June 2023
Congratulations to Luke on his accepted and published paper in ACS Industrial and Engineering ChemistryÂ
Solid Barium Sulfate Formation from Aqueous Solution: Re-examination of Key Literature and Kineitcs of This Classic System in Search of a Minimum Mechanism of Formation
January 2023
Luke attended and presented a poster at the 2023 Rocky Mountain Solid State Chemistry Workshop
Platinum Nanoparticle Formation Mechanism: Fitting to an Alternative 4-step Yields Well Defined Rate Constants and Predicts Chloride Dependence
November 2022
Luke presented a nice poster at the 2022 CSU Graduate Student ShowcaseÂ
A Second-Generation Platinum Nanoparticle System: Alternative Formation Mechanism and Tunability
July 2022
Congratulations to Dr. Carly Jewell on successfully defending her PhD Dissertation!
June 2022
Luke presented an awesome poster at the 2022 Inorganic GRC!
Initial Nucleation and Growth Mechanistic Insights of a Second-Generation Pt Nanoparticle System
May 2022
Huge Congratulations to Luke on passing his Preliminary Candidacy Exam!!Â
Carly gave a great talk to the Fort Collins community at CSU Speaks entitles “Storable Sunshine“
March 2022
Carly, Chris and Rick all gave nice talks at the ACS Spring National Meeting!
Carly: “Understanding the Role of Carbon-Based Impurity and Resultant Defects in DS-PECs: Atomic Layer Deposition of Tin Oxide en route to Improved Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation”
Rick: “Nanoparticle catalysts particle-size distribution prediction and control via mechanism-enabled population balance modeling: Requirement for, and success of, a Bruce Gates-type approach”
Chris: “Nanoparticle formation kinetics and mechanism: Examination of a second-generation Ir(0)n particle formation system”
December 2021
Congrats to Rick for receiving the American Chemical Societyâs national Arthur C. Cope Late Career Scholarâs Award!
November 2021
Huge Congratulations to Chris for accepting a tenure track position at Union College in Schenectady, NY!
October 2021
Luke passed his 2nd year literature seminar!
“Increasing Chalcogen Bond Strength via Oxidation State: Applications to Anion Binding and Transport”
September 2021
Congrats to Carly on having her paper accepted to Sustainable Energy & Fuels!
“Ultrathin alumina passivation for improved photoelectrochemical water oxidation catalysis of tin oxide sensitized by a phosphonate-functionalized perylene diimide first without, and then with, CoOy“
August 2021
Carly gave a terrific talk at the ACS Fall National Meeting!
“Ultrathin Alumina Passivation for Improved Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Catalysis: Tin Oxide Sensitized by a Phosphonate-Functionalized Perylene Diimide First Without, and then with, CoOy“
March 2021
Carly presented a poster at nanoGE!
“Improved Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Catalysis Via Atomic Layer Deposition of Alumina: Passivating Surface Trap States on a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell”
February 2021
Congrats to Dr. Chris Whitehead for beginning his post doc with the De Roo Group at the University of Basel!
December 2020
Carly gave a fantastic Departmental Research Seminar!
“Ultrathin Passivation for Improved Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Catalysis”
November 2020
Chris successfully defended his PhD dissertation!!
CONGRATULATIONS DR. WHITEHEAD!!
Carly gave a great talk at the ACS Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting!
“Improved photoelectrochemical water oxidation catalysis via atomic layer deposition of alumina: Passivating surface trap states on a tin-oxide phosphonate-functionalized perylene diimide plus CoOx system.”
October 2020
Congrats to Chris, Prof. Murielle Watzky, and Rick on having their Perspective accepted into J. Phys. Chem. C!
“Burst Nucleation” vs Autocatalytic, “Burst” Growth in Near-Monodisperse Particles-Formation Reactions
Congrats to Chris, Saim, and Rick on having their Review accepted into Materials Advances!
LaMer’s 1950 Model of Particle Formation: A Review and Critical Analysis of Its Classical Nucleation and Fluctuation Theory Basis, of Competing Models and Mechanisms for Phase-Changes and Particle Formation, and then of Its Application to Silver Halide, Semiconductor, Metal, and Metal-Oxide Nanoparticles
August 2020
Congrats to joint student Rob, former group member Dr. Scott Folkman and Rick on having their paper accepted into ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces!
Copper Metal-Organic Framework Surface Catalysis: Catalyst Poisoning, IR Spectroscopic, and Kinetic Evidence Addressing the Nature and Number of the Catalytically Active Sites En Route to Improved Applications
Good luck to incoming 1st year student, Luke MacHale, as he finishes his spring/summer rotation with the Finke Group and officially begins his graduate career here with CSU Chemistry!
Congrats to rising high school senior Jadon on his summer research experience with the Finke Group and good luck with your senior year at Fossil Ridge!
June 2020
Finke Group members were able to get back into the lab after 3 months of Stay at Home! #pandemic #QuarantineStrongÂ
May 2020
Congratulations to George Baumgartel, M.S. on his graduation and his new job in Arizona!! George also received an outstanding teaching award for his excellent work with undergraduates!Â
Congratulations to Patrick Kent, M.S. on his graduation!!
January 2020
Derek Handwerk, Prof. Patrick Shipman, Saim, and Rick have had their paper on the application of Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling to dust effects accepted into Langmuir!
Dust Effect On Ir(0)n Nanoparticle Formation Nucleation and Growth Kinetics and Particle Size-Distributions: Analysis by and Insights from Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling
Our CSU Mathematics colleagues, Derek Handwerk and Prof. Patrick Shipman, along with Chris, Saim, and Rick, have had their second collaboration paper on Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling accepted into the Journal of Physical Chemistry C!
Particle Size Distributions via Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling
December 2019
Chris was recognized by the Graduate Student Council as CSU’s December Graduate Researcher of the Month! Congrats Chris!!
September 2019
Our CSU Mathematics colleagues, Derek Handwerk and Prof. Patrick Shipman, along with Chris, Saim, and Rick, have had their first collaboration paper on Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling accepted into the Journal of the American Chemical Society! Well done to everyone involved!
Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling of Particle Formation en Route to Particle Average Size and Size Distribution Understanding and Control
August 2019
Chris presented his Chem. Mater. and Rob presented a poster at the 2019 National Fall ACS Meeting in San Diego, CA!
Chris, Saim, and Rick’s review (Part 1) was accepted into the journal Chemistry of Materials!
LaMer’s 1950 Model for Particle Formation of Instantaneous Nucleation and Diffusion-Controlled Growth: A Historical Look at the Models Origins, Assumptions, Equations, and Underlying Sulfur Sol Formation Kinetics Data
July 2019
Rob (joint student in the Reynolds Group), Rick and co-authors had their paper accepted into the Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry!
Copper ion vs copper metal-organic framework catalyzed NO release from bioavailable S-Nitrosoglutathione en route to biomedical applications: Direct 1H NMR monitoring in water allowing identification of the distinct, true reaction stoichiometries and thiol dependencies
May 2019
Saim and Rick’s paper was accepted into the Journal of Physical Chemistry C!
Nanoparticle Formation Kinetics and Mechanistic Studies Important to Mechanism-Based Particle-Size Control: Evidence for Ligand-Based Slowing of the Autocatalytic Surface Growth Step Plus Postulated Mechanisms
April 2019
Chris and Rick’s paper was published in Chem. Mater.! Congrats on your FIRST paper Chris!
Nucleation Kinetics and Molecular Mechanism in Transition-Metal Nanoparticle Formation: The Intriguing, Informative Case of a Bimetallic Precursor, {[(1,5-COD)IrIâ˘HPO4]2}2-
Dr. Jillian Buriak, editor-in-chief of the journal Chemistry of Materials gave the HACH lecture at CSU. Afterwards, Dr. Buriak and Chris took a picture with his recently published journal article. It can be seen on the Chemistry of Materials Twitter page!!
February 2019
Chris gave a fantastic 4th-year research seminar!
“Nucleation Kinetics and Molecular Mechanism of {[(1,5-COD)IrI(HPO4)]2}2- as a Bimetallic Precursor to Ir(0)~125 Nanoparticles“
November 2018
Former group member Dr. Joe Mondloch’s paper with Drs. Ozkar and Finke was published in ACS Omega!
“Weakly Ligated, Labile Ligand” Nanoparticles: The Case of Ir(0)nâ˘(H+Cl–)m
September 2018
Dr. Scott Folkman’s paper with his collaborators from The Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society!
Electrochemically Driven Water-Oxidation Catalysis Beginning with Six Exemplary Cobalt Polyoxometalates: Is It Molecular, Homogeneous Catalysis or Electrode-Bound, Heterogeneous CoOx Catalysis?
May 2018
Carly passed her Preliminary Oral Examination and has been advanced to PhD Candidacy!
Our fearless leader, Dr. Finke, has been awarded a Graduate School Council Graduate Advising and Mentoring Award! He was selected as 1 of 5 to receive this honor from 31 nominated faculty. Well done Rick and thank you for all that you do for us!!
March 2018
Scott successfully defended his PhD dissertation!!
CONGRATULATIONS DR. FOLKMAN!!
February 2018
Rick and former group member Prof. Murielle Watzky’s paper was accepted into ACS Omega!
Gold Nanoparticle Formation Kinetics and Mechanism: A Critical Analysis of the “Redox Crystallization” Mechanism
January 2018
Scott’s paper was accepted into Inorganic Chemistry!
Alcohol Solvent Effects in the Synthesis of Co3O4 Metal-Oxide Nanoparticles: Disproof of a Surface-Ligand Thermodynamic Effect en Route to Alternative Kinetic and Thermodynamic Explanations
December 2017
Saim and Rick’s paper was accepted into the Journal of Physical Chemistry C!
Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Microwave Heating: A Kinetic and Mechanistic Re-Analysis and Re-Interpretation
George passed his Preliminary Oral Examination and has been advanced to PhD Candidacy!
November 2017
Scott’s paper was accepted into ACS Catalysis!
Electrochemical Water Oxidation Catalysis Beginning with Co(II) Polyoxometalates: The Case of the Precatalyst Co4V2W18O6810-
Chris presented a poster at the CSU Graduate Student Showcase
“Experimental Investigation of Low-Order Nucleation Across Catalytically Active Nanoparticles“
October 2017
Scott presented a talk at the ACS Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting in Loveland.
“Crystalline Co3O4 nanoparticle synthesis and the role of alcohol solvents: Evidence for a wholly kinetic, and not a surface ligand thermodynamic, alcohol solvent effect“
September 2017
Former group member Dr. Eric Finney and Rick’s paper was accepted into Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research!
Catalyst Sintering Kinetics Data: Is There a Minimal Chemical Mechanism Underlying Kinetics Previously Fit by Empirical Power-Law Expressions-and if So, What Are Its Implications?
Saim and Rick’s paper was accepted into the Journal of Physical Chemistry A!
A Classic Azo-Dye Agglomeration System: Evidence for Slow, Continuous Nucleation, Autocatalytic Agglomerative Growth, Plus the Effects of Dust Removal by Microfiltration on the Kinetics
Carly passed her 2nd-year literature seminar. Great job Carly!
“Increasing Organic Photocathode Efficiency for Solar Energy Conversion by Tuning the Hole Extraction Layer“
August 2017
Joel’s review was accepted into the Journal of Materials Chemistry A!
Water-oxidation photoanodes using organic light-harvesting materials: a review
July 2017
Joel’s paper was accepted into ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces!
Sensitization of Nanocrystalline Metal Oxides with a Phosphonate-Functionalized Perylene Diimide for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation with a CoOx Catalyst
June 2017
Saim and Rick’s paper was accepted into Langmuir!
Dust Effect on Nucleation Kinetics and Nanoparticle Product Size Distributions: Illustrative Case Study of a Prototype Ir(0)n Transition-Metal Nanoparticle Formation System
April 2017
Saim and Rick’s paper was accepted into the Journal of the American Chemical Society!
Nanoparticle Nucleation Is Termolecular in Metal and Involves Hydrogen: Evidence for a Kinetically Effective Nucleus of Three {Ir3H2xâ˘P2W15Nb3O62}6- in Ir(0)n Nanoparticle Formation from [(1,5-COD)Irâ˘P2W15Nb3O62]8- Plus Dihydrogen
Chris passed his Preliminary Oral Examination and has been advanced to PhD Candidacy!
March 2017
Joel successfully defended his PhD Dissertation!!
CONGRATULATIONS DR. KIRNER!!!
Scott gave an outstanding 4th-year research seminar!
“Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation Catalysis Beginning with Cobalt Polyoxometalates: Searching for the True Catalyst“
February 2017
Former group member and now UNC professor Dr. Murielle Watzky and Rick’s paper was accepted into the Journal of Physical Chemistry C!
Sigmoidal Nucleation and Growth Curves Across Nature Fit by the Finke-Watzky Model of Slow Continuous Nucleation and Autocatalytic Growth: Explicit Formulas for the Lag and Growth Times Plus Other Key Insights
December 2016
Carly Jewell has joined the Finke Group to work on dye-sensitized solar cells!
July 2016
Patrick’s paper was accepted into ACS Catalysis!
Synthesis of Heterogeneeous Ir0~600-900/Îł-Al2O3 in One Pot From the Precatalyst Ir(1,5-COD)Cl/Îł-Al2O3: Discovery of Two Competing Trace âEthyl Acetate Effectsâ on the Nucleation Step and Resultant Product
June 2016
George Baumgartel has joined the Finke Group to work on dye-sensitized solar cells!
May 2016
Scott’s paper was accepted into Inorganic Chemistry!
Cobalt Polyoxometalate Co4V2W18O6810-: A Critical Investigation of Its Synthesis, Purity, and Observed 51V Quadrupolar NMR
April 2016
Saim and Rick’s paper was accepted into Langmuir!
Palladium(0) Nanoparticle Formation, Stabilization, and Mechanistic Studies: Pd(acac)2 as a Preferred Precursor, [Bu4N]2HPO4 Stabilizer, plus the Stoichiometry, Kinetics, and Minimal, Four-Step Mechanism of the Palladium Nanoparticle Formation and Subsequent Agglomeration Reactions
December 2015
Chris Whitehead has joined the Finke Group to work on nucleation and growth of nanoparticles!
August 2015
Scott presented a talk at the National ACS Meeting in Boston.
“Electrochemically drive water-oxidation catalysis beginning with cobalt-polyoxometalates: Determination of the true, homogeneous vs. heterogeneous catalyst“
May 2015
Ercan’s paper was accepted into ACS Catalysis!
Determination of the Dominant Catalyst Derived from the Classic [RhCp*Cl2]2 Precatalyst System: Is it Single-Metal Rh1Cp*-Based, Subnanometer Rh4 Cluster-Based, or Rh(0)n Nanoparticle-Based Cyclohexene Hydrogenation Catalysis at Room Temperature and Mild Pressures
April 2015
Will’s paper was accepted into Inorganica Chimica Acta!
The story of a mechanism-based solution to an ireeproducible synthesis resulting in an unexpected closed-system requirement for the LiBEt3H-based reduction: The case of the novel subnanometer cluster, [Ir(1,5-COD)(Îź-âH)]4, and the resulting improved, independently repeatable, reliable synthesis
Adam’s paper was accepted into ACS Catalysis!
Unintuitive Inverse Dependence of the Apparent Turnover Frequency on Precatalyst Concentration: A Quantitative Explanation in the Case of Ziegler-Type Nanoparticle Catalysts Made from [(1,5-COD)Ir(Îź-O2C8H15)]2 and AlEt3
March 2015
Patrick presented a talk at the National ACS Meeting in Denver.
“Two 4-step mechanisms for nanoparticle nucleation, growth, bimolecular agglomeration and then autocatalytic agglomeration or secondary autocatalytic growth“
December 2014
Will’s paper was accepted into the Journal of the American Chemical Society!
Nucleation is Second Order: An Apparent Kinetically Effective Nucleus of Two for Ir(0)n Nanoparticle Formation from [(1,5-COD)IrIâ˘P2W15Nb3O62]8- Plus Hydrogen
August 2014
Rick presented a talk at the National ACS Meeting in San Francisco.
“Two 4-step mechanisms for nanocluster nucleation, growth, bimolecular agglomeration, and then autocatalytic agglomeration or secondary autocatalytic growth“
March 2014
Jordanâs paper was accepted into ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces!
Visible-Light-Assisted Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation by Thin Films of a Phosphonate-Functionalized Perylene Diimide Plus CoOx Cocatalyst
February 2014
Jordanâs paper was accepted into ACS Catalysis!
Distinguishing Homogeneous from Heterogeneous Water Oxidation Catalysis when Beginning with Polyoxometalatesâ was accepted into ACS Catalysis
Willâs paper was accepted into Inorganic Chemistry!
Triniobium, Wells-Dawson-Type Polyoxoanion, [(n-C4H9)4N]9P2W15Nb3O62: Improvements in the Synthesis, Its Reliability, the Purity of the Product, and the Detailed Synthetic Procedure
January – 2014
Jordanâs paper was accepted into ACS Catalysis!
Water Oxidation Catalysis Beginning with Co4(H2O)2(PW9O34)210- When Driven by the Chemical Oxidant Ruthenium(III)tris(2,2â-bipyridine): Stoichiometry, Kinetic, and Mechanistic Studies en Route to Identifying the True Catalyst
Patrickâs paper was accepted into the Journal of the American Chemical Society!
A Four-Step Mechanism for the Formation of Supported-Nanoparticle Heterogeneous Catalysts in Contact with Solution: The Conversion of Ir(1,5-COD)Cl/Îł-Al2O3 to Ir(0)~170/Îł-Al2O3