CAREER:Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles as Soluble Supports for Recyclable Reagents and Scavengers

Southern Illinois University At Carbondale, Carbondale IL

Investigators

Abstract

Professor Yong Gao of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale is supported by the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program to pursue a research program that intends to develop the core/shell iron oxide/organic polymer nanoparticles into novel soluble supports for recycling industrial homogeneous catalysts, reagents and scavengers. In addition, such soluble matrixes can be used as alternative supports for the parallel solution-phase combinatorial synthesis. The education part of this work will include setting up two research training programs to target students at different levels. Senior undergraduate and graduate students will be invited to join a training program through a research collaboration with chemical, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, which will offer unique opportunities for students to interact with industrial R&D scientists. An outreach program is devoted to encouraging junior undergraduate students, especially the ones who are currently underrepresented in the sciences to participate in chemistry research and pursue a career in chemistry. With this CAREER award the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the work of Dr. Yong Gao whose studies can potentially bring more insight into self-assembly processes, nanomaterials and the reaction kinetics of the solid-phase reactions. The proposed work could also have broader impacts on the development of industrial processes, combinatorial syntheses, drug discovery, material synthesis and environmental protection, and present an excellent vehicle for training students at all levels.