Los Alamos Women in Science
Northern Chapter of the New Mexico Network for
Women in Science and Engineering
LUNCHTIME TALK SERIES
 
Tuesday, September 12, 2000
11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Otowi cafeteria side room C, LANL

TALK at 12:00:
Cynthia Rice, MST-11, LANL
"Fuel Cell Grade Platinum Nanoparticles:
a Electrochemical and NMR Investigation"

ABSTRACT

The study of surface adsorbate effects on platinum nanoparticles is important for improving platinum's favorable catalytic activity in direct methanol fuel cells. Platinum nanopartilces are very potent electrocatalysts for methanol electrooxidation, especially when modified with various transition metals. The reason for observed enhancements in activity by the incorporation of various metals with Pt is not well understood. The combination of electrochemistry and NMR provides a facile means of modifying and monitoring electronic alterations. The NMR technique is not limited to just one side of the interface; by probing select nuclei both the Pt substrate and specific surface adsorbates may be investigated. 195Pt and 13C have been shown to be powerful microscopic probes of the electrochemical solid/liquid interface of Pt nanoparticles modified by various adsorbates, through the determination of the Fermi-level local density of states (EF-LDOS). NMR has been used to investigate phenomena such as the strong-metal-support -interaction, for carbon-supported Pt nanoparticles, the results are also supported by in-situ FTIR studies. Increases in methanol electrooxidation activity for ruthenium modified Pt nanoparticles have been correlated to changes in Pt's EF-LDOS, showing a weakening of the Pt-CO bond. The obtained catalytic activity has been found to be proportional to the percentage of metallic Ru.

Nonmembers Welcome!  

Sideroom C is reserved from 11:30 to 1:30 for people who like to eat earlier or later, and informal discussion. You are welcome to come for just the talk at noon, and questions are encouraged!

For driving directions to Otowi Cafeteria (TA-3, building 261) at LANL, see: http://www.lanl.gov/tools/maps
(direct link to map showing the Otowi Building: http://nis-www.lanl.gov/cgi-bin/wthi?ta=3&bldg=261).

LAWIS PICNIC and ANNUAL MEETING Tuesday, SEPT 19

We have had a rough go at this year, especially those who lost homes in the fire. If I'm a "typical" sample, I'm sure the rest of you have also agonized through stresses caused by the fire and the many security issues haunting the Lab. As everyone's infamous mother has said, "This, too, shall pass."

We are not alone and we have not forgotten our many other duties and responsibilities. Albeit somewhat late, we are preparing for a late summer picnic. We have scheduled Urban Park on September 19 from 11:30 - 1:30 to get together and share in a meal, conversation, friendship, stories, and even a short meeting. The meal will be a salad potluck which means bring your favorite salad dish to share. The committee will provide plates/napkins/forks/spoons and a variety of drinks. Quite possibly even some entertainment!

We also wish to extend an invitation to non-members wanting to know more about LAWIS. Family members are most certainly invited as well, especially our significant others who allow us the time and energy to participate in our many volunteer jobs. Most of our summer students have returned to school but for the few remaining, please come and bring your mentor(s) ... or vice versa.

As mentioned above, we will be having a short meeting, mainly for the purpose of voting on the revised By-Laws. Our fiscal year has been aligned with the state organization's year which begins October 1. Thus, the Committee felt we needed to vote on our revised By Laws and begin our new fiscal year with a "clean slate".

We hope to see each of you there. Here's hoping for sunshine!!!!

Alexine Salazar
Picnic Coordinator, Los Alamos Women in Science
alexine@lanl.gov, 667-1785

UPCOMING LAWIS EVENTS

PAST LAWIS EVENTS

 

If you would like to receive electronic LAWIS announcements, Please send email to
lawis-request@listman.lanl.gov (content ignored)
for automated information on subscribing to the LAWIS listserver (you do not need to be a member).

LAWIS Lunch-Time Talk Organizer: Robbie Mulford, mulford@lanl.gov, 667-7909
LAWIS home page: http://home.lanl.gov/lawis
NMNWSE home page: http://www.nmnwse.org

(Disclaimer).