Analytical Chemistry/Physical Chemistry

Jonathan is interested in chemical reactions that occur on environmental surfaces (e.g., airborne aerosols, urban infrastructure, soil, and vegetation) and contribute to chemistry in the atmosphere. Highly sensitive spectroscopic and mass spectrometry techniques along with flow tubes and chambers are used to study these processes under atmospherically relevant conditions. This research is important for understanding issues related to air pollution, human health, and climate.

Raff, J. D. "Night-time sinks, daytime sources" Nature Geosci. 2015, 8, 5–6. [invited commentary] Donaldson, M. A., Bish, D. L., Raff, J. D. "Soil Surface Acidity Plays a Determining Role in the Atmospheric-Terrestrial Exchange of Nitrous Acid," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2014, 111, 18472–18477. Scharko, N. K., Berke, A. E., Raff, J. D. "Release of Nitrous Acid and Nitrogen Dioxide from Nitrate Photolysis in Acidic Aqueous Solutions," Environ. Sci. Technol. 2014, 48, 11991–12001. Donaldson, M. A., Berke, A. E., Raff, J. D. "Uptake of Gas Phase Nitrous Acid onto Boundary Layer Soil Surfaces," Environ. Sci. Technol. 2014, 48, 375–383. Kebede, M. A., Scharko, N. K., Appelt, L. E., Raff, J. D. "Formation of Nitrous Acid During Ammonia Photooxidation on TiO2 under Atmospherically Relevant Conditions," J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2013, 4, 2618–2623. Kebede, M. A., Varner, M. E., Scharko, N. K., Gerber, R. B., Raff, J. D. "Photooxidation of Ammonia on TiO2 as a Source of NO and NO2 under Atmospheric Conditions," J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 8606–8615. Moussa, S. G., Stern, A. C., Raff, J. D., Dilbeck, D. J., Tobias, D. J., Finlayson-Pitts, B. J. "Experimental and Theoretical Studies of the Interaction of Gas Phase Nitric Acid and Water with a Self-Assembled Monolayer," Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2013, 15, 448–458. [cover] Raff, J. D., Szanyi, J., Finlayson-Pitts, B. J. "Thermal and Photochemical Oxidation of Self-Assembled Monolayers on Alumina Particles Exposed to Nitrogen Dioxide," Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2011, 13, 604–611. Raff, J. D., Finlayson-Pitts, B. J. "Hydroxyl Radical Quantum Yields from Isopropyl Nitrite Photolysis in Air," Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 44, 8150–8155. Njegic, B., Raff, J. D., Gordon, M., Finlayson-Pitts, B. J., Gerber, R. B. "A Catalytic Role for Water in Atmospheric Production of ClNO" J. Phys. Chem. A 2010, 114, 4609–4618. Raff, J. D., Njegic, B., Chang, W., Dabdub, D., Gerber, R. B., Gordon, M., Finlayson-Pitts, B. J. "Chlorine Activation Indoors and Outdoors via Surface-Mediated Reactions of Nitrogen Oxides with Hydrogen Chloride," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2009, 106, 13647–13654. [cover] Kamboures, M. A., Raff, J. D., Miller, Y., Phillips, L. F., Finlayson-Pitts, B. J., Gerber, R. B. "Complexes of HNO3 and NO3ˉ with NO2 and N2O4, and Their Potential Role in Atmospheric HONO Formation," Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2008, 39, 6019–6032. Raff, J. D., Hites, R. A. "Atmospheric Chemistry of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Flame Retardants: The Importance of Photolysis as a Fate Process" Environ. Sci. Technol. 2007, 41, 6725–6731. Raff, J. D., Hites, R. A. "Gas-Phase Reactions of Brominated Diphenyl Ethers with OH Radicals" J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 10783–10792. Raff, J. D., Stevens, P. S.; Hites, R. A. "Relative Rate and Product Studies of the OH-Acetone Reaction" J. Phys. Chem. A 2005, 109, 4728–4735. Raff, J. D., Hites, R. A. "Transport of Sediment-Bound Toxaphene in the Mississippi River" Environ. Sci. Technol. 2004, 38, 2785–2791. Pappenfus, T. M., Raff, J. D., Hukkanen, E. J., Burney, J. R., Casado, J., Drew, S. M., Miller, L. L., Mann, K. R. "Dinitro and Quinodimethane Derivatives of Terthiophene That Can Be Both Oxidized and Reduced. Crystal Structures, Spectra, and a Method for Analyzing Quinoid Contributions to Structure" J. Org. Chem. 2002, 67, 6015–6024.

Pappenfus, T. M., Chesterfield, R. J., Frisbie, C. D., Mann, K. R., Casado, J., Raff, J. D., Miller, L. L. "A pi-Stacking Terthiophene-Based Quinodimethane Is an n-Channel Conductor in a Thin Film Transistor" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 4184–4185.