In this project, supported by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms Program (CSDM) of the Division of Chemistry, Prof. Dor Ben-Amotz of Purdue University and his graduate and undergraduate research students will use hydration-shell vibrational spectroscopy (especially Raman scattering spectroscopy), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and other experimental, computer simulation, and theoretical modeling strategies to address key questions pertaining to water-mediated processes occurring molecular interfaces, including how solute molecules influence water structure and how such structure changes influence water-mediated chemical interactions.
The results will be use to better understand and predict how water participates in processes of relevance to the biological self-assembly as well as green chemical manufacturing, geological petroleum recovery, and environmental remediation. Besides the broad impact of the research on several areas of science, Prof. Ben-Amotz will continue to provide his research students with excellent training in the development and application of experimental and theoretical tools and innovation strategies.
