Toward the Development of Aluminum Cluster-Containing Materials for Propulsion Applications; Final rept. 2004-2007

摘要

The objective of his AFOSR research program was to work toward developing aluminum cluster-containing materials for propulsion applications. His efforts focused on four distinct approaches: (1) studying covalent aluminum- containing molecules/clusters, especially novel aluminum hydride clusters/molecules, (2) investigating the reactivity of aluminum cluster anions, (3) exploring the possible synthesis of derivatives of aluminum hydride clusters/molecules, and (4) investigating the prospects of making ionic 'molecules' composed of cations and aluminum containing cluster anions. The experimental methods included the use of unique sources, mass spectrometry, anion photoelectron spectroscopy, ion cyclotron resonance spectrometry, and bench-top synthesis. He was able to discover whole new categories of previously unknown aluminum hydrides, to show that the reactivity of aluminum cluster anions were governed by spin conservation rules, to synthesize small quantities of aluminum hydride derivatives, and to generate and characterize beams of several novel ionic 'molecules'.