Profile
Shanna L. Estes
Chemistry
Assistant Professor
Clemson Environmental Technologies Laboratory Cetl (Rust) 107 [Office]
Clemson Environmental Technologies Laboratory Cetl (Rust) 17 [Lab]
Clemson Environmental Technologies Laboratory Cetl (Rust) 27 [Lab]
Clemson Environmental Technologies Laboratory Cetl (Rust) 28 [Lab]
Hunter Hall 261 [Office]
Educational Background
Postdoctoral Appointee, Heavy Element and Separations Science, Argonne National Laboratory, 2015-2018
Ph.D., Environmental Engineering and Science, Clemson University, 2014
M.S., Environmental Engineering and Science, Clemson University, 2011
B.S., Chemistry, Clemson University, 2006
Profile/About Me
Dr. Estes is an interdisciplinary scientist with a passion for the actinide elements and their unique chemistry. Through teaching and research, she seeks to empower students with knowledge of the chemistry of the actinide elements, of nuclear science and technology, and of the impact these topics have on society. Outside of research and teaching, Dr. Estes enjoys listening to her husband’s musical creations, spending time with family and pets, and photographing landscapes and travel adventures.
Research Interests
The Estes research group focuses on understanding the influence of solution conditions and coordination environment on the aqueous behavior of the actinide elements (like uranium and plutonium). To do this, the Estes group uses complementary analytical tools, including molecular spectroscopy, voltammetry, X-ray diffraction, and calorimetry, to quantify the relationship between solution thermodynamics and molecular actinide structure, particularly in systems with high ionic strength or elevated temperatures. Of specific interest, the Estes group studies the unique redox properties of the light actinide elements to advance methods for controlling actinide redox changes in aqueous systems relevant to nuclear waste separations and geologic repositories. Ultimately, research in the Estes group provides enhanced solutions for predicting actinide behavior in natural and engineered environments for safely storing or processing nuclear waste.
Selected Publications
Estes, S. L.; Powell, B. A. Enthalpy of Uranium Adsorption onto Hematite. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2020, 54, 15004–15012. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c04429.
Estes, S. L.; Qiao, B.; Jin, G. B. Ion Association with Tetra-n-Alkylammonium Cations Stabilizes Higher-Oxidation-State Neptunium Dioxocations. Nat.. Commun. 2019, 10 (1), 59. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07982-5.
Jin, G. B.; Lin, J.; Estes, S. L.; Skanthakumar, S.; Soderholm, L. Influence of Countercation Hydration Enthalpies on the Formation of Molecular Complexes: A Thorium–Nitrate Example. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 18003–18008. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b09363.
Antonio, M. R.; Ellis, R. J.; Estes, S. L.; Bera, M. K. Structural Insights into the Multinuclear Speciation of Tetravalent Cerium in the Tri-n-Butyl Phosphate–n-Dodecane Solvent Extraction System. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2017, 19, 21304–21316. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7CP03350H.
Estes, S. L.; Antonio, M. R.; Soderholm, L. Tetravalent Ce in the Nitrate-Decorated Hexanuclear Cluster [Ce6(µ3-O)4(µ3-OH)4]12+: A Structural End Point for Ceria Nanoparticles. J. Phys. Chem. C 2016, 120, 5810–5818. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b00644.
