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Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Colorado at Boulder
Voice: 303 492-8603
Fax: 303 492-0439
Lab: 303 492-5406

 

Alan T. MACCARONE

Alan Maccarone

Education

B.A. in Chemistry and Mathematics from The Colorado College, 1999

Chemistry-related Experience:

SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship) participant at UC Santa Cruz in W.T. Wipke's theoretical modeling group, Summer 1998

Lab Proctor for General and Physical Chemistry classes at The Colorado College, 1999-2000

Current Research:

My time is split between two projects:

  1. Studying the vibrational modes of organic radicals via Matrix Isolated FTIR Spectroscopy
    2. Currently we are trying to isolate the Vinyl radical by this method. In brief, we create radicals in the gas phase via pyrolysis of a suitable precursor. Shortly after creation, the radical/argon mix is deposited on a cold host salt window. Following deposition, IR spectroscopy is performed with an FTIR Spectrometer to determine the normal mode frequencies of the radical.

     

  2. Trying to create and detect peroxyl radicals at an air/water interface
    3. The work for this project is done at the DOE's PNNL (Pacific Northwest National Lab). We will attempt to make OH radicals above a film of decanol on water by photodissociating ozone via the 4th harmonic of a YAG laser. The excited state oxygen atoms that are created will react with water vapor to make OH. The OH will then react with the saturated end of the decanol to make an alkyl radical. The alkyl radical can then react with atmospheric oxygen to make a peroxyl radical. We will search for these peroxyl radicals by shining 400nm light (frequency doubled from a Ti:sapphire laser) and looking for the second harmonic signal excited from the surface.

Any questions? Please email me any time at: alan.maccarone@colorado.edu