Saving the World

1
Saving the World

• Adventures in Chemistry Research

2
The Problem
3
The bigger problem
4
One solution

• Use non-carbon fuels
• Reduce carbon concentrations
• Split water

5
The Challenge

• Large potential
• Low conductivity
• High EA
• Leaf OEC a mystery

6
The Lab

• Working to understand water-splitting and
  Oxygen-producing reactions

7
The Blue Dimer

• Splits the splitting
• Reduces Activation Energy
• Catalyst
• But . . .
• Stops Working
• NaClO4

8
My Role

• Experiment with Blue Dimer and derivative
  compounds
• Mess around with CV experiments
• Ultimate goal . . .
• Explore this branch of the labs work
• Compile data and interesting findings for future
  work

9
Things I had to do

• Learn a lot of chemistry
• Make the Blue Dimer
• Make a PF6 derivative compound
• Study CV chemistry
• Later goals
• Study CV chemistry on the Blue Dimer and PF6

10
Chemistry

• Basic RedOx
• Water electrolysis (blue dimer)
• CV chemistry (ferrocene)
• Pourbaix diagrams, pH dependency

11
Positives

• High-tech equipment rules
• Sense of accomplishment
• Visible progress
• Experience fairly unique, very important
• Humanizes research (Mikes and Yogis work)
• Real science

12
Image sources

• http//www.global-warming-and-the-climate.com/mann
  's-hockey-stick-climate-graph.htm
• http//oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/oceanography-
  book/Images/CO2-Temp.jpg
• http//oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/oceanography-
  book/Images/vostoktempandco2.jpg
• http//oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/oceanography-
  book/co2problem.htm
• http//earthtrends.wri.org/images/china_projected_
  energy_growth_by_fuel.jpg
• http//www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/archive/ieo01/images/f
  igure_13.jpg
• http//www.evworld.com/blogs/images/abdullah_chene
  y.jpg
• http//www.firstscience.com/home/images/legacygall
  ery/leaf.jpg
• http//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e7/Oxyg
  en_evolving_complex.png
• http//www.mrs.org/s_mrs/docs/images/nocera_sm.jpg
  
• http//web.mit.edu/chemistry/dgn/www/people/marsha
  k.jpg
• http//web.mit.edu/chemistry/dgn/www/people/surend
  ranath.bmp