Deon T. Miles
Associate Professor of Chemistry
A.B., Wabash College; Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deon T. Miles graduated from Wabash College in 1997 with a major in Chemistry and earned his doctoral degree in Analytical Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2002. Since 2002, he has been a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at Sewanee, where he is currently a tenured Associate Professor. He teaches the following courses at the University: Chemical Analysis, General Chemistry, Advanced Topics in Analytical Chemistry, and the Science of Food and Cooking.
Research Information
The research interests of Professor Miles focuses on the study of monolayer-protected semiconducting and metallic nanoparticles as a precursor to incorporating them into nanoscale sensing devices. The synthesis of these nanoparticles are done using simple protocols under ambient conditions. Several analytical techniques are used in his research laboratory to characterize these nanoparticles, including:
- Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) Spectroscopy
- Photoluminescence (PL) Spectroscopy
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
- Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy
- High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
- Mass Spectrometry (MS)
- Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV)
The key factors that determine if the nanoparticles can be used in potential sensing devices include: (1) desired solubility (H2O or organic solvents), (2) stability under true operating conditions (e.g., temperature, pH), (3) uniform size (monodispersity), and (4) integration into modules of classical instrumentation.
The Miles research group is informally called "MINI", which is an acronym that stands for the Miles Institute of Nanomaterials Investigation.
Current MINI Members:
- Adrienne C. Borchardt, class of 2012
- Elizabeth M. Henry, class of 2012
MINI Alumni:
- Laura A. Logan (B.S. 2011; research intern, Yale Child Study Center)
- Joseph A. Giesen (B.S. 2010; graduate student, Tulane University)
- April D. (Dale) Looper (B.S. 2010; Chem. Dept. laboratory coordinator, Sewanee)
- Molly C. Carpenter (B.S. 2009; graduate student, Dartmouth College)
- Jack R. Renehan (B.S. 2009; medical student, University of Virginia)
- Corwin A. Miller (B.S. 2008; graduate student, Rice University)
- James W. H. Sonne (B.A. 2007; graduate student, University of Kentucky)
- Tracian A. Meikle (B.S. 2007; graduate student, University of the West Indies at Mona)
- Stephanie A. Owens (B.S. 2007; graduate student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
- Heather L. (Turbeville) Sharp (B.S. 2007 from University of Tennessee; graduate student, Trevecca Nazarene University)
- Melissa A. (Ensor) Freiderich (B.S. 2006; graduate student, Washington State University)
- K. Grace Kennedy (B.S. 2006; graduate student, University of California, Santa Barbara)
- Charles A. Odonkor (B.S. 2006; medical student, Yale University)
- Cynthia G. Gray (B.S. 2005; Biology teacher, Chattanooga, TN)
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Kathryn M. (Panzner) Leininger (B.S. 2004; M.D. 2008, The Ohio State University)
Recent Publications
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Owens, S. A.; Carpenter, M. C.; Sonne, J. W. H.; Miller, C. A.; Renehan, J. R.; Odonkor, C. A.; Henry, E. M.; Miles, D. T. “Reversed-phase HPLC separation of water-soluble, monolayer-protected quantum dots”, J. Phys. Chem. C. 2011, 115, 18952-18957. - Miles, D. T.; Bachman, J. K. “The science of food and cooking: a non-science majors course,” J. Chem. Educ. 2009, 86, 311-315.
- Odonkor, C. A.; Owens, S. A.; Turbeville, H. L.; Gray, C. G.; Miles, D. T. “Effects of temperature reduction on monolayer-protected gold nanocluster capacitance”, J. Electroanal. Chem. 2007, 603, 35-43.
- Kennedy, K. G.; Miles, D. T. “Electrochemistry of ferrocene-modified monolayer-protected nanoclusters at reduced temperatures,” J. Under. Chem. Res. 2004, 3, 145-150. [PDF]
Personal Interests
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My Family
Areas of Expertise
- Analytical Chemistry
- Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
