Thomas E. Albrecht-Schmitt Professor

Concurrent Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Biography B.S. Southwest State University, Marshall, MN, 1993
M.S. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 1994
Ph.D. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 1997
Post-doctoral Associate University of Illinois, 1998
Research Interests Our group is interested in the synthesis, structure, and physico-chemical properties of new materials containing lanthanide and actinide elements (e.g. uranium and plutonium). We focus heavily on the growth of single crystals of previously unknown compounds with the goal of developing correlations between unusual structural features ascertained by X-ray diffraction and electronic properties measured by a variety of spectroscopic techniques. Using this basic framework we have developed nonlinear optical, magnetic, and ion-exchange materials.

Current projects are directed toward understanding how transuranium elements (e.g. neptunium and plutonium) interact with important ligands such as phosphonates and borates. We are in the process of both understanding the crystal chemistry of these compounds, and how they might be used as advanced waste forms for storing long-lived radionuclides. In doing so, we have uncovered unusual redox processes. Cutting-edge in situ measurement techniques are being developed in order to gain a deep understanding of these critical chemical issues.
Recent Papers

P. Yu, S. Wang, E. V. Alekseev, W. Depmeier, T. E. Albrecht-Schmitt, B. L. Phillips, W. H. Casey, "99Tc-MAS-NMR on a Cationic Framework Material for Trapping TcO4-," Angewandte Chemie, Int. Ed., 2010, in press.

S. Wu, F. Chen, A. Simonetti, T. E. Albrecht-Schmitt, "Incorporation of Neptunium(V) and Iodate into a Uranyl Phosphate: Implications for Mitigating the Release of 237Np and 129I in Repositories," Environmental Science and Technology, 2010, 44, 3192-3196.

S. Wang, E. V. Alekseev, J. Ling, G. Liu, W. Depmeier, T. E. Albrecht-Schmitt, "Polarity and Chirality in Uranyl Borates: Insights into Understanding the Vitrification of Nuclear Waste and the Development of Nonlinear Optical Materials," Chemistry of Materials, 2010, 22, 2155-2163.

S. Wang, E. V. Alekseev, J. Diwu, W. H. Casey, B. L. Phillips, W. Depmeier, T. E. Albrecht-Schmitt, "NDTB-1: A Supertetrahedral Cationic Framework that Removes TcO4- from Solution," Angewandte Chemie, Int. Ed., 2010, 49, 1057-1060. Featured on the Discovery Channel website. Spread throughout the web, MSNBC, Wired, CNN, Etc.

S. Wang, E. V. Alekseev, J. Ling, S. Skanthakumar, L. Soderholm, W. Depmeier, T. E. Albrecht-Schmitt, "Neptunium Diverges Sharply from Uranium and Plutonium in Crystalline Borate Matrixes: Insights into the Complex Behavior of the Early Actinides Relevant to Nuclear Waste Storage," Angewandte Chemie, Int. Ed., 2010, 49, 1263-1266. Selected for Cover Art Feature.

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Contact Information Office: 301 Stinson-Remick Hall
Phone: 574-631-1872
Email: talbrec1(at)nd.edu
Primary Research Areas Structural and environmental actinide chemistry, solid-state chemistry, magnetism, crystal growth, X-ray diffraction, ion-exchange materials, nonlinear optical materials, thermoelectric materials, structure-property relationships
Research Specialties Materials, Inorganic, and Environmental Chemistry
Lab Personnel Pius Adelani
Andrea Alsobrook
Jean-Marie Babo
Justin Cross
Juan Diwu
Justin Good
Brendan McGrail
Matt Polinski
Eric Villa
Shuao Wang
Courses Lanthanide and Actinide Chemistry
Fundamentals of Chemistry
Copyright © 2010 University of Notre Dame.
Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences.      156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556-5637      Phone: 574-631-5380     Fax: 574-631-9236