Simon Humphrey
Research Interests

The Humphrey Research Group is interested in the preparation and characterization of new metal-organic framework materials based on phosphine ligands that exhibit important solid-state properties. Properties exhibited by Phosphine Coordination Materials (PCMs) that are of particular interest include: Small molecule uptake and release, relating to gas storage, Separation of gas mixtures; gas sieving properties for applications in purification, carbon sequestration etc., Selective heterogeneous catalysis
Using phosphine-based organic ligands, it is possible to design materials with pore dimensions and topologies that impart such properties. More specifically, the chemistry of the phosphine-based systems offers additional possibilities that have not yet been explored in metal-organic framework synthesis. These include the incorporation of polar (R3P=X) or ionic (R3P+R') organic species into the PCMs, which may enhance their solid-state properties.
Polymer-capped metal nanoparticles are examples of model catalysts, which have favorable surface-area:volume ratios and defined surface structure. In collaboration with groups in the UK and the USA, the Humphrey Research Group is interested in finding improved routes toward the solution-phase synthesis of near-monodisperse noble metal nanoparticles. The nanoparticle catalysts may then be used directly or when anchored on support media (e.g. silica), to study important small organic molecule transformations in the solution- or vapor-phase.