个人简介

1979, Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry, Florida State University 1976, B.S., Chemistry and Mathematics, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse 2002- Chair, Department of Chemistry, University of Rhode Island 1996- Co-Director, Sensors and Surface Technology Partnership for Education and Research, University of Rhode Island 1993- Professor, Department of Chemistry University of Rhode Island 1988-1993 Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry University of Rhode Island 1982-1988 Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry University of Rhode Island 1979-1982 Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemistry and Materials Research Center, Northwestern University; Advisor: Brian M. Hoffman 1976-1979 Graduate Student, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University; Advisor: Barry B. Garrett

研究领域

Materials Chemistry

The research in my laboratory is in the area of materials science. We approach this from a chemist's perspective so we focus on the structural and reactivity aspects of materials at the atomic level, especially in polymers. Polymers are versatile materials that we employ to develop new sensing devices. It is our goal to tailor systems at the molecular level in order to achieve materials useful for specific applications. Research in my group spans synthesis to spectroscopy, supplemented by theoretical calculations to more fully understand the properties we measure. Recently, the goal is to create versatile sensors that can be readily adapted to emerging threats, primarily explosives such as TNT, but other molecular targets are also investigated. One approach uses sensory polymers that are incorporated into high surface area substrates such as porous silicon or sol-gels. The polymers are chosen to be fluorescent so that an optical readout is used to quantitate the presence or absence of analyte. The high surface area of the substrate increases the likelihood that an analyte will encounter the sensing polymer, which increases the sensitivity of the device considerably. A second approach is to use quantum dots decorated with molecules that interact specifically with target molecules. Quantum dots exhibit strong fluorescence whose emission wavelength can be tuned by changing the size of the quantum dot. By matching the emission wavelength of the quantum dot to the absorption energy of a bound analyte, resonance energy transfer can occur that will affect the fluorescence intensity of the quantum dot. This provides a sensitive transduction mechanism that is further enhanced by the large surface area of the quantum dots. Another example is a sensor designed to detect amine bases. The sensor used Nafion, a highly porous polymer containing acidic sulfonic acid groups, that had Rhodamine B dissolved into the thin film. Rhodamine B is also basic whose color and fluorescence change with the degree of protonation. In the presence of Nafion, a very strong acid, the Nafion/Rhodamine B composite is yellow-brown but exposure to amine bases raises the pH and changes the color to pink, as shown in the figure above. An area of basic research that we are pursuing is in the area of soft multiferroic materials. Multiferroics are materials that simultaneously exhibit two or more "ferro" properties, i.e. ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism, or ferroelasticity. Our work with ferroelectric polymers, typified by poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF), suggested that we may be able to create composites that could be multiferroic. By doping PVDF with magnetic transition metal ions we hope to induce a coupling between the magnetic moment of the transition metal with the electric moment of the polymer. Our initial experiments using Co(NO3)2 as the dopant have indicated that the S = 3/2 Co2+ can become ferromagnetic in the composite when oxidized to cobalt oxides. Further, the ionic salt also induces the PVDF to crystallize in the ferroelectric β–phase. Experiments to determine the extent of coupling between the magnetic and electric moments are being planned. This work is being done in collaboration with scientists from the Sensors Directorate at Hanscom Air Force Base.

近期论文

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Meredith A. Matoian, Richard Sweetman, Emily C. Hall, Shayna Albanese, William B. Euler Light Trapping to Amplify Metal Enhanced Fluorescence with Application for Sensing TNT J. Fluoresc. 2013, 23, 877 – 880 Abstract Christopher A. Latendresse, Syrena C. Fernandes, Sangmin You, Hui Qi Zhang, William B. Euler A Fluorometric Sensing Array for the Detection of Military Explosives and IED Materials Anal. Methods 2013, 5, 5457 – 5463 Abstract Christopher A. Latendresse, Syrena C. Fernandes, Sangmin You, Hui Qi Zhang, William B. Euler Fluorescent Species Formed by Reaction Trinitroaromatics with N,N-Dimethylformamide and Hydroxide J. Phys. Chem. A 2013, 117, 324 – 332 Abstract Christopher A. Latendresse, Syrena C. Fernandes, Sangmin You, William B. Euler Speciation of the Products of and Establishing the Role of Water in the Reaction of TNT with Hydroxide and Amines: Structure, Kinetics, and Computational Results J. Phys. Chem. A 2013, 117, 11167 – 11182 Abstract Igor A. Levitsky, William B. Euler, Victor A. Karachevtsev Photophysics of Carbon Nanotubes Interfaced with Organic and Inorganic Materials Springer 2012, London Abstract Katie Fontaine, Wendy Lopez, Everett Crisman, John Derov, William B. Euler Doping of Polyvinylidene Difluoride with Cobalt Nitrate: Structural, Electrical, and Magnetic Properties J. Polym. Sci. A: Polym. Chem. 2012, 50, 3970 – 3975 Abstract A. Y. Glamazda, V. A. Karachevtsev, William B. Euler, Igor A. Levitsky Achieving High Mid-IR Bolometric Responsivity for Anisotropic Composite Materials from Carbon Nanotubes and Polymers Adv. Funct. Mater. 2012, 22, 2177 – 2186 Abstract Elana A. Viola, William B. Euler Computational Analysis of Bending Strain in Single Chains of β-PVDF J. Polym. Sci. Part B: Polym. Phys. 2011, 49, 1493 – 1495 Abstract Pang-Leen Ong, William B. Euler, Igor A. Levitsky Carbon Nanotube-Si Diode as a Detector of Mid-Infrared Illumination Appl. Phys. Lett. 2010, 96, 033106-1 – 033106-3 Abstract Elana A. Viola, Igor A. Levitsky, William B. Euler Kinetics of Photoactuation in Single Wall Carbon Nanotube – Nafion Bilayer Composite J. Phys. Chem. C 2010, 114, 20258 – 20266 Abstract Pang-Leen Ong, William B. Euler, Igor A. Levitsky Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/Si Heterojunctions Nanotechnology 2010, 21, 105203 –1 – 105203-7 Abstract Igor G. Kolobov, William B. Euler, Igor A. Levitsky Optical Humidity Sensing and Ultrasound Effect for Mesoporous Silicon One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals Appl. Optics 2010, 49, 137 – 141 Abstract Eunhae Hwang, Igor A. Levitsky, William B. Euler Gas Phase Sensors for Bases Using Rhodamine B in Nafion Films J. Applied Polym. Sci. 2010, 116, 2425 – 2432 Abstract Dinesh Chalasani, Joshua K. Potvin, Brett L. Lucht, William B. Euler Two-Step Thermochromism in Poly(3-docosoxy-4-methylthiophene): Mechanistic Similarity to Poly(3-docosylthiophene) J. Polym. Sci. A: Polym. Chem. 2010, 48, 4370 – 4373 Abstract Yu Wang, Nadia Archambault, Allison M. Belcher, Devin Busse, David B. Damon, Ashley Mills, Amanda E. Riddle, Ivan J. Samardjiev, Brett L. Lucht, William B. Euler Mesophase Formation in Regioregular Poly(3-alkylthiophene)s Containing Long Chain Alkyl Groups Macromolecules 2008, 41, 7115 – 7121 Abstract Gennadiy V. Kamarchuk, Igor G. Kolobov, Andrei V. Khotkevich, Igor K. Yanson, Alexander P. Pospelov, Igor A. Levitsky, William B. Euler New Chemical Sensors Based on Point Heterocontact Between Carbon Nanotubes and Metals Sens. Actuat. B 2008, 134, 1022 – 1026 Abstract Igor A. Levitsky, William B. Euler, Natalya Tokranova, Aimée Rose Flourescent Polymer – Porous Silicon Microcavity Devices for Explosives Detection Appl. Phys. Lett. 2007, 90, 041904-1 – 041904-3 Abstract Igor A. Levitsky, Igor G. Kolobov, William B. Euler Field Effect of Carbon Nanotubes With an ionomeric Polymer Phys. Stat. Sol (B) 2007, 244, 2666 – 2672 Abstract Yu Wang, Ashley Mills, William B. Euler, Brett L. Lucht Effect of Residual Monomer on the Spectroscopic Properties of Polythiophenes ChemComm 2006,, 2121 – 2122 Abstract Igor A. Levitsky, Peter T. Kanelos, Destiny S. Woodbury, William B. Euler Photoactuation from a Carbon Nanotube – Nafion Bilayer Composite J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 9421 – 9425 Abstract