Discovering oxygen evolution catalysts via high-throughput experimentation

Dr. Nwabara is a research scientist at UL Research Institutes in the Materials Discovery Research Institute

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uzomanwabara/

Dr. Nwabara’s lecture is part of the 2025 St. Elmo Brady Lecture Series. Additional information can be found under the ‘St. Elmo Brady Lecture Series’ tab or by clicking this link.

Seminar Abstract:

Climate change demands solutions to decrease CO2 emissions now. Producing green hydrogen through water electrolysis is one of many promising pathways, but catalyst costs mainly hamper the scaling up of this technology. Thus, cost-effective catalyst discovery — at an accelerated pace — would greatly boost the feasibility of green hydrogen production. At MDRI, we are incorporating various high-throughput instruments, such as a spark ablation nanoprinting, to design, characterize, and test nanoparticle catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction, a half reaction in water electrolysis. With 22 different metals to choose from and over 10 tunable printing parameters, nanoprinting allows for a myriad of potential single metal and alloy catalyst samples. Automated characterization provides composition, crystallography, and thickness while a scanning droplet cell evaluates multiple samples in series. These samples ultimately help build unique datasets for validating density functional theory models and for training machine learning models for better guided material design.

– Dr. Uzoma Nwabara, November 2025

Biography: Upon completing her Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Dr. Nwabara pursued her Ph.D. in Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With Prof. Paul Kenis as an advisor, her research focused on designing selective catalysts for and improving the durability of electrochemical CO2 reduction conducted in flow cells. After finishing her PhD in 2021, Dr. Nwabara joined Twelve, a start-up in Berkeley focusing on scaling up CO2 electroreduction, developing characterization methods and setups before moving to MDRI at UL Research Institutes as a in January 2024. She now researches and conducts high throughput experiments for accelerated discovery of water splitting catalysts.

Register for the symposium here!

Mechanism of reaction and process optimization of a nitrile derived dialkylamine

Segun Victor Obisesan, PhD is currently an Research, Development, & Innovation Chemist at Evonik Corporation.

Dr. Obisesan’s lecture will be part of the 2025 St. Elmo Brady Symposium. Additional symposium information can be found under the ‘2025 St. Elmo Brady Symposium’ tab or by clicking this link.

Seminar Abstract:

Amines are versatile building block used in both the pharmaceutical and chemical industry to make therapeutic agents and industrial grade chemicals. The one pot synthesis of secondary amines starting from a nitrile in high yields and purity greater than 80% has however been particularly difficult because of the formation of primary and tertiary amine contaminants which usually appear as byproducts during the reaction. To counter this challenge myself and colleagues have developed a new process route that can be used for the one pot synthesis of a dialkylamine in purity in excess of 85%. From our studies we found out that type of catalyst used and the solid support, the amount of catalyst, the temperature and the pressure of the reaction had a significant impact on the yield and purity of this product.

Biography: Segun Obisesan was Born in Lagos Nigeria and spent most of his childhood in Ibadan Nigeria; in 2017 He graduated top of his class with a First Class Degree in Chemistry from the Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko Nigeria. He was selected for the highly selective United States Department of State Opportunity Funds Program in 2018 and enrolled at the Chemistry Ph. D program at Auburn University in August of 2019 working under Professor Christian Goldsmith on molecular dioxygen reduction electrocatalysis using first row transition metal complexes. Segun was a 2023 Corteva Agrisciences Chemistry Scholar, a recipient of the 2023 Dow Fellowship and a 2023 Harvard University Chemistry Future Leader. He graduated with a Ph. D in chemistry in May of 2024 and is currently a process development scientist at Evonik Corporation. Segun is passionate about inclusion, equity and diversity and was the President of the Auburn University NOBBCCHE chapter from May 2023 to April 2024. He is currently a member of the Evonik’s BUILD Employee Resource Group where he actively participates in professional development activities and recruitment visits.

Designing Organic Redox-Flow Batteries for Grid-Scale Energy Storage and CO2 Capture

David Kwabi, PhD is currently an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan

Dr. Kwabi’s lecture will be part of the 2024 St. Elmo Brady Symposium. Additional symposium information can be found under the ‘2024 St. Elmo Brady Symposium’ tab or by clicking this link.

Seminar Abstract:

Avoiding the most severe consequences of climate change will require drastic reductions in net anthropogenic CO2 emissions. These reductions can be achieved by increasing the pace at which carbon-free/renewable power is adopted to replace fossil fuel-based power, capturing and permanently sequestering CO2 away from the atmosphere, or both. Certain technological developments are required for either strategy to be widely deployed. Because renewable (e.g. solar and wind) power is intermittently available, cost-effective storage technologies are critically needed so that it can be extensively deployed on the grid. CO2 capture technology must likewise be cheap and energy-efficient while enabling high rates of CO2 uptake from point and distributed sources. Electrochemical devices are promising candidates for both tasks, as they can store electrical energy in the form of batteries and enable selective separation processes – in the latter case, without the Carnot efficiency limit that conventional thermal separation methods face. In this talk, I will discuss our group’s recent progress in using numerical modeling and statistical inference techniques to understand the performance of organic redox-flow batteries for grid-scale energy storage. I will also discuss how these techniques can be extended to understanding the fundamental and practical performance limits of a new electrochemical CO2 capture scheme driven by reversible pH swings created by proton-coupled electron transfer in aqueous electrolytes.

Biography: David Kwabi is an assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, respectively, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. His group designs and studies electrochemical devices for applications in energy storage and environmental remediation, with a special emphasis on resource recovery and climate change mitigation.

Ionic Liquids, GUMBOS, and NanoGUMBOS: A Materials Approach to Analytical Chemistry

Isiah M. Warner, PhD is currently a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati; as well as Boyd Professor Emeritus of Louisiana State University

Seminar Abstract:

In recent years, much of my research has focused in the general area of analytical applications of ionic liquids where ionic liquids are defined as organic salts whose melting points are below 100 °C. The unique and tunable properties of ionic liquids have garnered much attention, primarily because of their low melting points, ease of syntheses, and unique solvation properties. However, ionic liquids whose melting points are above room temperature are solid phase materials and are often described as frozen ionic liquids. My research over the past few years has involved the application of ionic liquids in both the liquid and solid phase. In regard to solid phase ionic liquids, my research has demonstrated the unique properties of solid phase organic salts with the unique tunability of ionic liquids. In describing these materials, we have coined the acronym, GUMBOS, i.e. a group of uniform materials based on organic salts. We have also designated such materials as having the expanded melting point range of 25 °C to 250 °C. Since these materials have similar tunability to ionic liquids, they can best be described as designer solid phase materials. In this talk, I will describe my recent studies using ionic liquids and GUMBOS. The unique properties and applications of nanomaterials derived from GUMBOS, i.e. nanoGUMBOS, will also be highlighted. We note that in combining the distinct tunability of ionic liquids with the well-documented applications of nanoparticles, we have engineered a new class of nanomaterials with wide general applicability. Several applications of traditional ionic liquids, GUMBOS, and nanoGUMBOS will be highlighted with applications in the areas of medicine, sensors, and material science.

– Dr. Isiah Warner, November 2023

Biography: Now an Emeritus Professor of Louisiana State University, Dr. Warner has decades of experience in material, analytical, and environmental chemistry. His expertise lies in the area of fluorescence spectroscopy, where his research has focused for nearly 44 years. Recently he has made waves in conceptualizing and implementing a group of uniform materials based on organic salts (GUMBOS) as novel materials, and by using ionic liquids in separation sciences. Professor Warner has conducted extensive educational research that focuses on mechanisms for maintaining and enhancing student education in STEM, with a particular emphasis on encouraging under-represented students (women and minorities) to pursue STEM terminal degrees.

We will celebrate our graduates and all students who supported our events with an end-of-year celebration on May 1 at 5pm in Davenport Hall 279. We will have switch games, pizza, cake, coffee and drinks, and play trivia led by our undergraduate liaisons! 

All graduating members should scan the code or visit tinyurl.com/nobcchegrads to receive special recognition during the event!

Thank you to all who attended our Earth Day event and learned about green chemistry, environmental racism, and terrarium making!

Our Undergraduate Liaisons Matthew and Aidan will hold a study night for CHEM 102/202 students after the break, on Nov 28th at 6pm in the chemistry majors’ room in the basement of Noyes, room 19

Our annual Friendsgiving Potluck with SACNAS will be at the Native American House on Nov 16th starting at 6:30pm. Please let us know if you will attend AND what food, drink, or utensil item you will bring using the link below!

RSVP at tinyurl.com/nobcchexsacnas

Are you interested in graduate school and wondering how to craft a competitive application? NOBCChE will be hosting a Grad School Application Workshop on October 17^th at 5pm.

Patricia Simpson, Director of Academic Advising and Career Services in SCS, will speak about different types of graduate programs in SCS and beyond.

Grad students from NOBCChE, NSBE, SACNAS, and WCC will be there to read through and give feedback on any drafts of personal statements, CVs, and any other documents that you may have prepared!

Dinner will be provided, so please RSVP! The link to RSVP is here: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/92564640

Stop by CLSL B124 on Tuesday Sept 5 at 6pm for pizza and board games with NOBCChE. The food and games are free and open to everyone!!

MONTHLY COFFEE this Wednesday @ Caffe Bene Urbana. See you there!!

Join us for an ice cream/frozen yogurt social hosted by our Undergraduate Liasons!

Friday, July 21st @ Cocomero!! (Corner of Wright & Green) All are welcome to attend.

We will be in attendance at the 2023 National NOBCChE Conference! You can find us presenting our research; and recruiting at the Career & Academic Fair.

Research Talk: Novel chemotypes of kinase inhibitors for the potential treatment of recurrent cancers

Biography:

Herman O. Sintim obtained his BS from University College London (Medicinal Chemistry). He did his DPhil in organic chemistry (total synthesis of zaragozic acids) at University of Oxford under Prof. David Hodgson. He held postdoctoral positions at Oxford and Stanford Universities (with Profs Tim Donohoe (total synthesis of lactacystin) and Eric Kool (Chemical Biology; DNA polymerases) respectively) before joining the University of Maryland at College Park (UMD) in 2006 as an Assistant Professor. In 2012, Herman received tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor. In 2015, Herman was promoted to the rank of Professor at UMD. In October 2015, Herman was awarded an endowed professorship in drug discovery at Purdue University and moved his group to Purdue. In 2017, Herman co-founded KinaRx LLC. From 2020 to 2022, Herman served as Program Director at the NSF (Chemistry). In 2022, Herman became the Richard B. Wetherill Professor of Chemistry and Drug Discovery.

Abstract of Research:

Therapeutic resistance remains a critical issue in cancer treatment. While cancer patients who harbor dysregulated protein kinases benefit from the use of kinase inhibitors (KIs), many fail therapy and almost all patients become resistant to treatment, indicating a critical unmet need to prevent treatment failure.

Thus far (as of May 2022), the FDA has approved 71 protein kinase inhibitors and several others are also in various stages of clinical trials. Although many compounds that inhibit protein kinases have been described in the literature, only a small region of the chemical space has been explored for protein kinase inhibition and the majority of FDA approved kinase inhibitors contain only a handful of core moieties, such as indazole, quinoline, isoquinoline, quinazoline, pyrazole and pyrimidine. To belabor this point, about ~20% of FDA-approved protein kinases contain the pyrimidine moiety while six drugs contain quinazoline and eight drugs contain pyrazole. In other words, about 50% of approved protein kinase inhibitors contain one of pyrimidine, pyrazole or quinazoline, highlighting the lack of progress in using other regions of the chemical space to drug protein kinases. The Sintim group, integrating computational and experimental workflows, has identified a few novel chemotypes that inhibit disease-associated protein kinases (such as FLT3, RET, CDKs, Haspin) with sub-nanomolar IC₅₀ values. Some of these new KI are long residence time (hours) inhibitors and have shown impressive efficacies in animal models of various cancers. Two of such compounds are currently undergoing toxicology studies to determine safe dosing regimens for the potential treatment of drug-resistant FLT3 (F691L and D835V/Y)-driven AML and RET (solvent front mutations)-driven lung cancers.