Dr. Carol L. Korzeniewski

 

Principal Research Interests

• Electrochemistry
• Surface Catalysis
• Materials Chemistry

Professor Korzeniewski's research involves using sensitive analytical techniques to monitor chemical and physical processes at liquid-metal interfaces. These processes are classified as electrochemical and play a vital role in many areas of technological importance.

One area of research involves mapping pathways of surface catalyzed organic oxidation reactions. Small alcohols and aldehydes are under study, because of their importance as fuel cell reactants and intermediates. The oxidation of these species at the surface of a transition metal catalyst, such as platinum, releases electrical energy. Fuel cells based on the oxidation of hydrogen supply electricity for space exploration, and methanol-powered fuel cells are investigated for use in commercial power generation and electric vehicles. The Korzeniewski group studies factors that cause efficiency loss in these reactions. Electrochemical, spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques are used. Infrared spectroscopy aids the identification of species that block, or poison, the catalyst surface. Detection at the picomole level can be achieved for certain adsorbates. Separations and mass spectrometry techniques allow the identification of soluble, partial oxidation products.

Single crystal materials are used in this research to investigate how the arrangement of atoms on the metal surface affects adsorption and reactivity. We also prepare, typically Pt-based, metal crystallites for use as fuel cell catalysts.

A related area of research involves the study of ion transporting membrane materials that have application as anode/cathode separators in electric power sources. Focus has been on fluorinated polymers that assemble to form nanoscale ion conduction paths. Infrared spectroscopy is employed to investigate polymer structure and the properties of water confined within ion conduction regions.

Representative Publications

• Pasikku Hannadige, L.; Kusoglu, A.; Korzeniewski, C. “Confocal Raman Microscopy as a Probe of Potential-Induced Swelling within Electrode-Supported Ionomer Films” Anal. Chem. (2025) 97, 14126-14131. (DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c02095).
• Wahiduzzaman, Md.; Lawerence, J.; Moreno-Gongora, A.; Xu, J.; Casadonte, D.J.; Botte,, G.G.; Korzeniewski, C. “Crystallinity Change in Processed Low Density Polyethylene Particles Probed by Raman Microscopy” Appl. Spectrosc. (2025) 79 (DOI: 10.1177/00037028251322142).
• Koh, M.; Kitt, J.P.; Pendergast, A.D.; Harris, J.M.; Minteer, S.D.; Korzeniewski, C “Confocal Raman Microscopy for Measuring In-Situ Temperature-Dependent Structural Changes in Poly(Ethylene Oxide) Thin Films” Appl. Spectrosc. (2025) 79. (DOI: 10.1177/00037028241310904).)
• Ozuguzel, U.; Safaltin, S.; Alpay, S.P.; Alkadry, K.; Nieman, R.; Korzeniewski, C.; Aquino, A.J.A. . "Influence of Ligand Complexity on the Spectroscopic Properties of Type 1 Copper Sites: A Theoretical Study" J. Comput. Chem. (2025) 46, e70013. (DOI: 10.1002/jcc.70013)
• Talukder, S.; Kaur, J.; Lawrence, J.; Xu, J.; Choudhary, R.D.; Korzeniewski, C.; Quitevis, E.L.; Yeo, C-D. “Modified Graphene Oxide as an Additive to Enhance the Lubricity of Ionic Liquids” ACS Appl. Eng. Mater. (2023) 1, 756-768. DOI: 10.1021/acsaenm.2c00177.
• Ozuguzel, U.; Aquino, A.J.A.; Nieman, R.; Minteer, S.D.; Korzeniewski, C. “Resonance Raman Spectra and Excited State Properties of Methyl Viologen and Its Radical Cation from Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory” J. Comput. Chem. (in press 08/23). (DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27207)
• "In situ confocal Raman microscopy of redox polymer films on bulk electrode supports" Xu, J.; Koh, M.; Minteer, S. D.; Korzeniewski, C.; ACS Meas. Sci. Au (2023) 3, 127-133. (DOI: 10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.2c00064).
• "Calculation of Resonance Raman Spectra and Excited State Properties for Blue Copper Protein Model Complexes" Ozuguzel, U.; Aquino, A.J.A.; Nieman, R.; Minteer, S.D.; Korzeniewski, C.; ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. (2022) 10,14614 (DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c04802).
• "Deconvoluting charge transfer mechanisms in conducting redox polymer-based photobioelectrocatalytic systems" Weliwatte, N.S.; Simoska, O.; Powell, D.; Koh, M.; Grattieri, M.; Whittaker-Brooks, L.; Korzeniewski, C.; Minteer, S.D.; J. Electrochem. Soc. (2022) 169, 085501. (DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/ac84b2).
• "Cyclic Voltammetry as a Probe of Selective Ion Transport within Layered, Electrode-Supported Ion-Exchange Membrane Materials" Xu, J.; Leddy, J.; Korzeniewski, C.; J. Electrochem. Soc. (2022) 169, 026520. (DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/ac51fd).
• "Adapting confocal Raman microscopy for in situ studies of redox transformations at electrode-electrolyte interfaces" Korzeniewski, C.; Peterson, E.M.; Kitt, J.P.; Minteer, S.D.; Harris, J.M.; J. Electroanal. Chem. (2021) 896, 115207. (DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2021.115207).
• "Single-layer graphene as a highly selective barrier for vanadium crossover with high proton selectivity." Bukola, S.; Li, Z.; Zack, J.; Antunes, C.; Korzeniewski, C.; Teeter, G.; Blackburn, J.; Pivovar, B.; J. Energy in Chemistry (2021) 59, 419-420. (DOI: 10.1016/j.jechem.2020.11.025).
• "Vibrational Spectroscopic Monitoring of the Gelation Transition in Nafion Ionomer Dispersions." Liang, Y.; Kitt, J.P.; Minteer, S.D.; Harris, J.M. and Korzeniewski, C.; Appl. Spectrosc. (2021) 75, 376-384. (DOI: 10.1177/0003702820949129)
• "Spatially Directed Functionalization by Co-electropolymerization of Two 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene Derivatives on Microelectrodes within an Array." Jones, B.J. Korzeniewski, C.L.; Franco, J.H.; Minteer, S.D. Fritsch, I.; Electrochem. Soc. (2020) 167, 166511. (DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/abcb75).
• "Tracking the prelude of the electroreduction of carbon monoxide via its interaction with Cu(100): Studies by operando scanning tunneling microscopy and infrared spectroscopy." Baricuatro, J.H.; Kim, Y.-G; Korzeniewski, C.L.; Soriaga, M.P.; Catalysis Today (2020) 358, 210-214. (DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2020.01.028)
• "Microhydration of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes: A Comparison of Hydrogen-Bonding Networks and Spectral Properties of Nafion and Bis[(perfluoroalkyl)sulfonyl] imide." Silva, N.; Tunega, D.; Korzeniewski, C.; Lischka, H.; Aquino, A.; J. Phys. Chem. B (2019) 123, 9899-9911 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b07815).
• "Proton transmission across single-layer CVD graphene sandwiched between proton-exchange membranes is much faster than for any other cation." Bukola, S.; Beard, K.; Korzeniewski, C.; Harris, J.M.; Creager, S.E.; ACS Applied Nano Materials (2019) 2, 964-974. (DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.8b02270).
• "Single layer graphene for estimation of axial spatial resolution in confocal Raman microscopy depth profiling." Korzeniewski, C.; Kitt, J.P.; Bukola, S.; Creager, S.E.; Minteer, S.D.; Harris, J.M.; Anal. Chem. (2019) 91, 1049-1055. (DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b04390).
• "Infrared Microscopy as a Probe of Composition Within a Model Biofuel Cell Electrode Prepared from Trametes versicolor Laccase." Liang, Y.; Cai, R.; Hickey, D.P.; Kitt, J.P.; Harris, J.M.; Minteer, S.D.; Korzeniewski, C.; ChemElectroChem (2019) (DOI: 10.1002/celc.20180117).
• "Model-based analyses of confined polymer electrolyte nanothin films experimentally probed by polarized ATR-FTIR spectroscopy." Kollath, V.O.; Liang, Y.; Mayer, F.D.; Korzeniewski, C.; Karan, K." J. Phys. Chem. C (2018) 122, 9578-9585. (DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b02473).
• "Seriatim ECSTEM-ECPMIRS of the adsorption of carbon monoxide on Cu(100) in alkaline solution at CO₂-reduction potentials." Baricuatro, J.H.; Kim, Y.-G; Korzeniewski, C.L.; Soriaga, M.P. Electrochem. Commun. (2018) 81, 1-4. (DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2018.04.016).
• "Selective proton / deuteron transport through Nafion | graphene | Nafion sandwich structures at very high current density." Bukola, S.; Liang, Y.; Korzeniewski, C.; Harris, J.M.; Creager, S.E., J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2018) 1743-1752. (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b10853).
• "The Stokes-Einstein equation and the diffusion of ferrocene in imidazolium-based ionic liquids studied by cyclic voltammetry: Effects of cation ion symmetry and alkyl chain length." Thakurathi, M.; Gurung, E.; Cetin, M.M.; Thalangamaarachchige, V.D.; Mayer, M.F.; Korzeniewski, C.; Quitevis, E., Electrochim. Acta (2018) 259, 245-252. (DOI: 10.1016/ j.electacta.2017.10.149).
• "Vibrational Spectroscopy for the Determination of Ionizable Group Content in Ionomer Materials."Applied Spectrosc. Korzeniewski, C.; Liang, Y.; Zhang, P.; Sharif, I.; Kitt, J.P.; Harris, J.M.; Hamrock, S.J.; Creager, S.E.; DesMarteau, D.D. (2018) 72, 141-150. (DOI: 10.1177/0003702817728243).
• "Electrochemistry at Platinum Single Crystal Electrodes." Korzeniewski, C.; Climent, V.; Feliu, J.M.  In Electroanalytical Chemistry, Zoski, C. and Bard, A.J. Eds. (Taylor & Francis) (2012), 75-169.