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Joseph Obirai, Ph.D. |
Education
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Current Areas of Research
The ability to sense gas is a subject of great concern to environmental monitoring groups, space missions, agricultural and medical personnel. My research is directed toward understanding the relationships between the nano structures and molecular interactions and the macroscopic properties for systems of chemical and environmental interest. This knowledge is of fundamental importance for the materials sciences and of practical relevance in process and sensor design.
We are exploring the potentials of semiconducting, nanotubes and metal oxide, nanoparticules for gas sensing, based on the electrical conductance changes of these materials on exposure to gases. It is hoped that this area of research will result in robust sensing materials that will detect gases in real time and with high selectivity and sensitivity in harsh environments. This work will, hopefully, pave the way for instruments miniaturization that can be used in space ships, automobiles, high-temperature plants and related cites that may have concern for combustion-related emissions.
Recent Publications
Synthesis, Electrochemical and Electrocatalytic Behaviour of Thiophene-appended Cobalt, Manganese and Zinc Phthalocyanine Complexes, J. Obirai and T. Nyokong, Electrochim. Acta, 50 (2005) 5427-5434.
Synthesis, Spectral and Electrochemical Characterization of Mercaptopyrimidin Substituted Cobalt, Manganese and Zn (II) Phthalocyanine Complexes, J. Obirai and Tebello Nyokong, Electrochim. Acta, 50 (2005) 3296-3304.
Electropolymerized Pyrrole-substituted Manganese Phthalocyanine Films for the Electroassisted Biomimetic Catalytic Reduction of Molecular Oxygen, N.P. Rodriguez, J. Obirai, T. Nyokong, F. Bedioui, Electroanalysis, 17 (2005) 186-190.
Electrooxidaton of Phenol and its Derivatives on poly- Ni(OH)TPhPyPc Modified Vitreous Carbon Electrodes, J. Obirai, Fethi Bedioui and T. Nyokong, J. Electroanalytical Chemistry, 576 (2005) 323-332.
Electrochemical and catalytic properties of Chromium tetraaminophthalocyanine, J. Obirai and T. Nyokong, J. Electroanalytical Chemistry, 573 (2004) 77-85.
Electrochemical studies of Manganese tetraaminophthalocyanine monomer and polymer, J. Obirai and T. Nyokong, Electrochim. acta, 49 (2004) 1417-1428.
Synthesis, spectral and electrochemical properties of a new family of pyrrole substituted cobalt, iron, manganese, nickel and zinc phthalocyanine complexes, J. Obirai, N. P. Rodrigues, F. Bedioui and T. Nyokong, J. Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines, 7 (2003) 508-520
Recent Presentations
“Manganese, Chromium and Cobalt Phthalocyanines for electrocatalytic Studies”, K.Ozoemena, J. Obirai, Z. Zhao and T. Nyokong, BES/ISE 2005, Coimbra, Portugal, 19-24, June, 2005.
“Electrochemical and Electrocatalytic Properties of Pyrimidin and Thiophene Derivatized Metallophthalocyanines,” J. Obirai and T. Nyokong, 207th Meetings of The Electrochemical Society, Quebec City, Canada, 15-20 May, 2005.
“Electrochemical and
Electrocatalytic Properties
of Chromium and Manganese Phthalocyanine Complexes,” T.
Nyokong and J. Obirai, J.
Porphyrins and
Phthalocyanines Meeting at
“Electrochemical Investigation of Biomimetic and Electrocatalytic Properties of Novel Manganese and Cobalt Phthalocyanine Complexes”, J. Obirai, N.P. Rodriguez, F. Bedioui and T. Nyokong, 10th International Conference on Electroanalysis European Society for ElectroAnalytical Chemistry (ESEAC), National University of Ireland, Galway. June 6-10, 2004.
“Electrochemical
Characterization of Pyrrole
Substituted Phthalocyanines”, T. Nyokong, J.
Obirai and F. Bedioui, International society of
electrochemistry (ISE) 2003
conference,
“Use of Conducting poly-metallophthalocyanine
as Amperometric Sensors for Amino Acids”, J.
Obirai and T. Nyokong, SEANAC Analytical Chemistry
conference,
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