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Chemistry Program

Dr. Conrad Jones

Conrad Jones

Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Bachelor's Degree: Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA, 1998

Ph.D.: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 2004

Courses:  General Chemistry 132/133 & Physical Chemistry 312/313

Office:  108 Lee Hall Annex

Phone:  225-771-3203

E-mail Address: conrad.jones@sus.edu

Web Page Links: 

Research Interests:

My research interests are in the areas of physical chemistry, environmental chemistry, catalysis/kinetics, renewable/sustainable energy, and energetic materials.  My current project involves the synthesis, characterization, and detection of inorganic based green energetic materials (GEMs).  This project is being funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and investigates the use of different transition metals (Cu, Ni, Co, etc.) and various ligands (ethylenediamine, hydrazine, aminoguanidine, guanidine, etc.) to synthesize potential GEMs, characterize the GEMs for structural and thermal properties, and develop detection methods for GEM by utilizing their optical properties since these GEMs can be in different colors. 

In the area of catalysis, I am also working in the development of heterogeneous catalysts in biofuel production as well as using heterogeneous nickel catalysts as potential catalysts for the Heck reaction.  Zeolites (ZSM-5, NaY, and NaM) are currently being investigated for biodiesel production.  Incorporation of transition metals and functionalization of zeolitic surface will also be investigated to determine the effects on biodiesel synthesis and catalytic production.  Heterogeneous nickel catalysts are currently being studied as potential catalysts for the Heck reaction.  The Heck reaction is one that involves an olefin and an aryl halide to form products that can be applied in areas of agriculture, medicine, photochemistry, and materials.  Currently, palladium is the catalyst for the Heck reaction.  Despite palladium’s effectiveness as a catalyst for this reaction, it is a very expensive metal.  Since nickel is in the same group as palladium, it has similar characteristics as palladium and is less expensive than Pd.    

 

Awards and Honors:

  • Recipient of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant. (2013)
  • DHS Summer Faculty Fellow (2012)
  • NASA John Glenn Summer Faculty Fellow (2011 & 2010)
  • NSF HBCU-UP SMART Start-Up Grant Recipient. (2007)
  • Southern University STEM Hall of Fame (2006)

 

 

Selected Publications:

1)  “Enhanced TiO2 Photocatalytic Processing of Organic Wastes for Green Space Exploration”, I. Udom, D.Y. Goswami, S.J. Ergas, A.F. Hepp, M.J. Kulis, J.S. McNatt, D.A. Jaworske; C.A. Jones, American Institute of Aeronautics and

Astronautics (AIAA-2013-0588) pp. 1-10 (2013)

 

2)   “3,3’-Dinitrobisphenol A”, Sainath Babu, Chintan Pathak, Satvika Uppu, Conrad Jones, Frank R. Fronczek; Rao M. Uppu, Acta Cryst., E67, pp. 2556-2557 (2011).

 

3)  “Synthesis and Chemistry of a Monotethered-POSS Bis(cyanate) Ester: Thermal Curing of Micellar Aggregates Leads to Discrete Nanoparticles.” Michael E. Wright, Brian J. Petteys, Andrew J. Guenthner, Gregory R. Yandek, Lawrence C. Baldwin, Conrad Jones, and M. Joseph Roberts, Macromolecules, 40(11),

pp. 3891-3894 (2007).