Solid-State NMR of Complex Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Materials

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My research is primarily concerned with developing Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SSNMR) methods to study the structure and molecular motion of Complex Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Materials (CHOIM) using fluorine and phosphorous as probes. Synthetic CHOIMs are found in alternative energy (fuels cells, solar cells) and battery technologies, whereas natural CHOIMs exist as complex mixtures such as bitumen and biomaterials. CHOIMs are typically composed of various combinations of soft, hard and fluid components, which have to be studied as they are, not in isolation, in order to appreciate the interactions between components that give rise to the properties and behaviours of interest. As such, they are ideally characterized by SSNMR spectroscopy. The repertoire of structural and dynamic SSNMR methods, as well as simulations tools, will be continually expanded to meet new challenges posed by the complexity of emerging material technologies. The facility in Lethbridge is one of the best equipped in Canada for SSNMR of materials, resulting from a series of strategic investments by the UofL in its materials chemistry research capability, by building state-of-the-art synthetic and characterization facilities, thereby forming the core of a centre of expertise in fluorine chemistry and materials characterization. Materials of interest include: nanocomposites of inorganic polymers, fluoropolymers, and block copolymers. These new SSNMR methods will also be used to chemically fingerprint bitumen, which has confounded traditional characterization methods, to provide much needed structural and compositional information to advance upgrading and extraction processes for the oil sands industry. This process involves the introduction of 19F as a probe by low level direct fluorination. My research group represents the only Canadian research presence focused on SSNMR of hybrid organic-inorganic materials. A Canadian presence facilitates the participation of our materials science community in the development of new organic-inorganic hybrid technologies, thus benefiting from its ever widening range of applications and subsequent economic impact in the areas of alternative energy, electronics, environment, fossil fuels, medicine and agriculture.