Bo-Ryehn Chung ’18

Major

Neuroscience

Project Title

Structure and Chemistry of Al-Oxide Nanoparticles

Over the summer, I began research on Al-hydroxide crystallization, to understand how different Al-amorphous and nanoparticulate phases react with other soluble species in the environment. This work contributes to a larger-scale project of synthesizing certain Al-hydroxide nanoparticles for use in water purification. Predominantly using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, I determined the hydroxides formed during Al3+ hydrolysis, and analyzed their rates of transformation from disordered amorphous to crystalline nanoparticles, stability in environmentally relevant conditions in terms of temperature and pH, and structural effects from ligand interaction. I became skilled in obtaining consistent ATR-FTIR spectra and processing the data. Compared to my previous research experiences, I gained more independence, initiative, and confidence in steering my own scientific investigations. The background research I conducted on standard Al-hydroxide spectra will also be published as a review paper. Although I am a neuroscience major, I am grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to an environmentally meaningful project.



Internship Year

2016

Project Category

Water

Organization(s)

Myneni Group, Geosciences Department, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

Mentor(s)

Satish Myneni, Professor, Geosciences