Christopher T. Williams

Associate Professor

The Williams group research interests are in the area of heterogeneous catalysis and surface science, with a particular focus on studying solid-liquid catalytic interfaces. Catalysis carried out in the liquid-phase is very important for applications such as fine chemicals and pharmaceutical production, and in the production of new fuels from biorenewable resources. Our primary research involves the development and application of in-situ or operando surface vibrational spectroscopic methods to study adsorption and catalysis at solid catalyst surfaces under industrially relevant reaction conditions (i.e., in the liquid phase and/or at high gas pressures and temperatures). Specific techniques under development in our group include surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, and sum-frequency spectroscopy (SFS). The information obtained with these approaches allows us to develop a molecular-level understanding of the catalytic mechanisms that govern the function of heterogeneous catalysts under reaction conditions. Such understanding is critical if we wish to rationally design catalysts for specific applications in the future. Reaction systems of interest include enantioselective hydrogenation of α-ketoesters and alkenoic acids, hydrogenation of nitriles (e.g., butyronitrile, benzonitrile), and selective hydrogenation of functionalized olefins (e.g., butadiene epoxide). Catalysts under investigation involve both polycrystalline transition metals and oxide-supported mono and bimetallic nanoparticle catalysts. The latter materials are prepared either through traditional catalyst synthesis methods or more novel protocols under development that allow for control of size and composition on the nanoscale. The Williams group is currently funded by the National Science Foundation, and by a variety of industrial sources.

Education

• Ph. D., Purdue University (1997)
• B. S., University of Delaware (1993)

Selected Publications

• "Acetonitrile Adsorption on Polycrystalline Platinum: An in Situ Investigation Using Sum Frequency Spectroscopy," S. B. Waldrup, C. T. Williams, J. Phys. Chem. C, 112(1), 219-226 (2008).
• “Characterization and Evaluation of Ag-Pt/SiO₂ Catalysts Prepared by Electroless Deposition”, M. T. Schaal, A. C. Pickerell, C. T. Williams, J. R. Monnier, J. Catal. 254(1), 131-143 (2008).
• “Probing Powder Supported Catalysts with Sum Frequency Spectroscopy,” S. B. Waldrup and C. T. Williams, Catal. Comm., 8, 1373-1376 (2007).
• “In Situ Studies of Butyronitrile Adsorption and Hydrogenation on Pt/Al₂O₃ using Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy,” I. Ortiz-Hernandez and C. T. Williams, Langmuir, 23(6), 3172-3178 (2007).
• “Particle Size Control in Dendrimer-Derived Supported Ruthenium Catalysts,” G. Lafaye, A. Siani, P. Marecot, M. D. Amiridis, and C. T. Williams, J. Phys. Chem. B, 110(15), 7725-7731 (2006).