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ELIZABETH A. RAYMOND
Assistant Professor
Physical Chemistry
Education
B.A. Whitman College, 1997.
Ph.D. University of Oregon, 2003.
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles, 2003-2006.
Research Interests
Research in my group focuses on investigating molecules at
interfaces, in particular, interfaces of atmospheric or environmental
importance. We are currently exploring the series of nitrogen oxides (NOx
compounds, a primary component of photochemical smog) at the vapor/water
interface. Aerosol particles in the troposphere have a significant number
of their molecules at the particle surface, where they not only
participate in chemical reactions but also play a role in the growth and
adsorption properties of the aerosols. To investigate molecular
concentrations, orientations, and inter-molecular interactions at a
vapor/water interface, my research group uses surface tension measurements
in conjunction with the highly surface selective technique, second
harmonic generation (SHG). Using a tunable, pulsed laser system, we are
able to obtain SHG spectra (somewhat analogous to a UV-Vis spectrum) of
only those molecules within the interfacial region, typically the top few
molecular layers. By comparing the surface properties to UV-Vis spectra
of bulk solutions, we are able to explore the differences between the bulk
and surface environments, thereby gaining insight into the chemistry of
aerosol particles in the troposphere.
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