My scrapbook
Photos from Spain
RESUME OF RAYMOND BELANGER - Ph.D. CHEMISTRY updated: September 01/98 Objective: Position as a Ph.D. Chemist (done!) Highlights of Qualifications: -Great adaptability. -Excellent research and problem solving skills. -Strong practical experience in instrumental analysis and catalysis. -Very comfortable with French and English languages. Professional Experiences: Institut Français du Pétrole, Rueil-Malmaison, France 1998-1999 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Catalysis Research Research and optimisation on MAS-NMR. Investigation of the acidic nature and distribution in zeolite and alumina catalysts. Use of phosphorus containing probe molecules. Two different FT-NMR instruments (400 MHz and 300 MHz) were used equipped with MAS probeheads. Construction of a new vacuum ramp for multiple simultaneous sample preparation. Construction of a standard constant volume isotherm apparatus. Achievements : Better understanding of zeolite and alumina catalysts. Working knowledge of FT-NMR instruments. Optimisation of the molecular probe method. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada 1991-1997 PhD student in Physical-Chemistry, Catalysis Research on the removal of NOx and COx using metal-oxygen cluster compounds (MOCC). Experience on pulse and flow systems with full analysis of composition of the gas stream using gas chromatography, GCMS, Temperature-programmed reaction and standard chemical analysis. Characterisation of the catalysts using Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Solid State NMR spectroscopy, Thermogravimetry, Standard BET method for surface area determination, and Temperature-programmed desorption. Achievements: Removal of NOx with acids of MOCC. Reduction of NOx with salts of the acids of MOCC. Removal of CO2 and oxidation of CO with MOCC. UQTR, Trois-Rivières, Qc, Canada 1989-1991 Msc student in Biophysics, Photobiophysics Designed and constructed a portable instrument combining fluorescence and photoacoustic techniques for the analysis of the state of the photosynthesis of plants. Evaluated the instrument in the laboratory as well as on the field. Achievements: Reduced the size of the instrument to less than 10% of the separated bench instruments. Showed that the new instrument was far superior in sensitivity and ease of use. Made a correction to the photoacoustic theory using the portable instrument. Laboratoire de Police Scientifique, Montréal, Qc, Canada 1986 Technician in analytical chemistry, Fire and explosives laboratory Developed a new technique for the analysis of traces of chemicals such as gasoline in any samples taken from the site of a fire. Simple gas extraction using sorbent used in industrial hygiene was used to trap the vapours and then analysed gas chromatography after solvent extraction. Achievements: Reduced the time of analysis. Eliminated the destruction of the samples. Improved the sensitivity to ppm values. Education and Research Training: -Postdoctoral Fellow- Institut Français du Pétrole, 1998. -PhD in Physical-Chemistry- University of Waterloo, 1996. -Masters in Biophysics- Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 1991. -Bac. in Chemistry- Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 1989. -D.E.C. in Analytical Chemistry- CEGEP de Shawinigan, Qc, 1986. Publications: 14 written publications (1990-1997) 12 oral communications (1989-1998) References: John B. Moffat Roger M. Leblanc Serge Gautier et Sylvie Lacombe Department of Chemistry Department of Chemistry Institut Français du Pétrole University of Waterloo University of Miami 1 et 4, Ave de Bois Préau Waterloo, Ontario Coral Gables, FL 33124-0431 92852 Rueil-Malmaison N2L 3G1 CANADA USA FRANCE (519) 885-1211 ext. 2502 Local: 01 47 52 60 00 International: +33 1 47 52 60 00
CURRICULUM VITAE OF RAYMOND BELANGER updated: Sept 01/98 I. Personal Data: -Name: Raymond Bélanger. -Permanent address: Available by e-mail only. -Temporary address: Available by e-mail only. -Address at work: Available by e-mail only. -E-mail: raymond_belanger@yahoo.com -Date of birth: June 9th 1965 -Place of birth: Montréal, CANADA -Citizenship: Canadian -Spoken and written languages: French, English -Family status: Married (and happy!) II. Education and Formation: 1997-1999 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Supervisors: Serge Gautier and Sylvie Lacombe, Institut Français du Pétrole, 1 et 4, avenue de Bois Préau, 92852 Rueil-Malmaison Cedex - FRANCE. Acidity Study of Zeolite and Alumina Catalysts Using Solid- State NMR of Phosphorus Containing Molecular Probe. 1991-1996 PhD in Physical-Chemistry, Director: John B. Moffat, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1 CANADA. Removal of NOx and COx from Gaseous Streams With Metal-Oxygen Cluster Compounds. 1989-1991 Master in Biophysics, Director: Roger M. Leblanc, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G9A 5H7 CANADA. Conception and Evaluation of a Portable Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Photometer. 1986-1989 Bachelor in Chemistry, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G9A 5H7 CANADA. 1982-1986 Technical in Analytical Chemistry (D.E.C.), CEGEP de Shawinigan, Shawinigan, Québec, CANADA. Project: Police Scientifique, Laboratoire des incendies et explosifs, Centre de détention Partenais, Montréal, Québec, CANADA. III. Publications in Refereed Journals: 14. R. Bélanger and J.B. Moffat, Adsorption and Reduction of CO2 on 12-Tungstophosphoric and 12-Molybdophosphoric Acids in the Absence of Added Reductants; (accepted for publication). 13. R. Bélanger and J.B. Moffat, The Sorption and Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides by 12-Tungstophosphoric Acid and its Ammonium Salt.; Catalysis Today (accepted November 1997). 12. R. Bélanger and J.B. Moffat, A Self-Contained Catalyst for the Reduction of NO2; Applied Catalysis B. Environmental 317, 1 (1997). 11. J.B. Moffat and R. Bélanger, The Sorption and Reaction of NO and NO2 on Metal-Oxygen-Cluster Compounds (Heteropoly Oxometalates); Chemistry and Energy (C.A.C. Sequeira, Ed.), pg. 63, Transtec, Zurich, 1996. 10. Raymond Bélanger and John B. Moffat, The Interaction of Nitrogen Oxides with Metal-Oxygen Cluster Compounds (Heteropoly Oxometalates); Invited Paper for J. Mol. Catal. 114, 319 (1996). 9. Raymond Bélanger and John B. Moffat, The Sorption and Reduction of NO2 on Microporous Ammonium 12-Tungstophosphate; Langmuir 12, 2230 (1996). 8. Raymond Bélanger and John B. Moffat, A Comparative Study of NOx on Metal-Oxygen Cluster Compounds; J. Catal. 152, 179-188, (1995). 7. Raymond Bélanger and John B. Moffat, Removal of NO2 From Gaseous Streams by Sorption and Conversion on 12-Tungstophosphoric Acid; Environm. Sci. and Tech. 29, 1681-1685, (1995). 6. Raymond Bélanger and John B. Moffat, Conversion of NO and NO2 on 12 Tungstophosphoric Acid; Cat. Letters 32, 371-378, (1995). 5. Raymond Bélanger, André Pâquette, Christophe N.N'soukpoé-Kossi and Roger M. Leblanc, New Portable Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Photometer for Field Measurement of Photosynthesis; Rev. Sci. Instrum., 64(5), May 1993, pp. 1175-1181. 4. Christophe N.N'soukpoé-Kossi, K. Veeranjaneyulu, D. Charlebois, L. Dziri, R. Bélanger and R.M. Leblanc, Application de la Spectrosopie Photoacoustique et de Fluorescence au Domaine Forestier; Colloque: La recherche sur le dépérissement. Un premier pas vers le monitoring des forêts, 23-26 mars 1992, Hôtel des Gouverneurs, Sainte-Fôy, Québec, Canada, Conseil de la recherche forestière du Québec. 3. R. Bélanger, A. Pâquette, C.N.N'soukpoé-Kossi and R.M. Leblanc, A New Portable Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Photometer for Field Measurement of Photosynthesis, Eighth annual eastern regional photosynthesis; Conference, Swope Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA, April 12-14, 1991, p.14. 2. C.N. N'soukpoé-Kossi, H. Proteau, R. Bélanger, S. Keilani, Charlebois and R.M. Leblanc, Impact of Air Pollutants and Acid Rain on Corn and Sugar Maple Seedling Assessed by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy; Springler Series in Optical Science, Vol. 62, Photoacoustic and Phototermal Phenomena II, Ed. J.C. Murphy; J.W. Macachlan-Spicer; L. Aamodt; B.S.H. Royce, Springler-Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg 1990, pp. 451-453. 1. C.N. N'soukpoé-Kossi, R. Bélanger, S. Keilani, H. Proteau, P. Boivin and R.M. Leblanc, Short-Term Acid Damage to Photosynthesis in Corn and Sugar Maple Leaves Assessed by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy; Can. J. Bot., 68, 2292-2300, 1990. IV. Communications Presented at Conferences and Seminars: 12. R. Bélanger, M. Parent, and J.B. Moffat The Proton in Heteropoly Oxometalates, A Catalytic Chameleon; 15th Canadian Symposium in Catalysis, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, May 17-20th, 1998. 11. J.B. Moffat, R. Bélanger, Application of Heteropoly Oxometalates for the Removal and Conversion of Environmentally Disadvantageous Gases; Fifth Chemical Congress of North America, Cancun, Mexico, November 11-15th, 1997. 10. J.B. Moffat, R. Bélanger, The Removal and Conversion of Environmentally Disadvantageous Vapours by Application of Metal-Oxygen Cluster Compounds (Heteropoly Oxometalates); Chemistry, Energy and the Environment, Estoril, Portugal, May 25-28th, 1997. 9. J.B. Moffat, R. Bélanger, The Removal and Conversion of Environmentally Disadvantageous Vapours by Application of Metal-Oxygen Cluster Compounds (Heteropoly Oxometalates); 15th North American Catalysis Society Meeting, Chicago, May 18-22nd, 1997. 8. Raymond Bélanger and John B. Moffat, Sorption and Reduction of NOx on Ammonium 12-Tungstophosphate; Whistler, B.-C., May 26-29th, 1996. 7. Moffat and R. Bélanger, A Novel Method for the Removal of NOx from Gaseous Effluents; Environment and Energy Conference, Toronto, Ontario, October 31 - November 2nd, 1995. 6. Bélanger and J.B. Moffat, The Adsorption and Reaction of Nitrogen Oxides on Metal-Oxygen Cluster Compounds (Heteropoly Oxometalates); 4th International Conference on Advanced Materials, Cancun, Mexico, August 27- September 1st, 1995. 5. Raymond Bélanger and John B. Moffat, Comparative Study of NOx on Metal-Oxygen Cluster Compounds; Snowbird, Utha, June 10-15th, 1995. 4. R. Bélanger and J.B. Moffat, The adsorption and reaction of nitrogen oxides on metal-oxygen cluster compounds (heteropolyoxometalates); Second European East West Workshop on Chemistry and Energy, Sintra, Portugal, March 12-15th, 1995. 3. Christophe N.N'soukpoé-Kossi, K. Veeranjaneyulu, D. Charlebois, L. Dziri, R. Bélanger and R.M. Leblanc, Application de la Spectrosopie Photoacoustique et de Fluorescence au Domaine Forestier; Colloque: La recherche sur le dépérissement. Un premier pas vers le monitoring des forêts, Conseil de la recherche forestière du Québec, Hôtel des Gouverneurs, Sainte-Fôy, Québec, Canada, 23-26 mars, 1992. 2. R. Bélanger, A. Pâquette, C.N. N'soukpoé-Kossi and R.M. Leblanc, A New Portable Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Photometer for Field Measurement of Photosynthesis; Eighth annual eastern regional photosynthesis conference, Swope Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA, April 13th, 1991. 1. N'soukpoé-Kossi, H. Proteau, R. Bélanger, S. Keilani, D. Charlebois and R.M. Leblanc, Impact of Air Pollutants and Acid Rain on Corn and Sugar Maple Seedlings Assessed by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy; 6th International Topical Meeting on Photoacoustic Spectroscopy and Photothermal Phenomena, Baltimore, MD, USA, July 31-August 3rd, 1989. V. Other Information: 1. Academic Appointments: University of Waterloo (Teaching Assistantships); 1991-1996 Physical Chemistry Laboratories (Teaching Assistantship Award 1996). 1991-1993 Organic Chemistry Laboratories. 1991-1995 Surface Chemistry. 1991-1993 Kinetics. Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Teaching Assistantships); 1989-1991 Instrumental Chemistry Laboratories. 2. Other: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières; Responsable de la sécurité des laboratoires et des produits dangereux.
ABSTRACT of Ph.D. THESIS of Raymond Bélanger Intitled SORPTION AND REACTION OF OXIDES OF NITROGEN AND CARBON ON HETEROPOLY OXOMETALATES Nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide can be removed from a gas stream by heteropoly oxometalates having the Keggin structure (KU). NO2 can be sorbed (physisorbed and/or chemisorbed) into the bulk structure of 12-tungstophosphoric acid (HPW), 12-tungstosilicic acid (HSiW), and 12-molybdophosphoric acid (HPMo), however with the latter, small quantities were sorbed. A portion of the gas phase NO2 reacts with the water on and in the solid acids to produce nitric acid which desorbs into the gas phase. Infrared, Raman, and NMR spectroscopies indicate that the remainder of the NO2 remains bound in the solid acids through association with the protons contained within to form a nitronium salt. NO cannot be directly sorbed by the acids, but can be sorbed if the catalysts were first exposed to NO2. No reduction of NO nor NO2 to N2 is observed with the heteropoly acids. With ammonium 12-tungstophosphate and ammonium 12-molybdophosphate, N2 and small quantities on NO are found to be the principal products in the effluent of the reactor held at temperatures below 200°C, from the surface (and bulk) reaction of nitrogen dioxide contained in the gas stream and ammonia from the catalyst. At temperatures higher than 200°C, nitrous oxide is produced, as well as N2. Nitric oxide can be reduced, to a certain extent, to N2. However, the NO conversion is significantly increased when NO2 or HNO3 are injected first on the ammonium catalysts. The spent ammonium 12-tungstophosphate sorbs quantities of NO2, while ammonium 12-molybdophosphate does not. Both catalysts are regenerated through injection of gaseous ammonia. With silica supported 12-tungstophosphoric acid, as with the bulk acid, quantities of NO2 are sorbed. Although the surface area is increased, the number of NO2 per anion decreases from the bulk stoichiometry of 3 NO2/KU to smaller values for lower loadings. As with its bulk acid, silica supported 12-molybdophosphoric acid sorbs vanishingly small quantities of NO2. Little or no NO is sorbed or reduced by the supported acids. As with the bulk ammonium salts, the injection of nitrogen dioxide on silica supported heteropoly acids, pre-exposed to gaseous ammonia, produces mainly nitrogen. The conversion of NO2 to nitrogen reaches a maximum with approximately 20% loading. Results on the conversion of N2O to N2 by silica supported 12-molybdophosphoric acid, pre-exposed to gaseous ammonia, are also reported. Since little or no NO or NO2 are sorbed or reduced by the Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs salts of HPW, protons evidently participate, directly or indirectly on the sorption and reaction of NO and NO2 by the heteropoly oxometalates. Sorption and reaction of oxides of carbon (COx) by heteropoly oxometalates are also reported. The results show that both bulk and supported acids can sorb quantities of CO2. Moreover, the heteropoly acids (supported or not) are capable of oxidising CO to CO2 under net reducing conditions.
ABSTRACT of POST-DOC FELLOWSHIP of Raymond Bélanger Intitled ACIDITY STUDY OF ZEOLITE AND ALUMINA CATALYSTS USING SOLID-STATE NMR OF PHOSPHORUS CONTAINING MOLECULAR PROBE. Zeolites are silicoaluminate catalysts with tetrahedra such as SiO4 and AlO4- in their unit cells. The structure is microporous with pore diameters of approximately 8 A. The negative charges are balanced with protons giving rise to Bronsted acidity. Some of the aluminum atoms possess a Lewis acidity. Thus, inside different zeolites (and alumina) samples there are distributed acid sites some different in nature, in strength and number. A probe molecule, with a basic character, is used to study the acidity of zeolite and alumina samples. This molecular probe contains a single phosphorus in its structure. This is particularly suitable for 31P magic-angle spinning (MAS-NMR) studies. This isotope is naturally present in 100% abundance, it has a nuclear spin of *, and its chemical shift range is very large. Thus, it is expected that the probe molecule (the chemical environment of 31P) will be qualitatively and quantitatively sensitive to the type of acid site to which the molecular probe will associate with. The method used with alumina will be adapted and optimised for zeolite catalysts. Once the development of the method finished, a more complete qualitative and quantitative study of the acid sites will be achieved; i.e. number, strength, and distribution of acid sites on those selected samples.
