Giovanni Meloni

Giovanni Meloni

Professor

Full-Time Faculty
Harney Science Center 371
(415) 422-6159

Biography

Prior to joining the University of San Francisco, Dr. Meloni carried out post-doctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley and at Sandia National Laboratories. In his research, he employed state-of-the-art experimental and computational techniques, to study semiconductor clusters, van der Waals species, and hydrocarbon radicals. Dr. Meloni's interests range from high-temperature physical chemistry to spectroscopic characterization of reaction intermediates. More recently, his research group performs experiments at the Advanced Light Source of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory using a multiplex photoionization mass spectrometer to investigate biofuel molecules combustion and atmospheric reactions.

Research Areas

  • Investigating biofuel molecules combustion and atmospheric reactions via multiplex photoionization mass spectrometer

Appointments

  • Department Chair, Chemistry

Education

  • PhD, Universita' di Roma, La Sapienza

Selected Publications

  • “Computational Investigation of LiF Containing Hypersalts,” Chelsea Price (graduate student), Matthew Winfough (graduate student), Heejune Park (graduate student), and Giovanni Meloni, Dalton Trans. 47, 13204-13213 (2018).

  • “Investigation of Oxidation Reaction Products of 2-Phenylethanol Using Synchrotron Photoionization,” Adam Otten (graduate student), Magaly Wooten (graduate student), Anthony Medrano (undergraduate student), Yasmin Fathi (graduate student), and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 122, 6789-6798 (2018).

  • “Study of Methylidyne (CH and CD) Reaction with 2,5-Dimethylfuran Using Multiplexed Synchrotron Photoionization Mass Spectrometry,” Erica Carrasco (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 122, 6118-6133 (2018).

  • “Capturing volatile organic compounds employing a superalkali,” Heejune Park (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, ChemPhysChem 19, 2266-2271 (2018).

  • “Stability of lithium substituted silyls superalkali species,” Adam Otten (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, Chem. Phys. Lett. 692, 214-223 (2018).

  • “Study of low temperature chlorine atom initiated oxidation of methyl and ethyl butyrate using synchrotron photoionization TOF-mass spectrometry,” Joseph Czekner (graduate student), Craig A. Taatjes, David L. Osborn, and Giovanni Meloni, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 20, 5785-5794 (2018).

  • “Synchrotron Photoionization Study of Furan and 2-Methylfuran Reactions with Methylidyne Radical (CH) at 298 K,” Erica Carrasco (graduate student), Kenneth Smith (graduate student), and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 122, 280-291 (2018).

  • “Ab initio analysis on potential superbases of several hyperlithiated species: Li 3 F 2 O and Li 3 F 2 (OH) n (n = 1,2),” Matthew Winfough (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, Dalton Trans. 47, 159-168 (2018).

  • “Activation of dinitrogen (N 2 ) with a superalkali species, Li 3 F 2 ,” Heejune Park (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, ChemPhysChem 19, 256-260 (2018).

  • “Investigation on the Absolute and Relative Photoionization Cross Sections of Three Potential Propargylic Fuels,” Matthew Winfough (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, J. Mass. Spec. 52, 799-808 (2017).

  • “Study of the Synchrotron Photoionization Oxidation Initiated by O( 3 P) of 2-Methylfuran (2MF) under Low-Temperature Conditions at 550 and 650 K,” Yasmin Fathi (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 121, 6966-6980 (2017).

  • “Reduction of Carbon Dioxide with Superalkali,” Heejune Park (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, Dalton Trans. 46, 11942-11949 (2017).

  • “Furfural: The Unimolecular Dissociative Photoionization Mechanism of the Simplest Furanic Aldehyde,” Matthew Winfough (graduate student), Krisztina Voronova, Giel Muller (graduate student), Gabrielle Laguisma (undergraduate student), Balint Sztaray, Andras Bodi, and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 121, 3401-3410 (2017).

  • “Low-Temperature Synchrotron Photoionization Study of 2-Methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MBO) Oxidation Initiated by O( 3 P) Atoms in the 298-650 K range,” Yasmin Fathi (graduate student), Chelsea Price (graduate student), and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 121, 2936-2950 (2017).

  • “Absolute Photoionization Cross Sections of two Cyclic Ketones: Cylopentanone and Cyclohexanone,” Chelsea Price (graduate student), Yasmin Fathi (graduate student), and Giovanni Meloni, J. Mass. Spec. 52, 259-270 (2017).

  • “Synchrotron Photoionization Investigation of the Oxidation of Ethyl tert-Butyl Ether,” Matthew Winfough (graduate student), Rong Yao (graduate student), Katherin Catani (undergraduate student), and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 121, 1460-1469 (2017).

  • “Rotamers and Migration: Investigating the Dissociative Photoionization of Ethylenediamine,” Giel Muller (graduate student), Krisztina Voronova, Balint Sztaray, and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 120, 3906-3916 (2016).

  • “Low Temperature Chlorine-Initiated Oxidation of Small-Chain Methyl Esters: Quantification of Chain-Terminating HO 2 -Elimination Channels,” Giel Muller (graduate student), Adam Scheer, David L. Osborn, Craig A. Taatjes, and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 120, 1677-1690 (2016).

  • “Absolute Photoionization Cross Sections of Furanic Fuels: 2-Ethylfuran, 2-Acetylfuran, and Furfural,” Audrey R. Smith (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, J. Mass. Spec. 50, 1206-1213 (2015).

  • “Study of tert-Amyl Methyl Ether Low Temperature Oxidation Using Synchrotron Photoionization Mass Spectrometry,” Martin Y. Ng (graduate student), Brittany M. Bryan (graduate student), Jordan Nelson (undergraduate student), and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 119, 8667-8682 (2015).

  • “Stability and bonding of new superalkali phosphide species,” Elizabeth Cochran (undergraduate student), Giel Muller (graduate student), and Giovanni Meloni, Dalton Trans. 44, 14753-14762 (2015).

  • “Influence of various groups on the relative stability of alkylperoxy triplet cations: A theoretical study,” Kenneth J. Smith (graduate student) and Giovanni Meloni, Chem. Phys. Lett. 631-632, 34-41 (2015).

  • “Hypervalence in Monoxides and Dioxides of Superalkali Clusters,” Elizabeth Cochran (undergraduate student) and Giovanni Meloni,* J. Chem. Phys. 140, 204319/1-204319/13 (2014).

  • “Synchrotron Photoionization Study of Mesitylene Oxidation Initiated by Reaction with Cl (2P) or O (3P) Radicals,” Martin Y. Ng (graduate student), Jordan Nelson (undergraduate student), Craig A. Taatjes, David L. Osborn, and Giovanni Meloni,* J. Phys. Chem. A 118, 3735-3748 (2014).

  • “Absolute Photoionization Cross-Sections of Selected Furanic and Lactonic Potential Biofuels,” Joseph Czekner (graduate student), David L. Osborn, Craig A. Taatjes, and Giovanni Meloni,* Int. J. Mass Spec. 348, 39-46 (2013).

  • "Synchrotron Photoionization Measurements of OH-Initiated Cyclohexene Oxidation: Ring-Preserving Products in OH + Cyclohexene and Hydroxycyclohexyl + O2 Reactions," Amelia W. Ray (graduate student), Craig A. Taatjes, Oliver Welz, David L. Osborn, and Giovanni Meloni, J. Phys. Chem. A 116, 6720 (2012).

  • "Low-Temperature Combustion Chemistry of Biofuels: Pathways in the Initial Low-Temperature (550 K - 750 K) Oxidation Chemistry of Isopentanol," Oliver Welz, Judit Zador, John D. Savee, Martin Y. Ng (graduate student), Giovanni Meloni, Ravi X. Fernandes, Leonid Sheps, Blake A. Simmons, David L. Osborn, and Craig A. Taatjes, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.14, 3112 (2012).

  • "Products of the Benzene + O (3P) Reaction," Craig A. Taatjes, David L. Osborn, Talitha M. Selby, Giovanni Meloni, Adam J. Trevitt, Evgeny Epifanovsky, Anna I. Krylov, Baptiste Sirjean, Enoch Dames, and Hai Wang, J. Phys. Chem. A, 114, 3355 (2010).
  • "Isomer-Selective Study of the OH Initiated Oxidation of Isoprene in the Presence of O2 and NO. I. The Minor Inner OH-Addition Channel," Erin E. Greenwald, Buddhadeb Gosh, Katie C. Anderson, Kristin S. Dooley, Peng Zou, Talitha Selby, David L. Osborn, Giovanni Meloni, Craig A. Taatjes, Fabien Goulay, and Simon W. North, J. Phys. Chem. A, 114, 904 (2010).
  • "The Si-Sn Chemical Bond: An Integrated Thermochemical and Quantum Mechanical Study of the Si-Sn Diatomic Molecule and Small Si-Sn Clusters," Andrea Ciccioli, Guido Gigli, and Giovanni Meloni, Chem. Eur. J., 37, 9543 (2009).
  • "Temperature-Dependent Kinetics of the Vinyl Radical (C2H3) Self-Reaction," Huzeifa Ismail, Paul R. Abel, William H. Green, Askar Fahr, Leonard E. Jusinski, Adam M. Knepp, Judit Zador, Giovanni Meloni, Talitha M. Selby, David L. Osborn, and Craig A. Taatjes, J. Phys. Chem. A, 113, 1278 (2009).
  • "Isomer-specific product detection of CN radical reactions with ethene and propene by tunable VUV photoionization mass spectrometry," Adam J. Trevitt, Fabien Goulay, Giovanni Meloni, David L. Osborn, Craig A. Taatjes, and Stephen R. Leone, Int. J. Mass. Spectr., 280, 113 (2009).
  • "Cyclic versus linear isomers produced by reaction of the methylidyne radical (CH) with small unsaturated hydrocarbons," Fabien Goulay, Adam J. Trevitt, Giovanni Meloni, Talitha M. Selby, David L. Osborn, Craig A. Taatjes, and Stephen R. Leone, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 131, 993 (2009).
  • "The reaction of hydroxyethyl radicals with O2: a theoretical analysis and experimental product study," Judit Zador, Ravi X. Fernandes, Yuri Georgievskii, Giovanni Meloni, Craig A. Taatjes, and James A. Miller, Proc. Comb. Inst., 32, 271 (2009).
  • "Enol formation and ring-opening in OH-initiated oxidation of cycloalkenes," Giovanni Meloni, Talitha M. Selby, David L. Osborn, and Craig A. Taatjes, J. Phys. Chem. A, 112, 13444 (2008).
  • "Synchrotron photoionization mass spectrometry measurements of kinetics and product formation in the allyl radical (H2CCHCH2) self-reaction," Talitha M. Selby, Giovanni Meloni, Fabien Goulay, Stephen R. Leone, Askar Fahr, Craig A. Taatjes, and David L. Osborn, J. Phys. Chem. A, 112, 9366 (2008).

  • "Direct observation of the gas-phase Criegee intermediate (CH2OO) in dimethyl sulphoxide oxidation," Craig A. Taatjes, Giovanni Meloni, Talitha M. Selby, Adam J. Trevitt, David L. Osborn, Carl J. Percival, and Dudley E. Shallcross, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 130, 11883 (2008).

  • "Absolute photoionization cross section of the methyl radical," Craig A. Taatjes, David L. Osborn, Talitha M. Selby, Giovanni Meloni, Haiyan Fan, and Stephen T. Pratt, J. Phys. Chem. A, 112, 9336 (2008).