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Research Projects

Below you will find a brief description of each project, click on the project title to be taken to a page with further information.

Previous Projects

Arsenic (III) oxidation by Manganese oxide Nanoparticles

Manganese minerals, naturally present in environment, serve as potential surfaces, which can undergo reduction reactions and oxidize As (III) to As (V). To investigate this surface phenomenon, time resolved study of arsenic (III) oxidation by manganese nano particle was monitored by using AFM, XPS, Ion Chromatography (IC) and ATR-FTIR .

Astrobiology Biogeocatalysis Research Center (ABRC) Collaboration

The Strongin research group is collaborating with SUNY Stony Brook and Montana State University under a grant from NASA working to elucidate key information regarding the origin of life. The research opportunity is largely based on journal contributions in 1988 theorizing that iron sulfide chemistry under hydrothermal conditions played a central role in prebiotic chemistry. The goal of the ABRC is to bridge the gap between the potential role of iron sulfides in prebiotic chemistry, and iron sulfur clusters at the active sites of such relevant enzymes as nitrogenase and hydrogenase.

Ferrihydrite: Synthesis/Structure, Reactivity and Phase Transistions

Ferrihydrite is a widespread nanoscale iron oxyhydroxide mineral withrelevance in environmental and industrial systems. Current research inour laboratory focuses on structure determination and the study of phasetransitions to other iron oxides and hydroxides.

Surface Catalytic Chemistry (Rochow Synthesis)

The production of methylchlorosilanes, a monomer used for production of silicones, is a billion dollar a year industry. Using methyl chloride gas and silicon as reactants, a copper catalyst, and selected metallic promoters, we are able to examine the surface of the reaction mixture as products evolve. Using ATR and GC, we are able to track changes in the surface of the reaction mass as product distribution evolves in terms of selectivity and reactivity.

Mineral Reactivity in Carbon Sequestration

Anthropogenic production of CO₂ is widely recognized as one of the main contributors to global climate change. One of the more popular solutions to this problem is CO₂ sequestration in which CO₂ is pumped into empty wells underground. Under the surface of the earth CO₂ will not contribute to the greenhouse effect, but one of the critiques of this solution is capability for CO₂ to remain underground. The Strongin group will investigate the ability of CO₂ to form stable carbonate minerals by reacting with existing subsurface minerals. Our focus is to investigate the reactivity of CO₂ and sulfur compounds that are released with the burning of fossil fuels with iron bearing minerals, other relevant minerals.