artment of Chemistry and BiochemistryDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA 92110
Office: Shiley 378
Lab: Shiley 385
Phone: (619) 260-4117
Email: laurenbenz@sandiego.edu
B.Sc. Chemistry, 2001, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Ph.D. Inorganic Chemistry, 2007, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Postdoctoral Fellow, 2007-2009, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
The Benz lab is interested in the study of chemical reactions on surfaces and supported materials. Surfaces are often the places where reactants meet! Examples include the rusting of metal and the degradation of sculptures and paintings over time. Solid surfaces can be used to catalyze reactions and act as sorbents to remove impurities from gas mixtures and liquids, such as drinking water.
We are currently interested in studying the use of oxide surfaces for the removal of heteroatom impurities in petroleum. As light-weight, clean sources of petroleum are consumed to produce energy, people are seeking alternative sources of fuel like shale oil and tar which are laden with impurities including sulfur and nitrogen. Upon burning fuel, these impurities can oxidize to form NOx and SOx, both known environmental hazards.
In another area of research, we are interested in studying supported metal-organic frameworks, an interesting class of materials known for unprecedented design flexibility and potential application in gas storage and catalysis. These materials are very promising in the area of alternative energy storage and delivery, and we plan to probe fundamental interactions of a variety of gases with these supported materials.
Research in the Benz lab is often done under very low pressure conditions (similar to the pressure--or lack thereof--in outerspace!) in order to minimize contamination from background gases in our fundamental studies. Come by to check out the new vacuum chamber and see what we are up to!