Center for Nanotechnology - Miami University

Dr. Catherine Bothe Almquist

Assistant Professor
Dept of Paper and Chemical Engineering
Phone: 513-529-2203
Fax: 513-529-2201
E-mail

Dr. Luis A. Actis

Dr. Catherine Bothe Almquist

Dr. Wolfgang U. Spendel

Dr. Richard Taylor

Dr. Jan M. Yarrison-Rice

Dr. Hongcai Zhou

Dr. Shouzhong Zou

Dr. Catherine Bothe Almquist

"Dr. Almquist's area of research is in environmental catalysis. The objectives of her research are to: 1) substantially reduce the energy required for pollution control and environmental compliance, and 2) discover ways to convert waste streams to value-added, salable materials. Her research encompasses conventional catalysis and photocatalysis, and more recently, the combination of ozone- and plasma-enhanced catalysis."

Description of Research

Dr. Almquist has synthesized nanostructured TiO2-based catalysts using wet-incipient, sol-gel, and flame aerosol methods. These catalysts were characterized using XRD, BET surface area analyses, Raman spectrometry, UV-Vis spectrometry, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Both subtle and significant differences in catalyst composition, crystal structure, and morphology were found to significantly impact the catalysts' performance for the oxidation of organic compounds. Research in environmental catalysis can be expanded to novel and functional materials. For example, coupling nanostructured catalysts with papermaking can result in functional papers that have catalytic activity or the ability to be used as sensors. Coupling catalysis with textiles may also yield novel clothing products that have potential medical or military uses.

Undergraduate researcher's roles in your lab

Undergraduates are used extensively in Dr. Almquist's laboratories to synthesize and characterize catalysts and to gather and analyze experimental data. In just over five years, Dr. Almquist has mentored eleven undergraduate researchers. Two have published their research in peer-reviewed journals, and nearly half have presented their research or have been co-authors on presented research in national/international technical conferences.

Graduate student's role in your lab

Graduate students are expected to conduct novel research in environmental catalysis. They are expected to conduct literature reviews to develop a research proposal that includes a hypothesis, background information, a research plan, and a budget. Once the proposal is approved, graduate students work either independently or with an undergraduate student to accomplish the tasks outlined in their research plan. Graduate students are expected to write a thesis and to publish their research.

Presentations

Platform (Oral) Presentations: American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHE) Annual Conference:

*C.L.B. Almquist, Endalkachew Sahle-Demessie, Sridara Chandra Sehker, Julia Sowash, and Felisha Lotspiech (2005). "Energy Efficient Vapor Phase Oxidation of Methanol Using Ozone and Catalytic Reactor." Cincinnati, Ohio.

*Sridara Chandra Sehker, Endalkachew Sahle-Demessie, Julia, E. Sowash, and Catherine B. Almquist (2005). "Vanadia Catalyzed Vapor Phase Oxidation of Methanol in the Presence of Ozone." Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sachin Kumar, *Catherine B. Almquist, John Graham, and Sukh Sidhu (2002). "A Preliminary Investigation on the Use of Nanostructured Vanadia-Titania Catalysts For the Destruction of Organic Air Emissions." Indianapolis, Indiana.

American Association of Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference:

*Catherine Almquist and Pratim Biswas (2001). "Effect of Particle Size on Photoactivity of Nanostructured TiO2". Portland, Oregon.

*Catherine Almquist and Pratim Biswas (2000). "Synthesis and Characterization of Flame Synthesized Titania: Effect of Particle Size on Photoactivity". St. Louis, Missouri.

Industrial Water Conference

*Leah Kanzic Boyd and Catherine Almquist (2002). "Effects of Photocatalysis on Paper Mill Wastewater Effluent." Orlando, Florida.

Technical Poster Presentations:

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHE) Annual Conference:

*T.J. Bittel, Sachin Kumar, Catherine Almquist (2005). "An investigation of the catalytic oxidation of dimethyl sulfide." Cincinnati, Ohio.

American Association of Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference:

Bart Wojas and *Catherine Almquist (2005). "Characterization of Ambient Aerosols and Determination of compliance with the NAAQS in Rural Area of Oxford Ohio." Austin, Texas.

*Nathan Lee, Vipul Kumar, and Catherine Almquist (2004). "An Investigation of Nanostructured WO3/V2O5/TiO2 Catalysts for the Oxidation of Methanol." Atlanta, Georgia.

*Vipul Kumar and Catherine Almquist (2003). "Use of Nanostructured WO3/V2O5/TiO2 Catalysts For the Destruction of Organic Air Emissions." Anaheim, California.

*Sachin Kumar, Catherine Almquist, John Graham and Sukh Sidhu (2002). "Use of Nanostructured Vanadia-Titania Catalysts For the Destruction of Organic Air Emissions." Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Eighth International Conference on TiO2:

Leah Boyd and *Catherine Almquist (2003). "An investigation of nanostructured TiO2 photocatalysts for the degradation of COD and toxicity in pulp and paper mill effluents." Montreal, Canada.

Funding

$100.000 Grant from the State of Ohio
Nanomaterials in our Environment

$100.000 Grant from the State of Ohio
Nanomaterials in our Environment

Publications

Vipul Kumar, Nathan Lee, and C.L.B. Almquist (2006). The catalytic oxidation of methanol over nanostructured WO3/V2O5/TiO2 catalysts prepared by 2 different methods. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, in print.

Leah Boyd and C.L.B. Almquist (2004). The application of photocatalysis on anatase TiO2 for degrading COD and toxicity in pulp and paper mill wastewaters. TAPPI Journal, 3(9) pp 9-15.

S. Rodriguez, C.L.B. Almquist, T.G. Lee and E. Hedrick (2004). A mechanistic model for mercury capture with in situ generated titania particles: Role of water vapor. Journal of Air and Waste Management Association 54(2), pp 149-156.

J. Graham, C.L.B. Almquist, Sachin Kumar and S. Sidhu (2003). An investigation of nanostructured vanadia/titania catalysts for the oxidation of monochlorobenzene. Catalysis Today, 88(1-2), pp 73-82.

C.L.B. Almquist and Pratim Biswas (2002). Role of synthesis method and particle size of nanostructured TiO2 on its photoactivity. Journal of Catalysis, 212(2), pp 145-156.

C.L.B. Almquist and Pratim Biswas (2001). A mechanistic approach to modeling the effect of dissolved oxygen in photo-oxidation reactions on titanium dioxide in aqueous systems. Chemical Engineering Science, 56 (11), pp 3421-3430.