UMass Amherst

Peter A. Monson

Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering
154B Goessman, University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-9292
(413) 545-0661
monson@ecs.umass.edu
http://www.ecs.umass.edu/che/faculty/monson.html

Molecular modeling of materials with applications in nanotechnology

The ability to manipulate and control the structure and properties of materials at the nanometer length scale has the potential to revolutionize modern technology. At these length scales the properties of materials can often only be understood using molecular concepts. We are working on several projects related to nanotechnology. Our group is developing a new approach to understanding the growth of nanoporous materials that will help us understand, for example, how the process of templating works at the molecular level. Also we are looking at several applications where the interfacial behavior of fluids in confined geometries impacts the performance of nanoscale devices.

Research Interest Potential Application
Modeling Growth of nanoporous materials Nanoscale control of porous material structure for catalysis, separations, sensors, electronic devices
Modeling nanoscale wetting phenomena of solids by  fluids Applications of nanoconfinement including microfluidics, nanofluidics, MEMS etc
Modeling thermodynamic behavior of fluids in nanoconfined geometries Characterization of nanoscale structure of porous materials for catalysis, separations, sensors, electronic devices

Honors and Awards

  • Outstanding Teacher Award, UMass Amherst College of Engineering, 1998
  • Outstanding Senior Faculty Award, UMass Amherst College of Engineering, 1999

Publications

  1. T. J. Barton, L. M. Bull, W. G. Klemperer, D. A. Loy, B. McEnaney, M. Misono, P. A. Monson, G. Pez, G. W. Scherer, J. C. Vartuli and O. Yagchi, “Tailored Porous Materials”, Chem. Mater., 11, 2633-2656 (1999).
  2. L. Sarkisov and P. A. Monson, “Modeling of adsorption and desorption in pores of simple geometry using molecular dynamics”, Langmuir, 17, 7600-7604 (2001).
  3. H-J. Woo, L. Sarkisov and P. A. Monson, “Mean field theory of adsorption in porous glasses”, Langmuir, 17, 7472-7475 (2001).
  4. H-J. Woo and P. A. Monson, “Phase behavior and dynamics of fluids in mesoporous glasses”, Phys. Rev. E, 67,  041207 (2003).
  5. R. Astala,  S. M. Auerbach, and P. A. Monson, “Density Functional Theory Study of  Silica Zeolite Structures: Stabilities and Mechanical Properties of SOD, LTA, CHA, MOR, and MFI”, J. Phys. Chem. B., 108, 9208-9215 (2004).