2001 - 2003 Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemistry and
Princeton Materials Institute, Princeton University
Advisor: Prof. Robert J. Cava
1998 - 2001 Ph.D., chemistry, Pennsylvania State University (NSF Graduate Fellow)
Advisor: Prof. Thomas E. Mallouk
1994 - 1998 B.S., chemistry (honors, ACS certified), Lebanon Valley College
Research advisors: Profs. Donald B. Dahlberg and Richard D. Cornelius
2004 - present Member, Materials Science and Engineering Faculty, Texas A&M University
2003 - present Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University
DuPont Young Professor Grant, 2006 - 2009
Beckman Young Investigator Award, 2006 - 2009
NSF CAREER Award, 2006 - 2011
American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund Type G New Faculty Award, 2004 - 2006
National School on X-ray and Neutron Scattering, Argonne National Laboratories, 2001
Materials Research Society Graduate Student Award (Silver), 2000
Dan Waugh Memorial Teaching Award (Honorable Mention), Pennsylvania State University , 2000
Graduate Student Research Award, Pennsylvania State University , 2000, 2001
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, 1999-2001
Department of Defense Graduate Fellowship Competition (Honorable Mention), 1999
University Graduate Fellowship, Pennsylvania State University, 1998-1999
Roberts Fellowship, Pennsylvania State University, 1998-2000
Andrew Bender Memorial Chemistry Award, Lebanon Valley College , 1998
Departmental Honors (Chemistry), Lebanon Valley College , 1998
Phi Alpha Epsilon Honors Society, Lebanon Valley College , 1998
Freshman/Sophomore/Physical Chemistry Awards in Chemistry, Lebanon Valley College , 1995, 1996, 1997
Member, American Chemical Society (Inorganic division, Solid-State & Nanoscience subdivisions)
Peer Reviewer, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Chemistry of Materials, Inorganic Chemistry, Langmuir, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Advanced Functional Materials, Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Chemical Communications, Journal of Materials Chemistry, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Chemical Physics Letters, Materials Research Bulletin, Journal of Nanoparticle Research, Nanotechnology
Proposal Reviewer, ACS – PRF and NSF (CHE/IBO, CHE/ASC, DMR/SSC, DMR/MET)
Invited participant, NSF Workshop on Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience (2004)
Invited participant, NSF Workshop on Inorganic Chemistry (2005)
Invited participant, NSF panel on The Status of Solid State Chemistry and its Impact in the Physical Sciences - Synthesis and New Materials (2006)
Symposium Organizer (Inorganic Synthetic Strategies in Nanoscience), 2006 Spring ACS meeting ( Atlanta )
Symposium Organizer (Presidential Event; Poster Session - SWNTs from Synthesis to Applications, From the Lab to the Fab: In Memory of Dr. Richard Smalley), 2006 Fall ACS meeting ( San Francisco )
Symposium Organizer ( Solid State Chemistry ), 2006 Midwest ACS Regional Meeting ( Quincy , IL )
Symposium Organizer (Nanoscale Inorganic Catalysis), 2007 Spring ACS meeting ( Chicago )
Solid-state chemistry; new low-temperature synthetic routes to solid-state materials; solid-state reactivity, reactions, and reaction pathways; intermetallic and alloy nanomaterials; nanoparticle self-assembly; metastable materials; multifunctional composites; nanostructured catalysts; low-temperature routes to nano-structured non-oxide ceramics; non-lithographic patterning; synthesis and structures of complex materials.
Submitted Manuscripts and Manuscripts in Preparation
48. Y. Vasquez, J.C. Bauer, A.E. Henkes, and R.E. Schaak, “Conversion Chemistry: A Unified and Materials-General Strategy for the Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Solids,” manuscript in preparation for J. Solid State Chem. (invited review article).
47. R.E. Cable and R.E. Schaak, “Chemical Design Strategies for the Synthesis of Multi-Metal Nanocrystalline Solids,” invited review article for Accounts of Chemical Research.
46. Z. Schaefer and R.E. Schaak, “Direct Solution Synthesis of Crystalline Ni3B Nanoparticles,” manuscript in preparation.
45. B.M. Leonard, T.-H. Phan, and R.E. Schaak, “Toward Orthogonal Reactivity of Metal Nanocrystals: Selective One-Pot Synthesis of Multiple Intermetallic Compounds using Chemical Conversion Reactions,” manuscript in preparation
44. N. Henderson and R.E. Schaak, “Solution-Mediated Synthesis of Polycrystalline Intermetallic Compounds using Bulk Metal Powders as Precursors,” manuscript in preparation for Chem. Mater.
43. N.H. Chou and R.E. Schaak, “A Library of Single Crystal Metal-Tin Nanorods: Using Diffusion as a Tool for Rationally Controlling the Morphology of Intermetallic Nanocrystals,” manuscript in preparation.
42. Q. Liu, J.C. Bauer, R.E. Schaak, and J.H. Lunsford, “Direct Synthesis of H2O2 from H2 and O2 over PdPt/SiO2 Bimetallic Catalyst in a H2SO4/Ethanol System,” submitted for publication.
Publications from Texas A&M and Penn State (since June 2003)
41. J.C. Bauer, X. Chen, Q. Liu, T.-H. Phan, and R.E. Schaak, “Converting Nanocrystalline Metals into Alloys and Intermetallic Compounds for Applications in Catalysis,” J. Mater. Chem. 2008, in press.
40. A.E. Henkes and R.E. Schaak, “Template Assisted Synthesis of Shape-Controlled Rh2P Nanocrystals,” Inorg. Chem. 2008, in press.
39. F.A. Dawood, B.M. Leonard, and R.E. Schaak, “Oxidative Transformation of Intermetallic Nanoparticles: An Alternative Pathway to Metal/Oxide Nanocomposites, Textured Ceramics, and Multi-Metal Oxides,” Chem. Mater. 2007, 19, 4545-4550.
38. R.E. Cable and R.E. Schaak, “Solution Synthesis of Nanocrystalline M-Zn (M = Pd, Au, Cu) Intermetallic Compounds via Chemical Conversion of Metal Nanoparticle Precursors,” Chem. Mater. 2007, 19, 4098-4104.
37. A.E. Henkes and R.E. Schaak, “Trioctylphosphine: A General Phosphorus Source for the Low-Temperature Conversion of Metals into Transition Metal Phosphides,” Chem. Mater. 2007, 19, 4234-4242.
36. N.H. Chou and R.E. Schaak, “Shape-Controlled Conversion of b-Sn Nanocrystals into Intermetallic M-Sn (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Pd) Nanocrystals,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 7339-7345.
35. N. Henderson, J. Baek, P.S. Halasyamani, and R.E. Schaak, “Ambient Pressure Synthesis of SHG-Active Eu2Ti2O7 with a [110] Layered Perovskite Structure: Suppressing Pyrochlore Formation by Oxidation of Perovskite-Type EuTiO3,” Chem. Mater. 2007, 19, 1883-1885.
34. A.E. Henkes, Y. Vasquez, and R.E. Schaak, “Converting Metals into Phosphides: A General Strategy for the Synthesis of Metal Phosphide Nanocrystals,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 1896-1897.
33. R.E. Schaak, “Structure and Chemistry of Crystalline Solids. By Bodie E. Douglas and Shih-Ming Ho (University of Pittsburgh). Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.: New York. 2006. x + 346 pp. $129.00. ISBN: 0-387-26147-8,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 451-452. [Invited book review]
32. R.E. Cable and R.E. Schaak, “Reacting the Unreactive: A Toolbox of Low-Temperature Solution-Mediated Reactions for the Facile Interconversion of Nanocrystalline Intermetallic Compounds,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 9588-9589.
[Featured in Nature (July 27, 2006, “Research Highlights”)]
31. B.M. Leonard and R.E. Schaak, “Multi-Step Solution-Mediated Formation of Nanocrystalline AuCuSn2: Mechanistic Insights for the Guided Design of Intermetallic Solid State Materials and Complex Multi-Metal Nanocrystals,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 11475-11482.
30. A.K. Sra, T.D. Ewers, Q. Xu, H. Zandbergen, and R.E. Schaak, “One-Pot Synthesis of Bi-Disperse FePt Nanoparticles and Spontaneous Assembly into Two-Dimensional AB2, AB5, and AB13 Superlattices,” Chem. Commun. 2006, 750-752.
29. C.-C. Chen, Y. Bisrat, Z. Luo, R.E. Schaak, C.-G. Chao, and D.C. Lagoudas, “Fabrication of Single Crystal Tin Nanowires by Hydraulic Pressure Injection,” Nanotechnology 2006, 17, 367-374.
28. A.E. Henkes, J.C. Bauer, R.D. Johnson, A.K. Sra, R.E. Cable, and R.E. Schaak, “Low-Temperature Nanoparticle-Directed Solid State Synthesis of Ternary and Quaternary Transition Metal Oxides,” Chem. Mater. 2006, 18, 567-571.
27. R.E. Cable and R.E. Schaak, “Low-Temperature Solution Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Binary Intermetallic Compounds using the Polyol Process,” Chem. Mater. 2005, 17, 6835-6841.
26. Y. Vasquez, A.K. Sra, and R.E. Schaak, “One-Pot Synthesis of Hollow Superparamagnetic CoPt Nanospheres,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 12504-12505.
25. B.M. Leonard, N.S.P. Bhuvanesh, and R.E. Schaak, “Low-Temperature Polyol Synthesis of AuCuSn2 and AuNiSn2: Using Solution Chemistry to Access Ternary Intermetallic Compounds as Nanocrystals,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 7326-7327.
[Featured in Chemical & Engineering News (May 16, 2005) and Gold Bulletin (Vol. 38, #3, 2005)]
24. R.E. Schaak, A.K. Sra, B.M. Leonard, R.E. Cable, J.C. Bauer, Y.-F. Han, J. Means, W. Teizer, Y. Vasquez, E.S. Funck, “Metallurgy in a Beaker: Nanoparticle Toolkit for the Rapid Low-Temperature Solution Synthesis of Functional Multimetallic Solid State Materials,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 3506-3515.
[Featured in Chemical & Engineering News (May 16, 2005) and NanoTech Alert – Technical Insights (Frost & Sullivan, Feb 25, 2005)
23. T.D. Ewers, A.K. Sra, B.C. Norris, R.E. Cable, C.-H. Cheng, D.F. Shantz, and R.E. Schaak, “Spontaneous Hierarchical Assembly of Rhodium Nanoparticles into Spherical Aggregates and Superlattices,” Chem. Mater. 2005, 17, 514-520.
22. A.K. Sra, T.D. Ewers, and R.E. Schaak, “Direct Solution Synthesis of Intermetallic AuCu and AuCu3 Nanocrystals and Nanowire Networks,” Chem. Mater. 2005, 17, 758-766.
21. A.K. Sra and R.E. Schaak, “Synthesis of Atomically Ordered AuCu and AuCu3 Nanocrystals from Bimetallic Nanoparticle Precursors,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 6667-6672.
20. N.M. Abrams and R.E. Schaak, “Self-Assembled Colloidal Crystals: Visualizing Atomic Crystal Chemistry using Microscopic Analogues of Inorganic Solids,” J. Chem. Educ., 2005, 82, 450-452.
19. R.E. Schaak, R.E. Cable, B.M. Leonard, and B.C. Norris, “Colloidal Crystal Microarrays and Two-Dimensional Superstructures: A Versatile Approach for Patterned Surface Assembly,” Langmuir 2004, 20, 7293-7297.
18. R.J. Cavazos and R.E. Schaak, “Synthesis of the New Layered Oxides NaRbLnMO5 (Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd; M = Nb, Ta)”, Mater. Res. Bull. 2004, 39, 1209-1214.
Publications – Graduate and Postdoctoral Work
17. R.E. Schaak and R.J. Cava, “Boron Substitution in Ternary Metal Phosphide Superconductors,” Mater. Res. Bull. 2004, 39, 1231-1235.
16. J.W. Lynn, Q. Huang, C.M. Brown, V.L. Miller, M.L. Foo, R.E. Schaak, C.Y. Jones, E.A. Mackey, and R.J. Cava, “Structure and Dynamics of Superconducting NaxCoO2 Hydrate and Its Unhydrated Analog,” Phys. Rev. B., 2003, 68, 214516.
15. B.G. Ueland, P. Schiffer, R.E. Schaak, M.L. Foo, V.L. Miller, and R.J. Cava, “Specific Heat Study of the Na0.3CoO2·1.3H2O Superconductor: Influence of the Complex Chemistry,” Physica C, 2004, 402, 27-30.
14. R.E. Schaak, T. Klimczuk, M.L. Foo, and R.J. Cava, “Superconductivity Phase Diagram of NaxCoO2·1.3H2O,” Nature, 2003, 424, 527-529.
13. M.L. Foo, R.E. Schaak, V.L. Miller, T. Klimczuk, N.S. Rogado, Y. Wang, G.C. Lau, C. Craley, H.W. Zandbergen, N.P. Ong, and R.J. Cava, “Chemical Instability of the Cobalt Oxyhydrate Superconductor Under Ambient Conditions,” Solid State Commun., 2003, 127, 33-37.
12. R.E. Schaak, M. Avdeev, W.-L. Lee, G. Lawes, H.W. Zandbergen, J.D. Jorgensen, N.P. Ong, A.P. Ramirez, and R.J. Cava, “Formation of Transition Metal Boride and Carbide Perovskites Related to Superconducting MgCNi3,” J. Solid State Chem., 2004, 177, 1244-1251.
11. R.E. Schaak and T.E. Mallouk, “Exfoliation of Layered Rutile and Perovskite Tungstates,” J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 2002, 706-707.
10. R.E. Schaak, D. Afzal, J.A. Schottenfeld, and T.E. Mallouk, “Na2Ln2Ti3-xMnxO10 (Ln = Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy; 0 £ x £ 1): A New Series of Ion-Exchangeable Layered Perovskites Containing B-Site Manganese,” Chem. Mater., 2002, 14, 442-448.
9. R.E. Schaak and T.E. Mallouk, “Perovskites by Design: A Toolbox of Solid-State Reactions,” Chem. Mater., 2002, 14, 1455-1471. [Review article; featured on the cover, April 2002]
8. R.E. Schaak and T.E. Mallouk, “KLnTiO4 (Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy): A New Series of Ruddlesden-Popper Phases Synthesized by Ion Exchange of HLnTiO4,” J. Solid State Chem., 2001, 161, 225-232.
7. R.E. Schaak, E.N. Guidry, and T.E. Mallouk, “Converting a Layer Perovskite into a Non-Defective Higher-Order Homologue: Topochemical Synthesis of Eu2CaTi2O7,” J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 2001, 853-854.
6. R.E. Schaak and T.E. Mallouk, “Prying Apart Ruddlesden-Popper Phases: Exfoliation into Sheets and Nanotubes for Assembly of Perovskite Thin Films,” Chem. Mater., 2000, 12, 3427-3434.
5. R.E. Schaak and T.E. Mallouk, “Self-Assembly of Tiled Perovskite Monolayer and Multilayer Thin Films,” Chem. Mater., 2000, 12, 2513-2516.
4. R.E. Schaak and T.E. Mallouk, “Synthesis, Proton Exchange, and Topochemical Dehydration of New Ruddlesden-Popper Tantalates and Titanotantalates,” J. Solid State Chem., 2000, 155, 46-54.
3. G.L. Egan, J.-S. Yu, C.H. Kim, S.J. Lee, R.E. Schaak, and T.E. Mallouk, “Nanoscale Metal Replicas of Colloidal Crystals,” Adv. Mater., 2000, 12, 1040-1042.
2. R.E. Schaak and T.E. Mallouk, “Topochemical Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Perovskites from Lamellar Precursors,” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2000, 122, 2798-2803.
1. R.E. Schaak, D.B. Dahlberg, and K.B. Miller, “The Electronic Nose: Studies on the Fundamental Response and Discriminative Power of Metal-Oxide Sensors,” Electronic Noses and Sensor Array Based Systems, Design and Applications, Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium of Olfaction and Electronic Nose, Ed. W. Jeffrey Hurst, 1999, Technomic Pub. Co., Inc.