About

The Strange group leverages the unique capabilities of X-ray and neutron scattering techniques to solve complex problems traversing topics in fundamental and applied research areas. These types of measurements typically involve in situ/operando measurement conditions in order to derive structure-property-performance relationships of materials. Design and fabrication of novel sample environments and capabilities is a core strength of our group in order to push the boundaries of existing structure and dynamics characterization techniques.

Using these advanced characterization methods, we are largely interested in understanding and mitigating barriers associated with developing processes and technologies for energy sustainability, which include hydrogen production, storage, and associated infrastructure, as well as carbon capture and management. 

At a more fundamental level, we are interested in gas-solid and fluid-solid interactions across length scales which dictate mechanisms of gas capture, storage, and separations processes. We obtain hierarchical depictions of these processes by co-utilization of thermodynamic (macroscopic), through volumetric adsorption, and structural (atomic and molecular scale), X-ray scattering and spectroscopy, measurements. Of particular interest is understanding the effects of confinement and dimensionality on adsorption processes (i.e., evolution of adsorption on ideal quasi-two-dimensional substrates to adsorption within a three-dimensional porous sorbent).