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Gar Hoflund
Professor
Ph.D., 1978, University of California-Berkeley (1977)
Heterogeneous catalysis
Si and III-V semiconductor characterization
Tribological material studies
Nanotechnology
Development of Novel Space Materials
CO2 to O2
for Mars Mission
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Brief Description of Current Research
The general focus of our research is on chemical reactions at solid
surfaces. This is a broad area relating to heterogeneous catalysis,
electrochemistry, growth and characterization of semiconductor materials,
erosion of polymeric coatings of satellites by atomic oxygen, and tribological
behavior, among others.
 Our
work involves the development and advancement of ultrahigh vacuum surface
characterization techniques. This approach provides us with the power to examine
the composition, chemical states of the species present, and electronic
structure of the near-surface region of a solid. They also allow us to examine
the detailed chemistry that occurs at these surfaces.
We are currently developing novel heterogeneous catalysts based on
nanotechnology for various reactions including low-temperature CO oxidation,
methane oxidation, ethylene epoxidation, and higher-alcohol synthesis. These
new catalysts perform much better than conventional materials with regard to
activity, decay and selectivity. Our studies involve both reactor studies and
characterization studies to gain fundamental information about the surface
chemistry which occurs during the catalytic process.
Major Equipment
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Three ultrahigh vacuum characterization systems
containing XPS, AES, LEED, ELS, ISS, TPD, SIMS, ESD sensors, an FTIR system,
and a fully instrumented catalytic reactor.
Selected Publications
- "Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy Study of Nickel, Chromium and a
Nickel-Chromium Alloy”, Helena A.E. Hagelin, Jason F. Weaver, Gar B. Hoflund
and Ghaleb N. Salaita, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Vol. 389, 34
(2005).
- “Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopic Investigation of Polycrystalline Au,
Pd and a Pd-Au Alloy”, Jason F. Weaver, Helena A.E. Hagelin, Gar B. Hoflund
and Ghaleb N. Salaita, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Vol. 393, 93
(2005).
- "Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopic Investigation of Ni Metal and NiO
before and after Surface Reduction by Ar+ Bombardment”,
Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, Helena A.E.
Hagelin-Weaver, Jason F. Weaver, Gar B. Hoflund and Ghaleb N. Salaita, Vol.
134, 139 (2004).
- "Erosion Study of Poly (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) (Tefzel) by
Hyperthermal Atomic Oxygen”, Macromolecules, Michael L. Everett and
Gar B. Hoflund, Vol. 37, 6013 (2004).
- “Chemical Alternation of Poly (tetrafluoroethylene) (Teflon) Induced by
Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation”, Michael L. Everett and Gar B. Hoflund,
Journal of Polymer Science, Vol. 43, 552 (2004).
- "Chemical Alteration of Poly (tetrafluoroethylene) (Teflon) Induced by
Exposure to Hyperthermal Atomic Oxygen”, Gar B. Hoflund and Michael L.
Everett, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol. 108, 15721 (2004).
- "ELS and XPS Study of Pd/PdO Methane Oxidation Catalysts”, Applied
Surface Science, Gar B. Hoflund, Helena A.E. Hagelin, Jason F. Weaver
and Ghaleb N. Salaita, Vol. 205, 102 (2003).
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