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M. Samy El-Shall

Professor Physical chemistry (804) 828-3518 mselshal@vcu.edu

Research page

U.S. – Egypt Workshop on Nanostructured Materials and Nanotechnology

Education

B.S., Cairo University
M.S., Cairo University
Ph.D., Georgetown University

Research interests

Our research interests are in the general areas of molecular clusters, gas phase and cluster polymerization, nucleation phenomena and nanostructured materials. The major goal is to gain insights as to how the properties of matter evolve as the size of a material system ranges from molecular to macroscopic dimensions. Research is under way in three areas, each involving a variety of experimental techniques (molecular beams, lasers, mass spectrometry and light scattering) with close collaboration with modern theoretical approaches.

Molecular clusters, gas phase and cluster polymerization

Molecular beam techniques are applied to synthesize different classes of weakly bound molecular clusters and metal atom-doped molecular clusters. Resonant two-photon ionization coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry is then applied to study the spectroscopy of size specific clusters. We are interested in measuring the size-dependent spectroscopic lineshifts and lineshapes of a particular atomic or molecular excitation in these clusters.

Read more about the cluster research.

Vapor phase homogeneous and ion-induced nucleation

Nucleation is one of the most ubiquitous and important phenomena in science and technology. It plays a central role in materials science, crystal growth, chemical processing, atmospheric science and cosmochemistry. This research area is of increasing importance to atmospheric chemistry, polar stratospheric clouds, acid rain and air pollution.

Read more about the nucleation work.

Nanostructured materials

Nanoscale particles possess several unique properties such as large surface areas, unusual adsorptive properties, surface defects and fast diffusivities. The intrinsic properties of the interior of the nanocrystals are transformed by quantum size effects. The ability to manipulate the energetics of nanocrystal surfaces at will would have many practical consequences particularly in the fields of catalysis and novel materials.

Read more about the nanoparticle research.

Publications

1. Polymerization of Ionized Acetylene Clusters into Covalent Bonded Ions. Evidence for the Formation of Benzene Radical Cation, Paul O. Momoh, Samuel A. Abrash, Ridha Mabourki and M. S. El-Shall, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128, 12408-12409 (2006).
2. Microwave Synthesis of Highly Aligned Ultra Narrow Semiconductor Rods and Wires, A. B. Panda, G. Glaspell, M. S. El-Shall, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128, 2790-2791 (2006).
3. Nanocatalysis on Tailored Shape Supports: Au and Pd Nanoparticles Supported on MgO Nanocubes and ZnO Nanobelts, Garry Glaspell, Hassan M. A. Hassan, Ahmed Elzatahry, Lindsay Fuoco,Nagi R. E. Radwan and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. B. 110, in press (2006).
4. Catalyzed Radical Polymerization of Styrene Vapor on Nanoparticle Surfaces and the Incorporation of Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles within Polystyrene Polymers, V. Abdelsayed, E. Alsharaeh and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. B. 110, 19100-19103 (2006).
5. Vapor Phase Synthesis of Metallic and Intermetallic Nanoparticles and Nanowires: Magnetic and Catalytic Properties, G. Glaspell, V. Abdelsayed, K. M. Saoud and M. S. El-Shall Pure Appl. Chem., 78, 1671-1693 (2006).
6. Gas Phase Hydration and Deprotonation of the Cyclic C3H3+ Cation. Solvation with Acetonitrile and Comparison with the Benzene Radical Cation, R. Mabrouki, Y. Ibrahim, E. Xie, M. Meot-Ner and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. A. 110, 7334-7344 (2006).
7. Early Stages of Styrene-Isoprene Copolymerization in Gas Phase Clusters Probed by Resonance Enhanced Multiphoton Ionization, H. Mahmoud, I. N. Germanenko and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. A. 110, 4296-4298 (2006).
8. Vapor Phase Synthesis of Supported Pd, Au and Unsupported Bimetallic Nanoparticle Catalysts for CO Oxidation, Y. Yang, K. M. Saoud, V. Abdelsayed, G. Glaspell, S. Deevi and M. S. El-Shall Catalysis Commun. 7, 281-284 (2006).
9. Associative Charge Transfer Reactions. Temperature Effects and Mechanism of the Gas Phase Polymerization of Propene Initiated by Benzene Radical Cation, Y. M. Ibrahim, M. Meot-Ner and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. A. 110, 8585-8592 (2006).
10. Polymerization of Butadiene on Nanoparticles’ Surfaces and Formation of Metal/Polymer Nanocomposites, V. Abdelsayed, Y. Ibrahim, S. Deevi and M. S. El-Shall, Applied Surface Science 252, 3774-3782 (2006).
11. Vapor Phase Synthesis and Characterization of Bimetallic Alloy and Supported Nanoparticle Catalysts, V. Abdelsayed, K. M. Saoud and M. S. El-Shall, J. Nanoparticle Research, 8, 519-531 (2006).
12. Clusters of the Hydronium Ion (H3O+) with H2, N2 and CO Molecules, R. Mabourki, Y. Ibrahim, E. Xie, M. Meot-Ner and M. S. El-Shall, Chem. Phys. Letters, 424, 257-263, (2006).
13. Differential Mobility Analysis of the Nanoparticles Generated by the Laser Vaporization and Controlled Condensation (LVCC), V. Abdelsayed, M. S. El-Shall and T. Seto, J. Nanoparticle Research, 8, 361-369 (2006).
14. Microwave Synthesis of Supporting Au and Pd Nanoparticle Catalysts for CO Oxidation, G. Glaspell, L. Fuoco and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. B. 109, 17350-16355 (2005).
15. Stepwise Hydration of Ionized Aromatics. Energies, Structures of the Hydrated Benzene Cation, and the Mechanism of Deprotonation Reactions, Y. M. Ibrahim, E. H. Alsharaeh, M. Meot-Ner, S. Scheiner and M. S. El-Shall, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 7053-7064 (2005).
16. The Chemistry of Styrene (Water)n Clusters, n=1-5: Spectroscopy and Structure of the Neutral Clusters, Deprotonation of Styrene Dimer Cation, and Implication to the Inhibition of Cationic Polymerization, H. Mahmoud, I. N. Germanenko, D. Wright and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. A 109, 4474-4483 (2005).
17. Direct Evidence for the Gas Phase Thermal Polymerization of Styrene. Determination of the Initiation Mechanism and Structures of the Early Oligomers by Ion Mobility, E. H. Alsharaeh, Y. M. Ibrahim and M. S. El-Shall, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 6164 (2005).
18. Stepwise Hydration, and Multi-Body Deprotonation with Steep Negative Temperature Dependence, in the Benzene•+ - Water System, Y. Ibrahim, E. Alsharaeh, K. Dias, M. Meot-Ner and M. S. El-Shall, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 12766 (2004).
19. Evidence for Penning Ionization in the Generation of Electronically Excited States of Transition Metal Cations by Laser Vaporization, Y. M. Ibrahim, E. H. Alsharaeh and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. B, 108, 3959-3962 (2004).
20. Vapor Phase Growth and Assmbly of Metallic, Intermetallic, Carbon, and Silicon Nanoparticle Filaments, M. S. El-Shall, V. Abdelsayed, Y. B. Pithawalla, E. Alsharach and S. C. Deevi, J. Phys. Chem. B. 107, 2882-2886 (2003) Cover Feature.
21. Gas Phase Ion Mobilities and Structures of Benzene Cluster Cations (C6H6)n+, n = 2-6., M. Rusyniak, Y. Ibrahim, D. Wright, S. Khanna and M. S. El-Shall, J. Am. Chem. Soc.125, 12001-12013 (2003).
22. Resonant Two-Photon Ionization Spectroscopy of Styrene (Methanol)n Clusters, n=1-9 H., Mahmoud, I. N. Germanenko, Y. Ibrahim and M. S. El-Shall, J. Phys. Chem. A, 107, 5920-5932 (2003).
23. Theoretical Study of Styrene (Methanol)n Clusters, n = 1-9. Comparison with Methanol Clusters, M. S. El-Shall, D. Wright, Y. Ibrahim and H. Mahmoud, J. Phys. Chem. A, 107, 5933-5940 (2003)
24. Laser Based Synthesis of Intermetallic Cu-Zn Nanoparticles, Y. B. Pithawalla, M. S. El-Shall and S. Deevi, Scripta Materialia, 48, 671-676 (2003).

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