Dr. Myles Drance, PhD

Human impact on the environment is unsustainable. Carbon dioxide emissions are contributing to global warming and ocean acidification, and other pollutants are contaminating our supplies of fresh water. Chemists are developing molecules and materials to break down carbon dioxide and other contaminants, but they tend to rely on metals which are costly and potentially toxic themselves. The proposed research establishes a nonmetal approach to the conversion of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, which can be used as a chemical feedstock, and the degradation toxic perchlorate ions to environmentally benign chloride.