Professor Luis A. Colón

Izaak M. Kolthoff Lectureship

Luis A. Colón, Ph.D.

SUNY Distinguished Professor

A. Conger Goodyear Professor of Chemistry Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences

University at Buffalo

Abstract

“Tinkering with silica: new approaches to modified silica materials”

Silica can be considered a ubiquitous material with a widespread of applications in chemical and biomedical research, let alone its multiple industrial applications. My research group investigates new approaches to synthesize silica materials and their chemical functionalization for several applications. This has led to the synthesis of stable hybrid silicas in the monolithic and particulate formats, studies of submicron hybrid particles for separations under ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatographic and capillary elelctrochromatographic modes, as well as exploring non-conventional methods to silica modification. One of our major research efforts is the production of silica particulates that can be utilized in chemical separations. In this lecture, I will present our recent work on two fronts: 1) the use of diazotization reactions to synthesize a thin polyphenylene-like layer on the silica particle surface, and 2) the synthesis of radially oriented nanostructures of organo-silica hybrid layers in a core-shell format. In both cases, the particulate’s surface contains a reactive pendant that allows for further surface functionalization, while preserving desired particle properties. I will discuss the synthetic approach used and the physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized silica material, as well as their potential use in chemical separations.

Luis A. Colón Graphic 2

 

Luis A. Colón

Luis A. Colón received the B.Sc. degree in chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, the Ph.D. degree in chemistry from UMASS-Lowell, and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University before joining
the Department of Chemistry at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. He is currently a SUNY Distinguished Professor and the A. Conger Goodyear Chair Professor of Chemistry. He also serves as Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence in the College of Arts and Sciences. His current research focuses on the study and characterization of materials for use in separation science and chemical measurements. Of particular interest are the development of chromatographic media for liquid phase separations and the development of new strategies to separate and analyze complex chemical or biochemical sample mixtures (e.g., biofluids, intracellular components, protein digests, and pharmaceutical drugs). He also works on issues that advance diversity in graduate education. His has mentored over 50 graduate students.

Luis Colón is Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS), the American Chemical Society (ACS), and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). He has been awarded the NSF Special Creativity Award, the Benedetti-Pichler Award from the Microchemical Society, the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal (ACS- WNY), the EAS Outstanding Achievements in Separation Science Award, and the Dal Nogare Award in Chromatography. Other distinctions include the AAAS Mentor Award, ACS Award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students into Careers in the Chemical Sciences, the ACS Stanley C. Israel Award, and the USA Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.

Host: Professor Edgar Arriaga

 

Start date
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, 4 p.m.
End date
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, 5:15 p.m.
Location

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