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Prof. Russell Howe E-mail: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/chemistry/research/rh/r.howe@abdn.ac.uk     Materials Chemistry, Surface Chemistry and Catalysis

Our main interests are in Materials Chemistry, Surface Chemistry and Catalysis.  The theme of the research is the understanding and application of materials and surface chemistry at the molecular level. This involves the synthesis of new materials, the characterization of these, and the development of applications in areas such as adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis, and host:guest chemistry. Examples of materials studied are microporous zeolites and zeolite analogues, new classes of mesoporous silica and carbon materials, nanocrystalline titanium oxides and thin films, and organic: inorganic composites.

Strong emphasis is placed on spectroscopic techniques for the molecular characterization of solids and surfaces. These techniques include FTIR spectroscopy and microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and microscopy, ESR spectroscopy, solid state NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (involving the use of synchrotron radiation). X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy are used routinely for structural characterization, and surface analysis by techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron microprobe analysis plays an important role. We are particularly interested in developing environmental applications such as ion exchange of heavy metals, selective adsorption of organic pollutants, photocatalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds and catalytic conversion of ozone depleting halocarbons to more environmentally benign alternatives .

Some Current Projects

• Zeolite catalysts for the conversion of Halons and CFCs (collaboration with Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Newcastle, Australia)
• Electron transfer processes in organic molecules occluded in mesoporous solid hosts (collaboration with Prof M Paddon-Row, University of New South Wales, Australia).
• Preparation, properties and photoreactivity of zeolites with semiconducting frameworks.
• Generation of semiconductor arrays in microporous single crystal hosts.
• New mesoporous silicas and carbons as selective adsorbents and catalyst supportsSelected Publications

Recent publications

• S.Thomson, V.Luca and R.F.Howe, " Framework Co(II) in CoAPO-5", Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 615-619(1999)
• V.Kuchi, A.M.Oliver, M.N.Paddon-Row and R.F.Howe, " Long-Lived Charge Separation in a Donor Acceptor Dyad Adsorbed in Mesoporous MCM-41", Chem.Commun. 1149-1150 (1999)
• V Luca, T.L.Hanley, N.K.Roberts and R.F.Howe, “NMR and X-ray Absorption Study of  Lithium Intercalation in Micro and Nanocrystalline Anatase”. Chem. Mater. 11, 2089-2102 (1999).
• K.Li, F.Oghanna, E.Kennedy, B.Dlugogorski, A.Fazeli, S.Thomson and R.F.Howe, “Pyrolysis of Halon 1301 over Zeolite Catalysts”, Microporous Mesoporous Materials, 35-36, 219-226 (2000)
• S.Popescu, S.Thomson and R.F.Howe, “Microspectroscopic Studies of Template Interactions in AlPO-5 and SAPO-5 Crystals”, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 3, 111-118 (2001).