International Collaboration in Chemistry: Catch and Release Chemistry - Reversible Adsorption on Functionalized Surfaces

蒙大拿州立大学的Robert A.Walker教授和Mary J.Cloninger教授得到化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学(MSN)计划的支持，与英国达勒姆大学化学系的Colin D.Bain教授和Jas Pal BadYal教授合作进行研究，开发新的方法来创建功能化表面，这种表面可以以受控的方式捕获并随后从水溶液中释放可溶的有机分析物。这些策略包括冷等离子体化学的新应用和树枝状大分子接枝介电表面。利用一套互补的光学光谱学技术，将在原位和实时定量地探索这种选择性的“捕捉和释放”化学的动力学、热力学和机理。这些光学研究的信息将提供必要的动力学和热力学数据，以开发多价结合到表面和从表面解吸的定量预测模型。科林·D·贝恩教授和贾斯帕尔·巴德亚尔教授是由英国资助机构EPSRC资助的。选择性地从溶液中去除大量污染物的能力仍然是分离科学研究人员难以实现的目标。如果成功，该项目将对环境修复、水净化和药物输送等各种活动产生重大的实际影响。这项跨学科研究将为蒙大拿州的学生提供广泛的培训机会和国际研究经验，土著部落学院的学生将参与其中。

Professors Robert A. Walker and Mary J. Cloninger of Montana State University are supported by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry (MSN) Program in the Division of Chemistry to conduct research -- in collaboration with Professors Colin D. Bain and Jas Pal Badyal of the Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, UK -- to develop new strategies for creating functionalized surfaces that can trap and subsequently release soluble organic analytes from aqueous solutions in a controlled manner. These strategies include novel applications of cold plasma chemistry and grafting dielectric surfaces with dendrimers. The kinetics, thermodynamics and mechanisms of this selective "catch and release" chemistry will be explored quantitatively in situ and in real time using a suite of complementary optical spectroscopy techniques. Information from these optical studies will provide the kinetic and thermodynamic data necessary for developing quantitative, predictive models of multi-valent association to and desorption from surfaces. Professors Colin D. Bain and Jas Pal Badyal are funded by the UK funding agency, the EPSRC.The ability to selectively remove large quantities of contaminants from solution remains an elusive goal of researchers in separation science. If successful, the project will have a significant practical impact on activities as diverse as environmental remediation, water purification and drug delivery. This interdisciplinary research will provides broad training opportunities and an international research experience for students at Montana State with participation of students from Native Tribal Colleges.