Hartwig Peemoeller

Professor

Office: PHY 366
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 32633
Email: peemoell@uwaterloo.ca

Research interests

• Molecular biophysics
• Chemical physics
• Nuclear magnetic resonance.

Teaching activities

Current teaching assignments

• Physics 745: Selected Topics in Experimental Physics (NMR module)
• Physics 773: Special Topics (Intermolecular forces. Emphasis on hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions at interfaces.)

Research activities

Research outline

The molecular dynamics, intermolecular interactions and structure of disordered condensed matter are studied. Two main types of materials studied are binary systems (in particular biopolymer - small molecule systems) and disordered solids. In order to develop accurate models for molecular dynamics in these complicated systems model systems are being exploited. Presently mesoporous MCM-41 is being used for this purpose. This research is providing new information about the molecular interactions and coordination of water on surfaces and in confined geometries. Applications are in biophysics (water behaviour on biopolymer surfaces, degradation of articular cartilage tissue, and characterization of neoplastic tissue), wood physics (behaviour of water in wood to understand the role played by water in controlling the physical properties of wood), cement physics/chemistry (to improve our understanding of physical and chemical aspects of cement hydration/hardening), MCM-41/palladium physics/chemistry (to understand catalytic details for water purification applications).

The main physical technique used in this research is Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). New approaches for extracting information from the heterogeneous system NMR response are developed. For example, a new two dimensional NMR time evolution correlation spectroscopy (2D Time Domain NMR) coupled with special modeling techniques is proving to be a powerful approach for unraveling the heterogeneous system dynamics. These approaches are complimented by XRD and SEM as well as Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics simulation methods.

Graduate student openings

1. MSc or PhD: Research program aimed at improving our understanding of the behaviour of water (molecular dynamics, molecular coordination, phases, phase transitions, ....) on surfaces in confined geometries. A model system, such as MCM-41 for example, in conjunction with various NMR relaxation and spectral approaches will be used. Within the framework of a PhD program it is anticipated that the student will also perform MD (molecular dynamics) simulations, to be correlated with NMR results, in this connection.
2. MSc or PhD: Development of visualization/data fusion technology, and its application, using NMR and MRI techniques, to the study of a material of practical importance [e.g., cartilage tissue (to improve early osteoarthritis detection), wood (to improve wood drying methods), tissue (to characterize neoplastic state). The level of involvement, by the student, in the NMR/MRI (experimental and theoretical) and in the theoretical data fusion aspects will depend on the background and expertise of the student involved. This project would involve joint supervision (H. Peemoeller as supervisor, E. Vrscay from Applied Mathematics as co-supervisor).
3. MSc or PhD: Development of ground water remediation methodologies utilizing the catalytic activity of certain metals (e.g., palladium) within porous media (e.g., MCM-41). This research program will look at both the physics and chemistry of the remediation methods and will involve joint supervision (H. Peemoeller as supervisor, E. Reardon from Earth Sciences as co-supervisor).
4. MSc or PhD: NMR and MRI study of the physics of water in wood (H. Peemoeller as supervisor, I.D. Hartley (University of Northern British Columbia, British Columbia) as co-supervisor).

Laboratory

The NMR facilities consist of a 30 MHz relaxation spectrometer, a 200 MHz Tecmag spectrometer and a 500 MHz Bruker spectrometer/microimager (shown in photo).

Selected publications

• S.J. Jaffer, C. Lemaire, C.M. Hansson and H. Peemoeller. MRI: A Complementary Tool for Imaging Cement Pastes. Cem. Conc. Res., in press.
• R. Holly, E.J. Reardon, C.M. Hansson and H. Peemoeller. Proton Spin-Spin Relaxation Study of the Effect of Temperature on White Cement Hydration. J. Am. Ceramic. Soc., in press.
• J.F. Kakule, A.R. Sharp, L.J. Schreiner, R.T. Thompson, T. Kupka, R. Holly and H. Peemoeller. Cross-Relaxation Bottleneck in Water-Lysozyme Proton Magnetization Exchange. Biopolymers, 83, 11-19 (2006).
• R. Holly, A. Damyanovich and H. Peemoeller. NMR High-Resolution Magic Angle Spinning Rotor Design for Quantification of Metabolic Concentrations. Rev. Sci. Inst., 77, 054301-1-4 (2006).
• R. Holly, M. Zhang, E. Reardon, C.M. Hansson and H. Peemoeller. Magnetic Resonance in situ Study of Tricalcium Aluminate Hydration in the Presence of Gypsum. J. Am. Cer. Soc., 89, 1022-1027 (2006).
• M. Hyjek, H. Peemoeller, J. Szymonska and B. Blicharska. Investigation of Starch Hydration by 2D Time Domain NMR. Acta Physica Polonica A, 109, 359-364 (2005).
• W.E. Troyer, R. Holly, H. Peemoeller and M.M. Pintar. Spin-Spin Relaxation Study of Hydration of a Model Nanopore. Solid State Nucl. Magn. Reson., 28, 238-243 (2005).
• P.-J. Lattanzio, K.W. Marshall, A. Damyanovich and H. Peemoeller. Characterization of Proteoglycan Depletion in Articular Cartilage using 2D Time Domain NMR. Magn. Reson. Med., 54, 1397-1402 (2005).