Our current scientific research involves the development of synthetic strategies yielding control and variation of both crystallite size on the nanometer scale and non-stoichiometric chemical composition of inorganic materials, and the subsequent utility of these inorganic materials towards energy storage. Specific inorganic materials of interest include: iron-containing spinels and inverse spinels, bimetallic layered or channeled materials where both metals are redox active, and inorganic materials containing alkali and alkaline earth metals. Paradigms critical to the fundamental understanding of battery function emerging from the above studies are the structure / function relationships among crystallite size, particle size, and the electrochemistry of inorganic materials.

Our previous research centered on the ligand exchange, electron transfer, or atom transfer of molecular ruthenium coordination compounds. Of note were the steric and electronic kinetic ligand effects of tertiary phosphines, trans-spanning diphosphines, or heteroscorpionate ligands on a variety of ruthenium based chemistries.