Syrus Kenyon publishes his first lead authored paper.

Syrus Kenyon, working with both the Ogata and Korzyński labs, published his first lead authored paper in Crystal Growth & Design as part of the special issue “Design of Crystals via Crystallization Processes” reporting a phase-transformation strategy for the synthesis and in situ polymer modification of a copper-based metal-organic framework, HKUST-1. While HKUST-1 displays intrinsic catalytic activity useful for sensing purposes, it is notably susceptible to degradation from water exposure. To overcome this limitation, poly(acrylic acid) was used to produce the composite PAA–HKUST-1, which exhibits octahedral particle morphology and improved water stability. With enhanced chemical resistance, PAA–HKUST-1 may better withstand the humid and aqueous environments encountered in environmental and biomedical applications. 

Kenyon, S. S., Van Houten, J., Wu, W. Y., Korzyński, M. D. & Ogata, A. F. (2025). Enhanced Morphology Control and Hydrolytic Stability of HKUST-1 by Incorporation of Poly(Acrylic Acid). Crystal Growth & Design. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.5c00721