AUB - Department of Chemistry

Dr. Houssam El-Rassy

Assistant Professor
Inorganic Chemistry

B.S., Lebanese University (1999); M.S., University Claude Bernard Lyon I (2000); Ph.D., University Claude Bernard Lyon I (2003); Postdoctoral Fellow, Universit� Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI, 2003-2004); Lecturer, Lebanese University (2004-2005); Assistant Professor, Coll�ge de France (2004-2005).

Office: Chemistry 520
Phone: 4051
E-mail: he13@aub.edu.lb

Research

My research interests are focused on the synthesis and characterization of metal oxides obtained via the sol-gel process and dried according to the supercritical drying technique leading to highly porous aerogels. These solid materials are obtained via hydrolysis and polycondensation of several precursors including organically functionalized precursors. The surface modification of these solids influences their hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature and therefore enlarges their range of application. Another category of these materials are hybrids obtained by cross-linking the inorganic network with various organic gels obtained by photo- or thermo-polymerization of several polymers and copolymers.
We develop techniques for the synthesis of sol-gel materials and their use in a wide range of applications, i.e. catalysis, biosensing, medicine, water purification and environment protection.
Several topics are currently under investigation:
� Synthesis of hybrid silica-polymer aerogels and xerogels: The obtained composites are used as entrapment media for biomolecules (biocatalysis use) and in water decontamination.
� Preparation of clusters doped-silica sol-gel materials and their use in oxidation catalysis.
� Development of clusters doped-silica/titania photocatalysts for environmental purposes.
� Application of titania aerogels in water purification.
� Synthesis and characterization of novel bimetallic aerogels and trimetallic oxide aerogels and their application in catalysis.

Selected Publications

Layla Badr, Houssam El-Rassy, Samia El-Joubeily, Rabih Sultan. Morphology of a 2D Mg²⁺/NH₄OH Liesegang pattern in zero, positive and negative radial electric field.Chemical Physics Letters, 2010, Accepted Manuscript, in press, doi:10.1016/j.cplett.2010.04.010.
Hiba Ramadan, Aline Ghanem, Houssam El-Rassy. Mercury removal from aqueous solutions using silica, polyacrylamide and hybrid silica-polyacrylamide aerogels. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2010, 159, 107-115.
Mazen Al-Ghoul, Houssam El-Rassy, Thibaud Coradin, Tharwat Mokalled. Reaction-Diffusion Based Co-synthesis of Stable α- and β-Cobalt Hydroxide in Bio-Organic Gels. Journal of Crystal Growth, 2010, 312, 856-862.
Joelle Akl, Tarek Ghaddar, Aline Ghanem, Houssam El-Rassy. Cobalt Ferrite Aerogels by Epoxide Sol-Gel Addition: Efficient Catalysts for the Hydrolysis of 4-Nitrophenyl Phosphate. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 2009, 312, 18-22.
Lara Abramian, Houssam El-Rassy. Adsorption Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Azo-Dye Orange II onto Highly Porous Titania Aerogel. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2009, 150, 403-410.