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Chemistry Department
Whitehead headshot

Christopher Whitehead

Assistant Professor of Chemistry
ISEC 261
(518) 388-8762
whitehec@union.edu
Whitehead Research Group
Chemistry

Areas of expertise

Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Nanotechnology, Organometallics

Research interests

Research in the Whitehead Group aims to combat heavy metal pollution in fresh water systems. We are developing a class of inexpensive nanomaterials that are capable of detecting and removing heavy metal pollutants from our waterways. We use a subset of nanomaterials called Quantum Dots (QDs), which have been used in light emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells, and medicine. QDs are a fascinating class of materials because we can tune the size, shape, and thus activity of the final product. In our group, we are using QDs as sensors to detect the presence of heavy metals.

All projects in the Whitehead Group will involve varying degrees of synthesis, characterization, and application. We use the hot-injection technique and synthesize QDs using earth-abundant and environmentally-friendly elements. Potential characterization techniques include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Current projects are focused on the development of selected QD systems and their sensitivities to heavy metals.

Teaching interests

CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry I

CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry I Lab

CHM 224 Frontier in Nanotechnology

CHM 260 Inorganic Chemistry

CHM 260 Inorganic Chemistry Lab

Publications

  1. Long, D.; Bangerth, W.; Handwerk, D. R.; Whitehead, C. B.; Shipman, P. D.; Finke, R. G. Estimating Reaction Parameters in Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Models of Nanoparticle Size Distributions: A Bayesian Inverse Problem Approach. J. Comp. Chem. 2022, 43, 43-56. DOI: 10.1002/jcc.2670
  2. Whitehead, C. B.; Finke, R. G. Particle Formation Mechanisms Supported By In Situ Synchrotron XAFS and SAXS Studies: A Review of Metal, Metal-Oxide, Semiconductor and Selected Other Nanoparticle Formation Reactions. Mater. Adv. 2021, 2, 6532-6568. DOI: 10.1039/D1MA00222H
  3. Whitehead, C. B.; Handwerk, D. R.; Shipman, P. D; Li, Y.; Frenkel, A. I.; Ingham, B.; Kirby, N. M.; Finke, R. G. Nanoparticle Formation Kinetics, Mechanisms, and Accurate Rate Constants: Examination of a Second-Generation Ir(0)n Particle Formation System by Five Monitoring Methods Plus Initial Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling. J. Phys. Chem. C 2021, 125, 13449-13476. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c03475
  4. Whitehead, C. B.; Özkar, S.; Finke, R. G. LaMer’s 1950 Model of Particle Formation: A Review and Critical Analysis of Its Classical Nucleation and Fluctuation Theory Basis, of Competing Models and Mechanisms for Phase-Changes and Particle Formation, and then of Its Application to Silver Halide, Semiconductor, Metal, and Metal-Oxide Nanoparticles. Mater. Adv. 2021, 2, 186-235. DOI: 10.1039/D0MA00439A (Selected for the 2021 Popular Advances Collection)
  5. Whitehead, C. B.; Watzky, M. A.; Finke, R. G. “Burst Nucleation” vs Autocatalytic, “Burst” Growth in Near-Monodisperse Particle-Formation Reaction. J. Phys. Chem. C 2020, 124, 24543-24554. DOI: 10.1021/cas.jpcc.0c06875
  6. Finke, R. G.; Watzky, M. A.; Whitehead, C. B. Response to “Particle Size Is a Primary Determinant for Sigmoidal Kinetics of Nanoparticle Formation: A “Disproof” of the Finke–Watzky (F-W) Nanoparticle Nucleation and Growth Mechanism”. Chem. Mater. 2020, 32, 3657-3672. DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.0c00780
  7. Handwerk, D. R.; Shipman, P. D.; Whitehead, C. B.; Özkar, S.; Finke, R. G. Particle Size Distributions via Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling. J. Phys. Chem. C 2020, 124, 4852-4880. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b11239
  8. Handwerk, D. R.; Shipman, P. D.; Whitehead, C. B.; Özkar, S.; Finke, R. G. Mechanism-Enabled Population Balance Modeling of Particle Formation en Route to Particle Average Size and Size Distribution Understand and Control. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 15827-15839. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b06364
  9. Whitehead, C. B.; Özkar, S.; Finke, R. G. LaMer’s 1950 Model for Particle Formation of Instantaneous Nucleation and Diffusion-Controlled Growth: A Historical Look at the Model’s Origins, Assumptions, Equations, and Underlying Sulfur Sol Formation Kinetics Data. Chem. Mater. 2019, 31, 7116-7132. DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b01273
  10. Whitehead, C. B.; Finke, R. G. Nucleation Kinetics and Molecular Mechanism in Transition-Metal Nanoparticle Formation: The Intriguing, Informative Case of a Bimetallic Precursor, {[(1,5-COD)IrI•HPO4]2}2-. Chem. Mater. 2019, 31, 2848-2862. DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.8b05335

Additional media

Areas of interest

Swimming, running, cooking, piano, board games, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.

Academic credentials

B.A., Willamette University; Ph.D., Colorado State University; Postdoc, University of Basel
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Integrated Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC)

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Fax: (518) 388-6789