<p> Thin films (~100 nm) have been prepared of the prototypical spin-crossover complex Fe(phen)₂(NCS)₂ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). Initial attempts to prepare these films by direct vapor deposition yielded films of a different material. Through extensive FT-IR, Raman, UV-Vis, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy it is shown that these as-deposited films are the ferroin-based tris complex [Fe(phen)₃](SCN)₂. Structural characterization by AFM and powder XRD reveals them to be smooth and amorphous. When heated, the [Fe(phen)₃](SCN)₂ films are converted first to Fe(phen)₂(SCN)₂ and then to a third species postulated to be Fe(phen)(NCS)₂ which is likely a one-dimensional coordination polymer. On the other hand, deposition from Fe(phen)₂(NCS)₂ onto heated substrates produces a mixture of these three materials. The identity of the Fe(phen)₂(NCS)₂ films is proved by additional spectroscopic, structural, and magnetic characterization. Magnetometry reveals them to remain spin-crossover active albeit with a more gradual and incomplete spin-transition than the bulk material. The films are found to be granular in nature and deep crevices were observed at the grain boundaries. Within the optical microscope, the coloring of the grains is seen to be dependent upon sample orientation. Powder XRD indicates texturing of crystalline domains where the crystallographic c-axis is parallel to the surface normal. This represents a new process for production of Fe(phen)₂(NCS)₂ films.</p><p> With the aim of realizing the potential for spin-crossover materials to modulate electrical conduction and vise versa, electrical characterization has been performed as a function of temperature on vertical junction devices incorporating the prepared Fe(phen)₂(NCS)₂ films. In order to prevent penetration of the top electrode through the cracks and crevices in the organometallic layer, a multiple sequential deposition and annealing process was developed to produce films with a continuous surface topography. A small change in the weak electrical conductivity of these devices appears at the spin transition temperature, demonstrating for the first time in this important material a coupling of the electrical conductivity and magnetic spin state. Here, the HS state has a higher electrical conductivity. Incorporation of LiF interfacial layers between the Fe(phen)₂(NCS)₂ and the metal electrodes improves conduction slightly but tunneling still appears to be the current-limiting mechanism. Electrical measurements were also performed on devices made with the related complex [Fe(phen)₃](SCN)₂. Such films were much more conductive&mdash;as good as other typical organic semiconductor materials. All together, this work establishes the potential for this family of complexes to be incorporated into thin-film based electrical devices whose operation is based on the spin-crossover effect or otherwise.</p>

The main theme of this research is to understand the structure-property evolution during crystallization of a semicrystalline thermoplastic polymer. A combination of techniques including rheology, small angle light scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy are applied to follow the mechanical and optical properties along with crystallinity and the morphology. Isothermal crystallization experiments on isotactic poly-1-butene at early stages of spherulite growth provide quantitative information about nucleation density, volume fraction of spherulites and their crystallinity, and the mechanism of connecting into a sample spanning structure. Optical microscopy near the fluid-to-solid transition suggests that the transition, as determined by time-resolved mechanical spectroscopy, is not caused by packing/jamming of spherulites but by the formation of a percolating network structure. The effect of strain, Weissenberg number (We ) and specific mechanical work (w) on rate of crystallization (nucleation followed by growth) and on growth of anisotropy was studied for shear-induced crystallization of isotactic poly-1-butene. The samples were sheared for a finite strain at the beginning of the experiment and then crystallized without further flow (Janeschitz-Kriegl protocol). Strain requirements to attain steady state/leveling off of the rate of crystallization were found to be much larger than the strain needed to achieve steady state of flow. The large strain and We>1 criteria were also observed for morphological transition from spherulitic growth to oriented growth. An apparatus for small angle light scattering (SALS) and light transmission measurements under shear was built and tested at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. As a new development, the polarization direction can be rotated by a liquid crystal polarization rotator (LCPR) with a short response time of 20 ms. The experiments were controlled and analyzed with a LabVIEW™ based code (LabVIEW™ 7.1) in real time. The SALS apparatus was custom built for ExxonMobil Research in Clinton NJ.

Trace impurity determinations in volatile, pyrophoric organometallic materials is complicated owing to its chemical nature. Furthermore, trends toward high semiconductor circuit density demand that impurity determinations are performed at increasingly low levels. Volatility of the impurities is also desired as it plays a significant role in impurity incorporation in semiconductor products. Determination of both volatile and nonvolatile impurities in semiconductor-grade organometallic reagent materials has been accomplished using electrothermal vaporization - inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. Solid or liquid materials can be dispensed directly onto a graphite microboat, and application of an appropriate time-temperature ramp allows separation of impurities based on volatility. Temporal separation allows quantitative capabilities on both volatile and nonvolatile signals in a single ETV run. Calibration efforts for volatile impurities have been compared with results from exponential dilution and direct vapor sampling techniques. Nonvolatile impurity determinations can be reasonably performed with aqueous external standard calibration. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry provides an alternate and more sensitive, multielement detection method. Several spectroscopic and non-spectroscopic difficulties with volatile impurity detection remain. Nonetheless, qualitative and semi-quantitative ($<$50% RSD) determination of most impurities may be performed in a single ETV run.

<p> Nanomaterials are the focus of intense research efforts in a variety of fields because of dramatic differences in properties when compared to the corresponding bulk materials. Catalysis is one material property that can become more pronounced at the nanoscale. By lowering energy requirements for chemical reactions, catalysts reduce production costs in diverse sectors of the economy, including medicine, transportation, environmental protection, oil and gas, food, and synthetic materials. Transition metals are an important class of catalysts capable of facilitating reduction and oxidation of molecular species. Since the discovery of transition metal catalysts nearly 200 years ago, certain metals were considered more active as catalysts (i.e., Pt, Pd, and Ru), while others (Au) appeared to have negligible catalytic activity as bulk materials. In recent years, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have become a fast-growing field of research owing to their unexpected catalytic properties not present in the bulk material. However, unsupported AuNPs are highly prone to flocculation and subsequent reduced catalytic activity. The choice of an appropriate aggregation-resistant stabilizing ligand for these nanoparticles is an important part of maintaining nanoscale catalytic properties. Additional stability is provided by anchoring AuNPs to support materials, allowing for dramatic improvements in catalyst lifetimes. This work discusses the development of novel diamond support materials for improving the stability of catalytically active AuNPs. Synthetic nanodiamond is a widely available, inexpensive, and robust material that has found applications in a wide range of commercial abrasives, lubricants, and composite materials. By exploiting the rich surface chemistry of nanodiamond, we have developed versatile catalyst support materials that offer unrivaled chemical and mechanical stability. Various nanodiamond surface modifications are readily prepared using a combination of chemical vapor deposition, photo-active polymer chemistry, and synthetic organic chemistry techniques. Control over the surface chemistry and properties of the resulting nanodiamond allow for increased stability of AuNPs via surface anchored thiol and amine moieties. The use of diamond as a support material should allow a wide variety of noble and nonprecious metal composite materials to be used as catalysts in harsh chemical environments not suitable for existing support materials.</p><p>

Nanoparticles made from platinum-group metals (PGMs) have demonstrated effectiveness as inorganic, artificial peroxidase mimics. These artificial enzymes boast several advantages over natural peroxidases, including superior catalytic efficiency, chemothermal stability, and cost effectiveness. PGM nanoparticles are therefore increasingly coming into use over protein-based enzymes across a variety of sectors, including public health, medical diagnostics, environmental protection, and automotive manufacturing. However, the full range of PGM nanoparticles with potential for these applications have not yet been systematically compared. Such a comparison will be significantly beneficial to future design of PGM nanoparticles, and their optimization as catalysts for industry. The present study aims to address this need through the systematic characterization and analysis of one type of PGM nanoparticle. Research of this type will greatly improve the future effectiveness of similar particles within their respective applications. In particular, this work focuses on palladium (Pd), a metal with an extensive history of use as an inorganic catalyst of organic reactions. The first phase of the study focuses on development of a reliable method for synthesis of Pd nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm, beginning with accepted procedures for the development of similar particles. The second involves a thorough characterization of the particles, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for elemental composition, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for morphology, X-ray diffraction (XRD) for confirmation of surface facets, infrared spectroscopy (IRS) for confirmation of citrate surface ligand, and high-resolution TEM for single crystal structure. In the third phase, the particles will be tested for catalytic activity as artificial peroxidases in the oxidation of 3,3’,5,5’-tetramethylbenzadine (TMB) by hydrogen peroxide.