Research in Adelani group focuses on the use of synthetic inorganic techniques to develop coordination polymers that are relevant to our society and energy related applications. The compounds are characterized using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, electrochemistry, and spectroscopic techniques.
Magnetic inorganic– organic Phosphonate-based nanocomposites
The integration of hybrid phosphonate-based materials and nanoparticles (NPs) into nanocomposites forms the basis of a strikingly vast array of modern technology for potential applications typically in storage, purification, separation, sensing, proton conduction, catalysis, drug delivery, etc. These combinations with a variety of functional materials have been proposed recently to blend the merits and mitigate the demerits of both components. Enthusiasm for the application of such materials to modern technological challenges has been hindered by the inherent variability in morphology and reactivity under different preparation methods. When combined with the stability, water dispersibility, nature of the interface, and functional species present in the composites, this leads to properties that are highly variable across a sample. This project focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a new class of composites‒highly stable materials formed by utilizing phosphonate-based coordination polymers (CPs) and magnetic NPs. Such a methodology will provide a more facile and versatile approach to preparing materials with applications from separation to sequestration of environmental pollutants and contaminants.
Anhydrous Proton Conduction in Metal-Organic Frameworks
The investigation of inorganic-organic nanocomposites provides a platform for fabricating a clean energy technology by harnessing the synergy between the coordination polymers (CPs) and protonic charge carriers. The state-of-the-art proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with Nafion as electrolytes can only operate under moderate temperatures (60-80 ᴼC) and high relative humidity (98% RH). Therefore, the development of thermally stable proton exchange membranes that exhibit ionic conductivity over a wide range of temperature above 90 ᴼC and even subzero temperature is a subject of growing interest among many researchers. This project investigates the use of protonic charge carrier to modulate ionic conductivity in phosphonate-based CPs or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), resulting into an enhancement of both the proton conductivity and the maximum operating temperature.
Actinide and Lanthanide Coordination Polymers
This project is partly collaborative and involves the design and synthesis of revolutionary new materials to explore the impact of their chemical structure on functions. Our future work is focused on developing general methods for directing the formation of actinide materials and their transition metals and lanthanide surrogates. We are specifically interested in the synthesis of functional inorganic complexes with accessible cavities for various potential applications including ion-exchange, ionic conductivity, intercalation chemistry, gas storage, catalysis, and in advanced nuclear energy systems.