9804817 O'Keefe Proposed experimental work is aimed at the synthesis of new materials with bonds to nitrogen and carbon, involving the p block metals (zinc, cadmium, gallium, indium, thallium, silicon, germanium and tin). This work is expected to lead to new compositions with useful properties such as microporous materials. Other synthetic avenues to be explored include ternary nitrides and nitride-carbides of the early transition elements. Characterization will include powder neutron diffraction studies of orientational order-disorder. Theoretical studies will be directed to topological aspects of structure, with a view to enabling computer recognition of structures, and to the discovery of new kinds of possible structures for covalent and framework materials. %%% A program of synthesis of new inorganic materials is proposed. Particular emphasis is on compounds containing carbon and nitrogen that have useful properties such as high porosity which will make them candidates for a variety of technological applications. Parallel theoretical studies will be aimed at the design of new structures that can be realized as inorganic materials with novel properties such as new kinds of semiconductors. A unique aspect will be the active interplay of these two components of research. ***
