General Areas of Research:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Patents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
*Buried interfaces of polymers, understanding organization and chemistry, are new research directions in the Allen lab. Stay tuned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The organization of, and induced by, salt environments including redox ions Fe(II) and Fe(III) and at the hydrophobic air \/water interface is being explored in our laboratory. Surface acidity, co-anion perturbation, ionic strength, electric fields (inherent and externally applied) and electrode effects, as well as the associated perturbations to hydration and organization to these ion interfacial systems are investigated. For these studies, we employ vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy, phase-sensitive second harmonic generation, surface tension and surface potential instrumentation. Expected outcomes of this project also include instrumentation development and advances in surface-sensitive spectroscopy.<\/p>\n
Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical components for many technologies, yet limited supplies impact technological advancements in myriad areas:\u00a0 electronics, clean energy, space and weapons systems, medicine, and medical technologies.\u00a0 Supply limitations threaten U.S. industries and national security. U.S. mining sites are being considered a possible sources of REEs. The solvent, water or organic\/low dielectric phase, and solvation environment in addition to extractant molecular class play key roles in facilitating REE extraction and extraction capacity, and equally important is that the interface is unique in that interfacial transfer can be tuned selectively. \u00a0We investigate interfacial environments to understand separation mechanisms and thus interfacial binding mechanism(s) and thermodynamic properties of the interfacial extractant-ion-solvent complexes with effects from the solvent(s) and selected co-ions.<\/p>\n
We now have advanced to molecular and, in general, ion recognition with collaborations with Amar Flood at Indiana University and more recently, collaboration with Jovica Badjic at Ohio State.\u00a0 Proteins for example exploit microenvironments of low dielectric constant and partial dehydration. Yet, such biologically inspired environments have rarely been examined in artificial receptors. Currently we are investigating molecular machines (Badjic lab) for guest-host relationships at liquid surfaces. There is a critical need to understand and discover new recognition modes at bioinspired receptor-water interfaces.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Through IR Medtek, LLC, and in collaboration with Emeritus Prof. Jim Coe, we continue to work toward improving cancer diagnostic tools.\u00a0<\/p>\n
General Areas of Research: Patents: Current Research: 1. New research direction – Polymer interfaces *Buried interfaces of polymers, understanding organization and chemistry, are new research directions in the Allen lab. Stay tuned.\u00a0 2. Controlling Aqueous Interfacial Phenomena of Redox Active … Read more