Lanthanide metals are found in many common place materials such as hybrid car batteries, magnets, bioprobes, optical materials and smart phones. Actinide metals, especially uranium, represent an alternative source of energy as a component in nuclear fuel. The need to recycle these metals from current materials and spent nuclear fuel, as well as develop more efficient ways to isolate them from raw sources, remains a pressing problem.

The Biros Lab aims to address the separation, isolation and purification of both lanthanide and actinide metals through the use of multidentate organic ligands. We use organic synthesis to prepare these ligands, then characterize the resultant metal ligand complexes with NMR, IR, MS, luminescence and X-Ray crystallography. We also carry out analytical studies to determine the ability of these compounds to extract one lanthanide or actinide metal out of aqueous solution and into an organic solvent.

https://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/facilities/crystallography/index.htmlStudents in the Biros Lab will have the opportunity to learn techniques in organic synthesis and inorganic coordination chemistry. Students will also learn carry out analysis using multinuclear NMR, IR, MS, luminescence, X-ray crystallography and separation experiments.

Collaborators

Dr. John Bender (GVSU)

Dr. Eric Werner (UTampa)

Dr.  Richard Staples Center for Crystallographic Research, MSU

The TIM Consortium: A Dispersed REU site in Theoretically Interesting Molecules

Publications 

List of publications on Google Scholar