Surface Chemistry seminars

Amino acids have long been used in biological and pharmaceutical formulations, but their stabilizing effects are often described only for particular proteins. This talk examines a broader mechanism: small molecules modify colloidal interactions in proteins, DNA and synthetic nanoparticles. Measurements of osmotic virial coefficients and potentials of mean force reveal consistent effects across these systems. A model of weakly interacting amino acids binding to patchy colloidal surfaces predicts experimentally measured dissociation constants; proline–lysozyme predictions and measurements agree within a factor of two. Experiments also test predictions that short peptides outperform the same number of free amino acids and that charged amino acids stabilize oppositely charged proteins. The consequences extend to suppression of liquid–liquid phase separation and cellular stress granules, and doubled insulin bioavailability in mice when co-formulated with proline. The results motivate treating amino acids as active regulators of colloidal behavior alongside familiar influences such as salt.

Producing metal-organic frameworks as nanoparticles could make them easier to process at industrial scale and change properties such as transport. Controlled synthesis and the effects of particle size remain insufficiently understood. Carl K. Brozek presents synthetic methods and mechanistic models for preparing MOF nanoparticles whose electrical conduction, magnetism, optical response and dynamic bonding differ from bulk frameworks. Solution-state spectroscopy and electrochemistry expose size-dependent and interfacial effects that conventional framework materials do not reveal. The work provides approaches for scalable MOF manufacture while raising broader questions about relationships among structure, size and properties. Speaker: Associate Professor Carl K. Brozek, University of Oregon, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Hosted by Jack Zhang and Kevin Kittilstved for Washington State University Chemistry. Monday 19 October 2026, 16:10–17:00 America/Los_Angeles (Pacific Daylight Time). Attend at Fulmer Hall, Room 201, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA, or use the public Zoom Link on the official event page.

Photocatalyst interfaces influence both reaction efficiency and catalyst stability. This seminar examines anchoring soluble organic or organometallic catalysts onto solid supports to control those interfaces, enable greener or solvent-free conditions and simplify reuse. Combining these designs with continuous-flow processing links molecular-level improvements to scalable organic synthesis.

Cement is the main binding agent in concrete, literally gluing together rocks and sand into the most-used synthetic material on Earth. However, cement production is responsible for significant amounts of man- made greenhouse gases—in fact if the cement industry were a country, it would be the third largest emitter in the world. Alternatives to the current, environmentally harmful cement production process are not available essentially because the gaps in fundamental understanding hamper the development of smarter and more sustainable solutions. The ultimate challenge is to link the chemical composition of cement grains to the nanoscale physics of the cohesive forces that emerge when mixing cement with water. Cement nanoscale cohesion originates from the electrostatics of ions accumulated in a water-based solution between like-charged surfaces but it is not captured by existing theories because of the nature of the ions involved and the high surface charges. Surprisingly enough, this is also the case for unexplained cohesion in a range of colloidal and biological matter. About one century after the early studies of cement hydration, we have quantitatively solved this notoriously hard problem and discovered how cement cohesion develops during hydration. I will discuss how 3D numerical simulations that feature a simple but molecular description of ions and water, together with an analytical theory that goes beyond the traditional continuum approximations, helped us demonstrate that the optimized interlocking of ion-water structures determine the net cohesive forces and their evolution. These findings open the path to scientifically grounded strategies of material design for cements and have implications for a much wider range of materials and systems where ionic water-based solutions feature both strong Coulombic and confinement effects, ranging from biological membranes to soils. Construction materials are central to our society and to our life as humans on this planet, but usually far removed from fundamental science. We can now start to understand how cement physical-chemistry determines performance, durability and sustainability.