James A. Cox, Professor Ph.D. University of Illinois, 1967 513-529-2493 COXJA@MUOhio.Edu Website:  www.users.muohio.edu/coxja/

Analytical chemistry, nanostructured materials, environmental chemistry, catalysis

We are preparing and characterizing new materials to serve as bases for improved analytical methods for environmentally and biologically important species. The materials include nanostructured inorganic polymers, organized films on surfaces, and functionalized metal nanoclusters, alone or in combination. Our studies of catalysis are focused on promotion of oxidations with metallodendrimers and other supramolecular species. A typical application is the oxidation of insulin at physiological pH with a ruthenium-containing dendrimer, which is stabilized as a component of an organized film on carbon. We are applying the materials in the design of solid phase extractors and preconcentrators. Examples of studies include a microscale trap for capture of adrenaline from biological samples and a macroscale system for the removal of toxic metals from environmental samples. In the former, the trapped substance is released into a chromatographic system for determination. A goal of the latter is to store the captured metals in a small-volume, chemically robust glass made by sintering the material after capture. Catalytic composite materials are being developed as electrochemical detectors for chromatography and as stand-alone sensors. Recently we have developed prototype gas-phase sensors for carbon monoxide, hydrazine, hydrogen peroxide, and nitrosamines and detectors for certain carbohydrates, damaged DNA, and peptides. Finally, we are combining the new extractors and detectors in microscale Total Analytical Systems with flows controlled by non-mechanical valves.

 2.  D. V. Ca, L. Sun, and J. A. Cox, “Optimization of the Dispersion of Gold and Platinum Nanoparticles on Indium Tin Oxide for the Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Cysteine and Arsenite”, Electrochimica Acta, 51, 2188-2194 (2006).

3.  M. M. Wandstrat and J. A. Cox, AAcceleration of the Densification of a Silica Sol-Gel by Inclusion of Generation-Zero Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer@, J. Non-Crystalline Solids, 351, 3667-3670 (2005).

4.  A. Walcarius, D. Mandler, J. A. Cox, M. Collinson, and O. Lev, AExciting New Directions in the Intersection of Functionalized Sol-Gel Materials with Electrochemistry@ (feature article), J. Mat. Chem., 15, 3663-3689 (2005).

5.  L. Sun, D. V. Ca, and J. A. Cox, AElectrocatalysis of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by Nanocomposites of Poly(amidoamine)-Encapsulated Platinum Nanoparticles and Phosphotungstic Acid@, J. Solid State Electrochem., 9, 816-822 (2005).

6.  M. Giorgetti, M. Berrettoni, S. Zamponi, P. J. Kulesza, and J. A. Cox, ACobalt Hexacyano-ferrate in PAMAM Doped Silica Matrix. 2. Structural and Electronic Characterization@, Electrochim. Acta, 51, 511-516 (2005).

7.  S. Zamponi, M. Giorgetti, M. Berrettoni, P. J. Kulesza, A. M. Kijak, and J. A. Cox, ACobalt Hexacyanoferrate in PAMAM Doped Silica Matrix. 1. Solid State Electrochemistry and Thermochromism@, Electrochim. Acta, 51, 118-124 (2005).

8.  G. E. Pacey, S. D. Puckett, L. Cheng, S. Khatib-Shahidi, and J. A. Cox, ADetection of DNA Damaging Agents Using Layer-by-layer Assembly@, Analytica Chimica Acta, 533, 135-139 (2005).

9.  J. Widera, A. M. Kijak, D. V. Ca, G. E. Pacey, R. T. Taylor, H. Perfect, and J. A. Cox, AThe Influence of the Matrix Structure on the Oxidation of Aniline in a Silica Sol-Gel Composite@, Electrochim. Acta, 50, 1703-1709 (2005).

  This page was last modified on February 08, 2008.