Sophia N. Suarez
Assistant Professor
Physics
Location: 2157e Ingersoll Hall
Phone: 718.951.5000 x2869
Fax: 718.951.4407
Email:
Lab: 245-247 Ingersoll Hall Extension
http://userhome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/ssuarez/
Sophia Suarez's research program focuses on the use of both High-Pressure Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and AC Impedance Spectroscopies (IS) to study the ion and mass transport properties of electrolyte materials used in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells and supercapacitors. Mass and charge transports are important because of their direct influence on the efficiency of electrochemical devices.
Education:
Ph.D., Graduate School & University Center (CUNY) - 2004 (Physics, Condensed Matter )
B.A. / M.A., Hunter College - 1998 (Physics)
Areas of Expertise:
Suarez's main research goal is to be an authority in the study of proton transport mechanisms in electrolyte materials for energy storage/conversion devices. Gaining a better understanding of the ion and molecular transport properties in materials can impart knowledge of the basic characteristics of the material and its possible application.
Doctoral Rotation Projects:
Current studies include measuring the short and long range mass and charge transport in: ionic liquids, proton exchange membranes, and electrolyte solutions. These have possible application in supercapacitors, fuel cells and nuclear waste recycling.
Books and Publications
Mukhlall, J., S. Lall-Ramnarine, J. Wishart, R. Engel, A. Romeo, M. Gohdo, S. Ramati, M. Berman and S. Suarez. "Cyclic Phosphonium Ionic Liquids." Manuscript being prepared for submission to the Royal Society of Chemistry. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2013
Suarez, Sophia, Meriam Sahin, Yara Adam, Lucy Mousignac, Ian Nieves and Phill Stalworth. "1H NMR Studies of the Transport of Vanadium (IV and V) in Aqueous H2SO4 Solutions and in Nafion 117 Membrane." Manuscript being prepared for submission to peer-reviewed journal. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2013
Suarez, Sophia, Yara Adam, Meriam Sahin, Gabriel Gonega, Jeremy A. Brooksbank and Thomas A. Zawodzinski Jr. "1H NMR T1 Study of the Effect of Preparation Method on the Performance of Membrane Electrode Assemblies for PEMFC Applications." Manuscript being prepared for submission to peer-reviewed journal. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2013
Suarez, S., N.K.A.C. Kodiweera, P. Stallworth, S.G. Greenbaum and B.C. Benicewicz. "Multinuclear NMR Study of the Effect of Acid Concentration on Ion Transport in Phosphoric Acid Doped Polybenzimidazole Membranes." Journal of Physical Chemistry B 116: 12545-51. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2012
Yuan, T., H. Zhang, Zhiqing Zou, S. Khatun, D. Akin, Yara Adam, Y. Adam and S. Suarez. "A Study of the Effect of Heat-treatment on the Morphology of Nafion Ionomer Dispersion and 117 Membrane for Use in the Passive DMFC." Membranes Journal 2: 841-54. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2012
Suarez, S. and S. Greenbaum. "Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells." The Chemical Record 10: 377. DOI 10.1002/tcr.201000010. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2010
Suarez, S., S. Greenbaum, J. Fontanella and T. Zawodzinski. "A Fundamental Study of the Transport Properties of Aqueous Superacid Solutions." Journal of Physical Chemistry B 114: 8941. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2010
Petrowsky, M., R. Frech, S. Suarez, J.R.P. Jayakody and S. Greenbaum. "Investigation of Fundamental Transport Properties and Thermodynamics in Diglyme-Salt Solutions." Journal of Physical Chemistry B 110: 23012. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2006
Vittadello, M., P.E. Stallworth, F.M. Alamgir, S. Suarez, S. Abbrent, C.M. Drain, V. Di Noto and S.G. Greenbaum. "Polymeric - MgCl2 Nanoribbons." Inorganica Chimica Acta 359.8: 2513. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2006
Suarez, S., S. Abbrent, S.G. Greenbaum, T. Caruso, J.H. Shin and S. Passerini. "A Multinuclear NMR Study of Ion Transport in P(EO)nLiBETI Complexes." Solid State Ionics 176: 1113. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2005
Vittadello, M., S. Suarez, K. Fujimoto, V. Di Noto, S.G. Greenbaum and T. Furukawa. "A Lithium Z-IOPE Based on PEG600, (CH3)2SnCl2 and Li3Fe(CN)6." Journal of the Electrochemical Society 152: A956. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2005
Di Noto, V., M. Vittadello, S.G. Greenbaum, S. Suarez, K. Kano and T. Furukawa. "A New Class of Lithium Hybrid Gel Electrolytes (HGE) Systems." Journal of Physical Chemistry B 108.49: 18832. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2004
Golodnitsky, D., E. Livshits, R. Kovarsky, E. Peled, S.H. Chung, S. Suarez and S.G. Greenbaum. "New Generation of Ordered Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Batteries." Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters 7: A412. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2004
Sanders, E.H., K.A. McGrady, G.E. Wnek, C.A. Edmondson, J.M. Mueller, M.C. Wintersgill, J.J. Fontanella, S. Suarez and S.G. Greenbaum. "Characterization of Electrosprayed Nafion Films." Journal of Power Sources 129: 55. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2004
Suarez, S., S. Abbrent, S.G. Greenbaum, J.H. Shin and S. Passerini. "Effects on Nanosized SiO2 on the Transport Properties of Solventless P(EO)20LiBETI Polymer Electrolytes: A Solid State NMR Study." Solid State Ionics 166: 407. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2004
Suarez, S., S.G. Greenbaum and S.H. Chung. "A 1H NMR Pulse Gradient Spin-Echo (PGSE) Study of the Mass Transport of Dimethyl Oxalate and Ethylene Glycol: New Fuels for the DOFC." Electrochimica Acta 48: 2187. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2003
Vitadello, M., S. Suarez, S.H. Chung, K. Fujimoto, V. Di Noto, S.G. Greenbaum and T. Furukawa. "The First Lithium Zeolitic Inorganic-Organic Polymer Electrolyte Based on PEG 600, Li2PdCl4 and Li3Fe(CN)6: Part II, Ion Conduction Mechanism, Thermal Stability and Morphology." Electrochimica Acta 48: 2227. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2003
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
Multi-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of the Effect of Vanadium Oxidation States on Proton Transport in Nafion Membranes for Use in Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries." $3,500, July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014. (Grants and Fellowships) 2013
CUNY Collaborative Grant, for "High Pressure NMR Characterization of Binary Ionic Liquids Performance and Degradation for Optimization and Use in Supercapacitors." $30,000. (Grants and Fellowships) 2011
CUNY Energy Institute grant, for "High Pressure NMR of Gas Hydrates." $35,000. (Grants and Fellowships) 2011
Recipient of the 2011 Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Career Enhancement Award. This fellowship carries a one-year $30,000 stipend, which can be used to pay for an adjunct, thereby relieving the recipient of his/her teaching activities and allowing him/her to focus on the research/scholarly portion of his/her profession during its duration. Only 20 such awards are given out each year. (Awards and Honors) 2011
PSC-CUNY grant, for "Determination of the Dynamic State and Binding of Water Absorbed in Hydrogels Used in Biomedical Applications Using Multi-nuclear High-pressure Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Techniques." $3,300. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
PSC-CUNY grant, for " High Pressure Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Polyisoprene/poly(vinyl)Ethylene Polymer Blends." $3,168. (Grants and Fellowships) 2009
Research Activities
Currently there are two graduate, four undergraduates and four high school students working in the lab. Current projects include: (1) determining the effect of vanadium oxidation states on proton exchange membrane's ion conduction properties; (2) characterization of membrane electrode assemblies using NMR and IS techniques; and (3) developing and characterizing hydrogels for DMFC applications. 2013
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
Panel presenter, CUNY Conference on Faculty Diversity and Inclusion. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
Other Professional Activities
Brooklyn College Grants 101 Science Writing Workshop. October. 2009
