USF chemists at helm of new research center

A new interdisciplinary research center at the University of South Florida could hold the key to hydrogen fuel storage, solar energy collection, and the detection of biological and chemical threats, university officials announced Wednesday.

USF-SMMARTT, which stands for Smart Metal-organic Materials Advanced Research and Technology Transfer, will conduct research on the development of "smart" metal-organic materials, or MOMs, constructed from a combination of inorganic and organic molecules.

The USF-SMMARTT group, under the direction of chemistry professor Mike Zaworotko (left), already had a track record of receiving funding, obtaining patents and publishing its work prior to becoming a full-fledged center. Now, some new federal grants -- including $912,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy and $2.5-million from the U.S. Department of Defense -- will allow the group to ramp up its efforts.

"Because they are uniquely suited to provide solutions to so many problems," Zaworotko said in a news release, "MOMs have captured our imaginations."

Donna  Winchester, higher education reporter