Inorganic nanoscale clusters have garnered significant interest for many practical applications within the fields of materials chemistry, inorganic chemistry, geochemistry, and environmental chemistry. However, the fundamental inner workings of how these materials interact in the solid state and solution continues to be a very elusive problem for scientists. My dissertation focuses on taking non-traditional approaches and characterization techniques to further understand the dynamic interactions of some of the aforementioned clusters. Chapter I is a comprehensive survey and perspective on selected characterization techniques used to study Group 13 aqueous nanoscale clusters and other polyoxometalates in solution. Chapter II focuses on utilizing Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and quantum mechanical computations to unambiguously identify Group 13 tridecameric species in the solid state and aqueous solution. Chapter III discusses the first instance of transmetalation of aqueous aluminum clusters via salt addition of In(NO3)3 in aqueous or methanol. Chapters IV and V explore the effects that aprotic and protic solvents can have on the solution speciation of the flat aluminum tridecamer. Chapter VI discusses the utility of using electrochemically synthesized gallium tridecamer and its functional use as a thin film semiconductor. Chapter VII describes a unique graduate level chemistry course designed to allow students to conduct and generate publication-worthy research within the timeframe of the course. Chapter VIII ventures out beyond the group 13 cluster and introduces techniques used to study the formation and stability of aqueous hafnium clusters. Chapter IX details the synthesis and characterization of rhombic structured copper clusters in the solid state. Finally, chapter X highlights my unfinished projects that can propel future research within the lab.
This dissertation includes previously published and unpublished co-authored material.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uoregon.edu/oai:scholarsbank.uoregon.edu:1794/19224 |
| Date | 18 August 2015 |
| Creators | Jackson Jr, Milton |
| Contributors | Page, Catherine |
| Publisher | University of Oregon |
| Source Sets | University of Oregon |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Rights | All Rights Reserved. |
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