Master of Science / Department of Biology / Peter P. Wong / Abstract Water purification methods that remove pathogens and harmful or distasting molecules make water potable. Recently, silver loaded ion-exchange resins have demonstrated a strong role in removing microbes. The goal is to make an effective silver ion-based water purifier that is portable, environmentally stable, and cost efficient. The project was conducted as a collaborative effort with Safewater A/S, an up and coming entrepreneurial business located in Denmark that is interested in developing novel water purifiers for developing nations, adventurers and military personnel. Purolite, a prominent business in ion-exchange resins located in Whales, designed and provided Safewater A/S and our research team with experimental resins for water purification, which will be discussed in the body of this thesis. The data reveals critical issues that may render this tool unavailable for commercial production in some countries due to the mode of action for killing the bacteria and the amount of silver leaching. Tests were conducted using Escherichia coli K12 and Enterococcus faecalis OG1SSp as model fecal organisms using different silver ion-exchange resins. Surveillance of leached silver ions, pH changes, and total dissolved solids (TDS) were also monitored to find correlations with capacity (liters of purified water produced) and effectiveness of microbicidal action. Overall, one resin was found to contain properties consistent with the stated objectives; however its use in some countries as a water purifier for human consumption will be nullified due to extensive silver leaching. Although this resin could be used in the United States of America since it passes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, Safewater A/S is interested in further developing it for countries with stricter regulatory constraints before mass production. The goal of the present thesis report is to address the stated objectives in the development of a water purifier.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Chemistry / Peter M.A. Sherwood / This dissertation will examine the fabrication of different phosphorus containing films and their use as corrosion preventative films and adhesion materials between polymers and metal and metal alloys. Orthophosphate films are used in several metals and metal alloys to prevent corrosion and promote adhesion between paints or polymers and metal substrates. One key component is to examine the use of different phosphorus containing acids that might lead to phosphorus containing films which would compliment the mainly orthophosphate films currently in use. The objectives of this study are to see if it is possible to fabricate different phosphorus containing films, use them to adhere polymers to metal and metal alloys, and test the phosphorus containing films’ and polymer films’ corrosion protection properties. The thermoplastic resin, Poly(ether ketone ketone), or PEKK was found to adhere well to different phosphorus containing films and protect the underlying layers from oxidation in 4-D water. The phosphorus containing films were created by electrochemical deposition in different 5 M phosphorus containing acids. The metal or metal alloy was abraded to remove the native oxide and treated in the electrochemical cell. The second, separate polymer films were created by dip coating the metal or metal alloy in a polymer solution. The film thickness in both cases was controlled to be less than 100Å to ensure that the underlying metal or metal alloy could be detected. The surface chemical analysis was collected using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, or XPS. Core level and valence band XPS were used to distinguish the differences in the chemistry at the surfaces. The valence band XPS spectra were interpreted using spectra generated by multiple scattered wave calculations and band structure calculations. In the cases were more than one film was present subtraction and addition spectrum were used to interpret the chemistry in the interface region of the films.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Chemistry / Stefan Bossmann / A series of methylene-bridged resorcin[4]arenes featuring electrochemically active and hydrophilic viologene-units chemically attached to their "rim"-regions have been synthesized. Depending on the choices of pendent groups (feet) and the numbers of positive charges on the "rim" (four or eight), moderate to very good solubilities in water were obtained. A fluorescent coumarin tag designed for the purpose of photophysical studies was chemically linked to the feet of some of the synthesized resorcin[4]arenes. These compounds were designed to act as guests in mycobacterial channel proteins (channel blockers). The proven host-guest interaction between resorcin[4]arenes and the mycobacterial porin MspA suggests potential application of my research in TB treatment. Both, hydrophilic nutrients and metabolites have to diffuse through the porin channels of mycobacteria because of the lack of an active transport mechanism. If these channels are successfully blocked, the mycobacteria have either to synthesize new channels, which make their outer membrane more susceptible to conventional antibiotics, or they become dormant. (3,3'-dimethyl)-4,4'-bipyridinium units are very suitable electron relays. They can be reduced stepwise to viologen monoradical cations and then to uncharged viologen diradicals which possess highly negative redox potentials, allowing them to reduce C-Cl bonds. Therefore, the deep cavitand viologen resorcin[4]arenas, are expected to bind and detoxify chlorinated hydrocarbons by reductive dechlorination. In this work, the step wise reduction process of viologen- resorcin[4]arenes and the formation of negative redox potentials of double-reduced viologen resorcin[4]arenes are demonstrated by electrochemistry studies. These results encourage future studies toward an efficient electrocatalytic system for the reductive dehalogenation of organic compounds. Besides highly charged resorcin[4]arene cavitands, the synthesis of a thiol-footed resorcin[4]arene was also attempted. The product was used for gold nanoparticle binding studies. The results of the photochemistry measurements provided a proof-of-concept for using the emission of gold nanoparticles in chemical sensors after covering their surfaces with thiol-footed resorcin[4]arenes. Two heterocylic resorcin[4]arene cavitands were synthesized for DNA-intercalation studies. The results of the photochemical measurements suggested binding between DNA and the heterocyclic resorcin[4]arenes and provided proof-of-principle for potential drug applications of this type of macrocycle.

Master of Science / Department of Chemistry / Kenneth J. Klabunde / Although Degussia-Huls P-25 TiO[subscript]2 semiconductor photocatalyst has high photodegradation rate for organic molecules, it works only under ultra-violet (UV) light. Mesoporous metal doped V-MCM-48 silica was synthesized under ambient conditions for use as a visible-light photocatalyst to convert toxic probe molecules to innocuous products: CO[subscript]2 + H[subscript]2O. The synthesis employed a modified Stober metal doped MCM-48 silica method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse-reflectance-ultra-violet-visible (DR-UV-vis) spectroscopy, and N[subscript]2 adsorption-desorpton analysis characterization methods were completed on V-MCM-48 mesoporous material. These characterization methods indicate V-MCM-48 structure had formed with visible light absorption and mesoporous properties. Photocatalysis studies were completed with V-MCM-48 under dark, visible, and UV-light illumination conditions for the following probe molecules: acetaldehyde, carbon monoxide, ethanol, acetone, 2-propanol, and acetonitrile. Acetaldehyde over V-MCM-48 was converted to CO[subscript]2 under dark, visible, and UV-light conditions. Carbon monoxide photooxidation occurred over V-MCM-48 under visible and UV-light. Ethanol and acetonitrile had smaller photodegradation activity over V-MCM-48. Acetone and 2-propanol had no activity photocatalytically. Under dark and visible light illumination, V-MCM-48 consumed approximately one-half acetaldehyde and produced one-third CO[subscript]2 concentration as compared with the P-25 TiO[subscript]2 under UV-light. V-MCM-48 produced two-thirds of the amount of CO[subscript]2 in comparison to nanoparticle Au/ZnO catalyst under UV-light. The results infer V-MCM-48 might be useful in gas and liquid phase photocatalysis including water-splitting due to a high oxidation state (V[superscript]5+), visible light absorption, and high surface area. In conclusion, an extended literature review has been completed and literature employed extensively throughout the thesis with potential methods to further the research on V-MCM-48/Si-MCM-48 in catalysis, chromatography, adsorption/gas separation, and solar collection/water-splitting.