Resources
and Equipment:
 The
Chemistry Department and the Williams research group address the physical chemistry
needs of the university, the State of Texas, and the general public through:
·
Quality teaching of quantum mechanics, spectroscopy,
thermodynamics, and kinetics drawing material from various authors. (P.W.
Atkins, J.
Nibler, G
Herzberg, T.
Engel, P. Reid, D.
Harris, M. Bertolucci, F.
Cotton, and R.
Drago).
·
Rigorous data analysis using process mapping, numerical
modeling, non-linear optimization, multiple linear / step-wise regression,
spectral deconvolution, gauge repeatability-reliability analysis, and
molecular modeling (Minitab, Mathmatica, Excel, Gaussian, Hyperchem,
and Discovery Studio).
·
Broad coverage of experimental
techniques
including
o Hydrometry (temperature-controlled
large-capacity)
o Tensiometry (temperature-controlled,
interfacial, large-capacity)
o Viscometry (temperature-controlled,
capillary and falling-ball)
o Chromatography (gas, liquid, and
ion)
o Mass spectrometry (gas, solid
desorption, and ion mobility)
o Calorimetry (bomb and solution)
o Digital microscopy (polarized
visible and infrared)
o Spectroscopy (absorption-UVVIS,
reflectance-UVVIS, micro-UVVIS, macro/micro-absorption-FTIR,
macro/micro-reflectance-FTIR, micro-grazing-angle-reflectance-FTIR,
macro/micro-attenuated-total-reflectance-FTIR, Raman, micro-Raman,
laser-induced-fluorimetry, solution fluorimetry, 60Mhz NMR, and 300MHz NMR)
·
Innovative research
o Using short-turnaround 3-month (Jun
– Aug), 6-month (Mar – Aug, Jun – Nov), 9-month (Dec – Aug, Jun – Feb), and
annual research grants.
o Using a mixture of faculty, graduate
students, exchange students, and undergraduate students.
o Addressing a variety of needs
§ Spectroscopic interpretation,
assignment, and modeling.
§  Analysis of aging machanisms of
polymeric materials and binders of explosives
§ Detection of traditional, military,
and home-made explosive substances
§ Determination and optimization of
filled-polymer formulation process parameters.
§ Safe destruction of home-made
explosive substances
§ Hansen solubility sphere analysis of
polymeric materials, explosives, and non-electrolytes in organic solvent
blends (see image à)
§ Solvent blend predictions and
substitutions for environmental impact and hazard reduction (see image à)
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