Education

Ph.D. Chemistry,  University of California at Santa Barbara, June 1996

B.S. Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley, May 1991

Research Interests

We are studying catalytic materials that facilitate the decomposition or reduction of nitric oxides to form harmless products such as nitrogen gas and water.  One such catalyst family is based on vanadium pentaoxide.  Our work involves the development of solid state magnetic resonance techniques and application of  experimental and computer simulation methods to study catalyst structures.  For additional information, please see our work:

(a) Gheorghe,Claudia. & Becky Gee    "Solid State Vanadium-51 NMR Studies of Supported V₂O₅-WO₃/TiO₂Catalysts" Chemistry of Materials
     2000, 12, 682-685;   [abstract]
(b) Gee, B.   "Homonuclear Vanadium-51 Dipolar Couplings in Inorganic Solids Obtained via Hahn Spin Echo Decay NMR Spectroscopy"  Solid
      State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance 2001 , 19,73-86;   [abstract]
(c) Gee, B. & Wong, A.  "Vanadium-51 MAS and Static NMR Studies of the Binary V₂ O ₅-WO₃ System" Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2003,
     107(33), 8382-8387.  [abstract]
(d) Becky Gee "Vanadium-51 solid state NMR electric field gradient tensors:  A DFT embedded ion and isolated cluster study of crystalline
      vanadium oxides" SolidState Nuclear Magnetic Resonance 2006, 30, 171-181. [abstract]

    We are also examining the chemistry of aluminosilicates.  In particular, our immediate goal is to employ solid state magnetic resonance techniques to probe the factors influencing  aluminum ordering in the tetrahedral sites of aluminosilicate materials.  Futher information can be found in:

(a) Gee, B. "The Aluminum Ordering in Aluminosilicates:  A Dipolar ²⁷Al NMR Spectroscopy Study" Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry  2004,
     42(1), 30-38.   [abstract]

We are preparing novel and recognized lithium transition metal oxide-based materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries.  In conjunction with our synthetic work, we are employing lithium-7 solid state magnetic resonance and x-ray diffraction techniques to study the unique atomic and electronic structural properties of these potentially useful materials.

•  Gee, B. "The Aluminum Ordering in Aluminosilicates:  A Dipolar ²⁷Al NMR Spectroscopy Study"
    Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry  2004 , 42(1), 30-38. [abstract]

•  Gee, B. & Wong, A.  "Vanadium-51 MAS and Static NMR Studies of the Binary V₂ O ₅-WO₃ System"
   Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2003, 107(33), 8382-8387.    [pdf]    [abstract]

•  Sheikh, M.; Feig, J.; Gee, B.; Li, S.; Savva, M. "In vitro lipofection with novel series of symmetric 1,3-dialkoylamidopropane-based cationic  
    surfactants  containing single primary and tertiary amine polar head groups" Chemistry and Physics of Lipids2003 , 124, 49-61.

•  Gee, B.   "Homonuclear Vanadium-51 Dipolar Couplings in Inorganic Solids Obtained via Hahn Spin Echo Decay NMR Spectroscopy"
   Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance 2001,19,73-86. [abstract]

•  Gheorghe,Claudia. & Becky Gee    "Solid State Vanadium-51 NMR Studies of Supported V₂O₅-WO₃/TiO₂Catalysts"
    Chemistry of Materials 2000, 12, 682-685.   [pdf]     [abstract]

• Horne, C.R.; Richardson, T.J.; Gee, B.; Tucker, M.; Grush, M.M.; Bergmann, U.; Striebel, K.A.; Cramer, S.P.; Reimer, J.A.; Carins, E.J. "Composition-Structure-Property-Performance Relationship in Mn-Substituted LiMn₂O₄" in Intercalation Compounds for Battery Materials. G. A. Nazri, T. Ohzuku, and M. Thackeray, Eds.; Proceedings Volume 99-24, The Electrochemical Society, Inc., 1999.

• Gee, B.; Horne, C.R.; Cairns, E.J.; Reimer, J.A. "Supertransferred Hyperfine Interactions at ⁷Li: Variable Temperature ⁷Li NMR Studies of LiMn₂O₄ -Based Spinels" J. Phys. Chem. B  1998 , 102,10142-10149.

• Gee, B.; Janssen, M.; and Eckert, H. "Local Cation Environments in Mixed Alkali Silicate Glasses Studied by Multinuclear Single and Double Resonance Magic-Angle Spinning NMR" J. Non-Cryst. Solids 1997,215, 41-50.

• Gee, B.; Pradel, A.; Taillades, G.; Ribes, M.; Eckert, H. "Alkali Ion Distribution in Mixed Alkali Chalcogenide Glasses. ²³Na-{⁷Li} Spin Echo Double Resonance NMR Studies of the System ((Na₂S)_1-y(Li₂S)_y ) _0.5 (GeS₂)_0.5" J . Non-Cryst. Solids 1997,215, 32-40.

• Gee, B. and Eckert, H. "Cation Distribution in Mixed Alkali Silicate Glasses. NMR Studies by ²³Na-{⁷ Li} and ²³Na-{⁶Li}Spin Echo Double Resonance" J. Phys. Chem.1996, 100, 3705-3712.

• Gee, B. and Eckert, H. "Cation Ordering Scenarios in Mixed Alkali Silicate Glasses. Experimental Constraints from ²³ Na-{⁶Li}Spin Echo Double Resonance NMR" Ber. Bunsenges. Phys. Chem.-Phys. Chemistry Chemical Physics1996 ,100 , 1610-1616.

• van Wüllen, L.; Gee, B.; Züchner, L.; Bertmer, M.; Eckert, H. "Connectivities and Cation Distributions in Oxide Glasses. New Results from Solid State NMR" Ber. Bunsenges. Phys. Chem.-Phys. Chemistry Chemical Physics1996, 100, 1539-1549.

• Gee, B. and Eckert, H. "²³Na NMR Spin Echo Decay Spectroscopy of Sodium Silicate Glasses and Crystalline Model Compounds" Solid State NMR 1995,5, 113-122.

  selected abstracts

• Brunette Marthone, M.S. candidate, Spring 2004 - present
     Brunette is studying electrode materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries.

• Claudia Liberman (née Gheorghe), M.S. Chemistry, Fall 2000
    research dissertation title: "Solid-State Vanadium-51 NMR Spectroscopy of V₂O₅-WO ₃/TiO₂Catalysts"
   Claudia is currently employed at United Research Laboratories in Philadephia, Pennsylvania.

•  Aliyar Mousavi , M.S. Chemistry, Fall 2003
    research dissertation title:  "Synthesis and Characterization of Lithium Ion Battery Cathode Materials"
    Aliyar has joined the Ph.D. program in Chemistry at the University of New Mexico.

•  James Christie, M.S. Chemistry, January 2006
   dissertation title (review paper):  "The Use of Stöber Silica Films in Optical Interference Pigment Design"

•  Mei-Li Chang , LIU Research/Work-Study Student, Summer 2004-Spring 2005
     Mei-Li contributed to our dipolar coupling studies and to our catalyst research.

•  Anna Wong, Intel Talent Search Student from the Bronx High School of Science, New York City,  Summer-Fall 2001
     research project:  "X-Ray Diffraction of Vanadia-Tungsten Catalysts - Catalysts Used to Reduce Pollutants"

• Philip Pacchiano, Intel Talent Search Student from Edward R. Murrow High School, Brooklyn, Spring - Fall 2002
     research project:   "Preparation and X-Ray Diffraction of Lithium Ion Battery Cathode Materials"

• Anna Slavinsky, Intel Talent Search Student from Edward R. Murrow High School, Brooklyn, Spring-Summer 2003
     research project:  "Solid State and Wet Chemistry Synthesis of Lithium Manganese Iron Oxide Battery Materials"

• Justin Che, Intel Talent Search Student from Midwood High School, Brooklyn, Summer 2003-Summer 2004
     Justin performed numerical computer simulations of solid state NMR spectra for his Intel project.
 

Courses Recently Taught

• Chemistry 3 and 4 (General Chemistry)

• Chemistry 503 (Advanced Inorganic)

• Chemistry 541 (Special Topics: Principles and Applications of Spectroscopy)

• Chemistry 610 (Advanced Analytical Chemistry)

• Chemistry 631 (Spectroscopy @ LIU Westchester Graduate Campus)
 
 

Materials Research Society

Experimental Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Conference (ENC)

Rocky Mountain Conference

Back to Chemistry Dept. Home Page