Research

CLUSTERS: My main research interests have been in cluster structure and dynamics. Using methods of computer simulation such as molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo, I have investigated a wide variety of cluster phenomena including solvation dynamics and spectral signatures of solvation (SF₆Ar_n, aniline-Ar_n); melting of microclusters (Ar_n and (CO₂)_n); photodissociation dynamics and caging in both neutral and ionic clusters (e.g., Br₂Ar_n, Br₂^-(CO₂)_n); and evaporation processes in rare gas clusters. A detailed investigation into evaporation processes, comparing simulation results with various levels of rate theory led us to speculate that the melting transition in "magic" clusters could be pinpointed by experiments designed to measure the kinetic energy release in the evaporation process. Other recent work includes the structure of mixed rare gas clusters such as Xe_nAr_m--we have modelled the photoelectron spectra of these clusters measured by a group in Sweden.

Current work in this area involves the development of two-temperature models of nanoclusters of gold and other metals to explore the effect of the high thermal conductivity of gold on shape changes during and following cluster collisions as well as plasmon heating effects.

CATALYSIS and RENEWABLE ENERGY: I work with the Forest Bioproducts Research Institute (FBRI) to help develop metal oxide catalysts for hydrodeoxygenation. Using ab initio and density functional methods we are exploring the mechanism of oxygen removal from aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols using oxygen deficient metal oxide bronzes such as H_1.29WO_2.77 to act as Bronsted acids by providing H atoms to molecules that are adsorbed at oxygen vacancies.

I am currently working on the University of Maine's Chemistry Department's Inter-Chem-Net project which provides an infrastructure for making networked chemical instrumentation such as UV-vis and FT-IR spectrometers accessible to all the students in our general chemistry program. I am a founding member of the University of Maine's Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) and a member of the leadership team for Maine Physical Science Partnership, a $12.3M NSF-funded project to enhance the grades 6-9 physical and earth science curricula. Other projects include:

Selected Publications

Whispering Gallery Mode Emission Generated in Tunable Quantum Dot Doped Glycerol/Water and Ionic Liquid/Water Microdroplets Formed on a Superhydrophobic Coating, E. Nuhiji, F.G. Amar, H. Wang, N. Byrne, T-L Nguyen, and T. Lin, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1jm10531k.
Composition of Tungsten Oxide Bronzes Active for Hydrodeoxygenation, T.J. Thibodeau, A.S. Canney, W.J. DeSisto, M.C. Wheeler, F.G. Amar, B.G. Frederick, Appl. Catal. A: General (2010), 388, 86-95.
Mechanism of Hydrodeoxygenation of Acrolein on a Cluster Model of MoO₃, Daniel R. Moberg, Timothy J. Thibodeau, Francois G. Amar, and Brian G. Frederick, J. Phys. Chem. C 2010, 114, 13782-13795. ACS link to the cited article may be found here.]
Using the workshop model for modular, student-centered leader training, Amar, F., Stewart, B.N., Fortin, H., Bruce, M.R.M. (2009). Progressions: The Peer-Led Team Learning Project Newsletter, Volume 10, Number 3, Spring. Online at http://www.pltl.org
Challenges and Rewards of Offering Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL) in a Large General Chemistry Course, Barbara Stewart, Francois G. Amar, Mitchell R.M. Bruce, Australian Journal of Education in Chemistry 67, 31 (2007).
InterChemNet: An Integrated Instrumentation and Web-based Course Management System for the General Chemistry Laboratory, Barbara Stewart, Robert Kirk, David Labrecque, Francois G. Amar, Mitchell R. M. Bruce, J. Chem. Ed 83(3), 494 (2006).
Simulating the photolectron spectra of rare-gas clusters, Francois G. Amar, James Smaby, Thomas J. Preston, J. Chem. Phys. 122, 244717, (2005). [PDF version, Copyright (2005) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. AIP link to the cited article may be found here.]
Modular Leader Training: Materials Under Development, Mitchell R. M. Bruce, Francois G. Amar, Barbara Stewart, Progressions: The Workshop Project Newsletter, Vol. 5 (1), Fall, 2003.
Structural Motifs and Stability of Small Argon-Nitrogen Clusters, Jinasena W. Hewage and Francois G. Amar, J. Chem. Phys. 119(17), 9021 (2003).
The structure of mixed nitrogen-argon clusters: A comparison of simulation results with experimental electron diffraction patterns, Jinasena W. Hewage, Francois G. Amar, Marie-Francoise de Feraudy, and Gerard Torchet, European Physical Journal D 24, 249 (2003).
Surface heterogeneity and diffusion in the desorption of methanol from WO₃, S. Ma, F.G. Amar, and B.G. Frederick, J. Phys. Chem. A107, 1413 (2003).
On the use of evaporation dynamics to characterize phase transitions in van der Waals clusters: investigations in aniline(argon)_n up to n=15, P. Parneix, F.G. Amar, and Ph. Brechignac, Chem. Phys. 239, 121. 1998.
Structure, Dynamics, and Spectroscopy of Aniline-(Argon)_n Clusters. I. Experimental Spectra and Interpretation for n=1-6, S. Douin, P. Parneix and Ph. Brechignac and F.G. Amar, J. Phys. Chem. A 101, 122. 1997.
Isomer Specific Evaporation Rates: The Case of Aniline-Ar₂, P. Parneix, Ph. Brechignac, and F. G. Amar, J. Chem. Phys., 104, 983, 1996.
Infrared Spectroscopy of Solvated Molecules, F. G. Amar, L. Perera, S. Goyal, D. J. Levandier, and G. Scoles, in Clusters of Atoms and Molecules, H. Haberland, ed., Springer Series in Chemical Physics, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1994; Vol. 56, pp 19-43.
Evolution of the Spectroscopic Properties of Hg and Hg₂ Interacting with Molecular Clusters, C. Dedonder-Lardeux, S. Martrenchard-Barra, C. Jouvet, C., D. Solgadi, and F.G. Amar, Laser Chemistry 14, 61, 1994.
Absolute Classical Densities of States for Very Anharmonic Systems and Applications to the Evaporation of Rare Gas Clusters, S. Weerasinghe and F.G. Amar, F. G., J. Chem. Phys. 98, 4967, 1993.
Quantum Calculation of Vibrational States in the Aniline-Argon van der Waals Complex, P. Parneix, N. Halberstadt, Ph. Brechignac, F.G. Amar, A. van der Avoird, and J.W. van Bladel, J. Chem. Phys. 98, 2709, 1993.

Current Students

Collaborators