Česká společnost pro hmotnostní spektrometrii

(Česká konference hmotnostní spektrometrie 2023 - PL-2)
Mass Spectrometry for Chemical Synthesis and Analysis: including an appreciation of the work of Zdeněk Herman

Graham Cooks ^1 *

1. Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

Abstrakt

Over the course of a long career, entirely spent doing mass spectrometry, a major privilege has been my interactions with outstanding scientists, especially those who were also distinguished in other spheres. The late Zdeněk Herman is a prime example and this talk includes coverage of topics where our science overlapped as well as recollections of Zdeněk himself.

One such shared topic concerns collisions of ions with surfaces and the associated kinematics. This topic includes inelastic and reactive ion scattering from surfaces, energy partitioning and ion thermochemistry. This presentation reviews fundamentals of energy partitioning, angular scattering and target and projectile effects. It also deals with applications, including those of surface induced dissociation (SID) and with ion soft landing on surfaces, both topics of considerable current interest.

I shared with Zdeněk Herman, and many others of an earlier era of mass spectrometry, a strong interest in the instrumentation. Novel work is greatly facilitated by newly designed and built instruments and the scattering instruments at Prague and Purdue share fascinating and noteworthy differences and similarities.

In some topics, my style was not embraced by Prof. Herman. His strength in mathematics and fundamental physical chemistry led to his polite disinterest in my kinetic method of making thermochemical determinations. Zdenek is well-known for his cartoon representations of scientists he knew, and I rather think that the red steed in his semi-satirical cartoon me driving an out-of-control team of horses represents the kinetic method.

Zdenek Herman’s city, Prague, is one of the epicenters of world science. I illustrate its effect during a recent visit. This concerns accelerated reactions in microdroplets, which I will briefly present, followed by a consideration of the Hofmeister series and the possible role of the water radical cation (H₂O)^+. in explaining this effect.

In closing I reflect briefly on the boundless nature of creative work and how Prof. Zdeněk Herman demonstrated this and so serves as a model to which we should aspire.

* Korespondující autor: cooks@purdue.edu