Dr. Carol L. Korzeniewski
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Title: |
Professor and Chair |
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Education: |
Ph.D., University of Utah, 1987; Postdoctoral Study, University of Texas at Austin |
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Research Area: |
Analytical Chemistry |
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Office: |
Chemistry 328-C |
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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
- "Thermal Processing as a Means to Prepare Durable, Submicron Thickness Ionomer Films for Study by Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy." Byun, C.K.; Parker, T.; Liang, C.; Kendrick, I.; Dimakis, N.; Smotkin, E.S.; Jin, L-M.; Zhuang, D.; Desmarteau, D.D.; Creager, S.E. and Korzeniewski, C. Anal. Chem.2012, 84, 8127-8132.
- "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.
- "Pt-Ni Nanoparticles for Oxygen Reduction Prepared by a Sonochemical Method." Gumeci, C.; Li, Z.R.; Casadonte, D.J., Jr.; Korzeniewski, C.; J. Electrochem. Soc.2012, 159, F35-F41.
- "Comparing Graphene-TiO2 Nanowire and Graphene-TiO2 Nanoparticle Composite Photocatalysts." Pan, X.; Zhao, Y.; Liu, S.; Korzeniewski, C.L.; Wang, S.; Fan, Z.; ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces2012, 8, 3944-3950.
- "Vibrational Spectroscopy for the Characterization of PEM Fuel Cell Membrane Materials." Korzeniewski, C. In Fuel Cell Science: Theory, Fundamentals, and Bio-Catalysis,Wiley 2010, 395-412.
- "Infrared Spectroscopy of Bis[(perfluoroalkyl)sulfonyl] Imide Ionomer Membrane Materials." Byun, C.K.; Sharif, I.; DesMarteau, D.D.; Creager, S.E.; Korzeniewski, C. J. Phys. Chem. B2009, 113, 6299-6304.
- "Responses of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Groups in Nafion Differentiated By Least Squares Modeling of Infrared Spectra Recorded During Thin Film Hydration." Korzeniewski, C.; Adams, E.; Liu, D. Applied Spectroscopy 2008, 62, 634.
- "Recent Advances in In Situ Infrared Spectroscopy and Applications in Single Crystal Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis.", In Advances in Electrochemical Science and Engineering Volume X: In situ Spectroscopic and Diffraction Methods, R. Alkire, D.M. Kolb, J. Lipkowski and P.N. Ross, Eds. (2006).