Abstract:
Most environmentally-relevant processes occur at the interface between the different phases of matter present in natural and synthesized systems. In these processes, surfaces, mainly oxides and hydroxides of transition metals such as iron and copper, are present under very different ambient conditions. Molecular-level understanding of surface processes at the gas/solid and liquid/solid interfaces demands using model systems and a suite of analytical techniques (surface-sensitive and bulk) coupled with computational chemistry and mathematical modeling tools. Research in my lab, the Environmental Physical and Interfacial Chemistry (EPIC) lab, explores chemical reactions and processes relevant to atmospheric, geochemical, and remediation systems. In this talk, I will present recent research activities that highlight the role of natural and synthetic iron and copper oxide nanomaterials in (1) understanding the atmospheric chemistry of iron-containing mineral dust, (2) quantifying the fate of organic and inorganic arsenic compounds in simulated geochemical environments, and (3) investigating the surface chemistry of intermediates formed during carbon dioxide electrochemical reduction.