氮气产生的。氨是化肥的主要原料，而世界上的大部分粮食供应都依赖于化肥。气体与催化剂的固体表面相互作用，改变反应途径，使反应发生所需的能量更少。为了提高催化性能和运行催化反应所需的相关成本和资源，必须详细了解反应中间歇形成的化学物质。位于博尔德的科罗拉多大学的韦伯博士将使用先进的设备来产生参与催化反应的物种，并详细研究它们的结构。他的工作是独一无二的，因为他专注于带负电荷的物种，这些物种很难调查，但预计将在这些过程中发挥重要作用。这些研究需要对如何在数学上描述成键相互作用有坚实的理论理解。化学的这个领域福尔斯属于量子力学的范畴，这是所有化学专业本科生都必须通过的一门课程。它通常是毕业的最大障碍，因为材料在数学上具有挑战性，并且与经典物理和化学截然不同。韦伯博士计划开发一个互动课程，不断衡量学生的过程，并通过互联网与他的同事分享这门课程。

In this award, Dr. Weber from University of Colorado at Boulder, will study transition metal complex ions with infrared and photodissociation spectroscopy. The ions will be generated by laser vaporization and supersonic expansion, or by electrospray ionization. Transition metal anion complexes with hydrocarbon molecules or CO and CO2 have significance in heterogeneous catalysis in general, and in CH and CO bond activation in particular. The study of halogen metalates in a solvent-free environment is expected to improve our understanding of their intrinsic properties. Frequently, these metalates are precursors for the formation of metal nanoparticles that play an important role in catalysis. In his education plan, Dr. Weber proposes to develop a new approach to teaching quantum mechanics, relying on student interaction and engagement. Dr. Weber will liaise with educational specialists and broadly disseminate the course plan via the internet for others to use.Many industrial processes rely on heterogeneous catalysis. A famous example is the Haber-Bosch process in which ammonia is generated from hydrogen and nitrogen gases. Ammonia is the main feedstock for fertilizers upon which much of the world's food supply depends on. The gases interact with the solid surface of the catalyst that alters the reaction pathway such that less energy is required to make the reaction occur. In order to improve catalytic performance and the associated cost and resources required to run catalytic reactions, a detailed understanding of the chemical species that form intermittently in the reactions is imperative. Dr. Weber from University of Colorado at Boulder will use sophisticated equipment to generate species involved in catalytic reactions, and to study their structure in great detail. His work is unique in so far as he focuses on negatively charged species that are difficult to investigate, yet are expected to play an important role in these processes. These studies require a solid theoretical understanding on how to mathematically describe bonding interactions. This area of chemistry falls into the realm of quantum mechanics, a course that all chemistry undergraduate students have to pass. It often presents the greatest hurdle for graduation, as the material is mathematically challenging and drastically different from classical physics and chemistry. Dr. Weber plans to develop an interactive course that continuously gauges students' process, and to share this course with his colleagues via the internet.