CAREER: Elucidating the Underlying Mechanisms of the Oxidative Degradation of Amine-functionalized Sorbent Materials

Amine-modified materials are porous structures chemically modified to promote certain reactions. They improve air quality by removing noxious gases and harmful organic vapors. They also remove heavy metals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) known as “forever chemicals.” However, amine-modified materials encounter hot air during their synthesis and operation. Exposure to hot air triggers unwanted reactions that damage the material and shortens its lifetime. This project will carry out a series of experiments to identify the molecular-level events that lead to degradation of amine-modified materials. The results will lead to longer-lasting, more reliable materials for cleaner air and water. The project will support the professional development of engineers and scientists. It will engage middle- and high-school students in hand-on learning activities. It will also equip science teachers with classroom materials to connect the research to real-world challenges. Project outcomes will bolster U.S. energy security and advanced manufacturing by providing important materials for power generation and fossil fuel purification. This project will elucidate fundamental chemical principles governing oxidative degradation in immobilized amines by systematically probing molecular-level support-amine interactions. Precisely engineered surface modification of porous supports will be integrated with advanced spectroscopic techniques, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and complementary structural characterization tools to delineate the roles of transition metals, heteroatoms, surface hydroxyl density, and amine aggregation in dictating thermo-oxidative stability. The project will decouple the intertwined effects of support chemistry, amine structure, and local microenvironment on degradation pathways and kinetics and byproduct formation. The outcomes will establish a predictive mechanistic framework linking sorbent physicochemical properties to amine stability and oxidation pathways. These transformative findings will be translated into rational design strategies to suppress deleterious oxidation reactions, extend sorbent lifetime, and minimize harmful byproduct emissions. While the primary focus is on amine-modified mesoporous silica sorbents for carbon dioxide capture, the resulting framework will be readily transferable to amine-functionalized metal-organic frameworks, carbonaceous materials, covalent organic frameworks, and membrane platforms used in various separation and purification processes. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2542628 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Masoud Jahandar Lashaki | Institution: Florida Atlantic University, BOCA RATON, FL | Award Amount: $569,156 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2542628 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2542628.html