A Comprehensive Approach to Understanding Chemistry at Interfaces and Atmospheric Implications

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The NSF Division of Chemistry with contributions from the NSF Division of Atmospheric Sciences (GEO/ATM) and the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) supports the collaborative research project of Prof. Barbra Finlayson-Pitts and her collaborators at the air UCI Center at the University of California at Irvine. The air UCI collaborative team will study complex interfacial processes that are directly relevant to atmospheric processes. These include studies of gas-aerosol interactions, interactions between gas molecules and water films on surfaces, interactions of organic molecules on surfaces with atmospherically relevant gas phase oxidants, the photochemistry of complex organic and inorganic mixtures at interfaces, the spectroscopy of ionic species similar to those found in the atmosphere, and acid-based equilibria at complex interfaces. The collaborative team will utilize state of the art theoretical methods to guide and interpret the experimental results obtained in these complex systems. Molecular-level understanding of processes at interfaces is critical for providing accurate inputs for models of atmospheric processes from local to global scales including climate change, for understanding and ultimately preventing corrosion of surfaces, for elucidating processes on materials that include biological interfaces, and for understanding processes on water and soils. The study will also provide cutting-edge training of the next generation of scientists in state-of-the-art experiments and theory studies that are designed to improve our understanding of atmospheric processes. Exchange opportunities with international collaborators and the national labs will provide significant and unusual breadth to their training. A high percentage of the trainees will be from underrepresented groups. The broad scope of this research and its application to air pollution and climate change will be used to educate middle/high school level science teachers through a two week summer teacher workshop that will potentially have impact on 3000 - 4000 students per year.