Overview
The Kephart Lab employs techniques from synthetic and physical inorganic chemistry as well as electrochemistry to explore various aspects of the coordination chemistry occurring along heterogeneous interfaces. Through our research, we aim to develop new sustainable solutions for next-generation electronics, precious metal separations, and catalysis.
Research Focus
Conducting research to the tune of Feynman’s “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”, our group seeks to unearth molecular-level insights into the structural evolution and interfacial reactivity of solid-state materials. Our approach is rooted in the development of novel synthetic methods to access atomically-precise inorganic nanostructures featuring unusual electronic and reactive attributes. This work is initially focused on three central topics:
- We are exploring the small-molecule reactivity of mineralization to isolate new molecular phases of transition metal oxides that we anticipate will exhibit electronic properties distinct from their bulk counterparts.
- We are investigating surface coordination as a means of driving selective material-to-molecule excision from metal surfaces to establish new, sustainable separations technologies.
- Finally, we are synthesizing molecular architectures that mimic interfacial defects that have been invoked as active sites in heterogeneous catalysis with the aim of developing soluble catalysts fit for challenging bond activation reactions.
Publications
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=lsiLpBwAAAAJ&hl=en