Dr Roger M. Nix

BA PhD (Cantab) CChem MRSC

School of Biological & Chemical Sciences
Queen Mary, University of London
Joseph Priestley Building G.04
Mile End Road,  London  E1 4NS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7882 3273
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7882 7427

email: R.M.Nix@qmul.ac.uk

Academic Positions

Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry, School of Biological & Chemical Sciences
Director of Taught Programmes (SBCS).

Websites for QMUL Taught Courses (Restricted Access)

• Essential Skills for Chemists
• Foundations of Practical Chemistry
• Fundamentals of Spectroscopy
• Fundamentals of Physical & Inorganic Chemistry
• Molecules from First Principles
• Molecules & Ions at Interfaces

Open-Access Teaching Notes / Software

The links below provide access to a range of teaching material that may be of general use and is available for download by staff and students of other institutions (please note the associated conditions of use):

• Quantitative Methods in Chemistry : a course manual covering aspects of mathematics required for the study of chemistry at degree level (aimed at students who have a limited background in Mathematics - i.e. UK GCSE-level or equivalent).
• An Introduction to Molecular Orbital Theory : an introduction to the molecular orbital theory approach to bonding in molecules. The material includes consideration of the concepts and the approximations required in solving the Schrodinger equation for molecular systems, as well as a range of simple MO calculations.
• An Introduction to Surface Chemistry : a comprehensive set of web-based tutorials appropriate for advanced undergraduate and M.Sc. courses in surface science/surface chemistry.

Research Interests

Surface Chemistry : fundamental investigation of the surface chemistry associated with catalytic reactions on metals and oxides, with emphasis on the elucidation of the kinetics and mechanisms of the key surface processes, and the influence of surface structure on such reactions. Applications of surface sensitive techniques (such as XPS, FT-RAIRS and molecular beam scattering) to study of adsorption and reactions of molecules on various well-defined surfaces (single crystal and epitaxial film surfaces). Investigation of the growth of well-defined films of semiconducting and insulating materials (especially oxides) by both physical evaporation techniques (MBE) and by reactive growth from volatile molecular precursors (MOCVD).

Computational Chemistry : applications of ab-initio calculations for the study of the molecular structure and as a tool in the analysis of spectral data.

Web Services & Software for Research

The following services are maintained at Queen Mary :

• Surface Science Links : an extensive directory of links to other research groups in the field of surface science, relevant software, discussion groups and useful surface science web servers.
• An Introduction to Surface Chemistry : a comprehensive set of web-based tutorials appropriate for advanced undergraduate and M.Sc. courses in surface science/surface chemistry.

The following software is available for download:

• eXPFit : a peak-fitting template for use with Microsoft Excel (for the analysis of XPS and other spectral data).

Selected Research Publications

• Adsorption of Hydrogen and Disilane on Si(100) and Si-Ge surfaces.
  Y.M. Wu and R.M. Nix.
  Surf. Sci. , 1994, 306 , 59-68.
• Hydrogen Cyanide Synthesis on Polycrystalline Platinum and 90:10 Platinum-Rhodium Surfaces.
  A. Bockholt, I.S. Harding and R M Nix.
  JCS - Faraday Transactions , 1997, 93 , 3869-3878.
• Molecular Adsorption Characteristics of Lanthanum Oxide Surfaces: the Interaction of Water with Oxide Overlayers grown on Cu(111).
  A.M. De Asha, J.T.S. Critchley and R.M.Nix.
  Surf. Sci. , 1998, 405 , 201-214.
• Interaction of Methanol with Well-Defined Ceria Surfaces: Reflection/Absorption Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and Temperature-Programmed Desorption Study.
  A. Siokou and R.M.Nix.
  J. Phys. Chem. B , 1999, 103 , 6984-6997.
• A Novel Approach to the Epitaxial Growth of CeO2 Films on Si(111).
  J. Zarraga-Colina, R.M. Nix and H. Weiss.
  Surf. Sci. , 2004, 563 , L251-255.
• Model NSR Catalysts: Fabrication and Reactivity of Barium Oxide Layers on Cu(111).
  A. Tsami, F. Grillo, M. Bowker and R.M. Nix
  Surf. Sci.. 2006, 600, 3403-3418.
• Fabrication of Model Pt-Ceria Catalysts and an Analysis of their Performance for CO Oxidation.
  J. Zarraga-Colina and R.M. Nix
  Surf. Sci.. 2006, 600, 3058-3071.

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