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BIDDEFORD, Maine

Chemistry researcher Amy Keirstead awarded ACS grant for studies on 'green solvents'

Amy Keirstead, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at University of New England, has received a grant from the American Chemical Society's Petroleum Research Fund for a project entitled "Using the Photo-Fries Reaction as a Photochemical Probe to Quantify the Cage Effects of Ionic Liquids." 

The award, valued at $50,000 over two years, will fund this ongoing project within Dr. Keirstead's undergraduate research program, which investigates the properties of ionic liquids and their utility as media for solar cells, molecular electronic devices, and applications in green chemistry.

Keirstead is working closely with UNE undergraduate students Amber Zablowsky, Annie Leslie and Sean Naughton, who are learning valuable scientific techniques as well as how to use complex instrumentation.  Keirstead says, "These sorts of research activities promote curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, and an appreciation for the scientific process - in this way, undergraduate research is a fantastic complement to what students learn in their teaching laboratories and lectures."

Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids are a fairly new class of chemicals that are receiving considerable attention.  These materials are literally molten salts, consisting of an anion and a cation, that together form a liquid that can be used as solvents; these differ from the traditional (molecular) solvents such as ethanol or acetone. 

They have earned the name "designer solvents" because their properties can be altered by changing the anion-cation combination, so that the ionic liquid can potentially be tailored to the individual application.  They have also earned the title "green solvents" since they are non-volatile (will not evaporate), can be recycled, and exhibit high thermal and chemical stability (will not decompose under extreme conditions).

Keirstead adds, "Much of the excitement around ionic liquids is focused on green chemistry - the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances.  If we can recycle our solvents, reduce emissions, and tailor the solvent to our application, thereby reducing byproducts and optimizing the production of the chemicals we want, we can change the way we do chemistry."

Solar Cells

Keirstead believes a second, exciting use of ionic liquids is in the design of a new generation of solar cells called dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).  She explains, "These cells require a charge-carrying solvent, and ionic liquids are thought to be suitable because of their ionic nature, low volatility, and stability under extreme heat conditions - that is, you could construct a solar cell using ionic liquids and put it in the desert and its lifetime would be longer than that constructed using traditional solvents.  We need a new source of energy - we cannot continue to rely on fossil fuels.  How can we use these materials to solve the problems we are facing?"

Despite the great potential for ionic liquids, many of their properties are still being examined.  Keirstead‚Äôs research program aims to use organic photochemistry (chemistry initiated by light) to investigate the properties of ionic liquids. 

With the ACS PRF grant, Keirstead and her team will use a photochemical probe reaction to learn about the cage effects of ionic liquids, or how species interact with the solvent cage. If an ionic liquid is found to have a large cage effect, this could mean that its use in a DSSC would render the solar cell inefficient.  On the other hand, a large cage effect could be favorable to carry out a specific application, such as a chemical synthesis. 

By examining this fundamental property in a variety of ionic liquids, Keirstead and her students will contribute to the overall understanding of ionic liquids.  This enhanced knowledge can then be used by the scientific community to tailor the ionic liquid to the individual application, such as the fabrication of more efficient solar cells, hosts for molecular electronic devices (e.g., sensors, and switches) and for chemical reactions that follow the principles of green chemistry.

Amy Keirstead

Since joining UNE in 2008, Keirstead has shared her passion for teaching and research with students.  Keirstead recently received the 2011 Debra J. Summers Award for Teaching Excellence, a prestigious university award nominated and selected by students.  

She says, "I'm trying to make my own contributions. To me it was important to choose a research project where I could be proud of the work I do, and that would help solve some of the global issues we are encountering. If I can get students excited about chemistry research, and well-prepared to tackle the next generation of problems that will face us, well, that's a pretty important contribution, too."

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.