New Nanomaterials Switch from Hydrophobic to Hydrophillic June 9, 2017Researchers at Swansea University have developed a new class of nanomaterials with tunable wettability that have wide ranging applications from antifouling to waterproofing. The...
Laser-induced Graphene Exhibits Antibacterial and Anti-Fouling Properties May 26, 2017The spongy graphene known as laser-induced graphene (LIG) is extremely resistant to biofilm formation and exhibits antibacterial properties, according to researchers at Rice...
Meet Chemical Engineer and MIT Professor Paula Hammond April 20, 2017As part of the ongoing series "Storied Women," MIT recently featured Paula T. Hammond , who is the David H. Koch Chair Professor of Engineering in the Chemical Engineering...
From Atoms to Holographs: Chemical Engineering in the Electronics Industry Archived Webinar Jul 22, 2015 This presentation shows the ever-increasing role of chemical engineering in a diversifying electronics industry that shows continued growth and increasing variety for the future. Our current research in integration of magnetic and ferroelectric materials “from the atoms up” serve as an example of...
Carbon Nanotubes and Other Nanostructured Materials Archived Webinar Jul 28, 2011 The discovery of fullerenes in 1985 sparked the interest of researchers in novel crystalline forms of carbon. Nobel laureate Richard Smalley, co-discoverer of fullerenes, was a strong advocate of carbon nanotube research and his endorsement strengthened the field. The results of such an extensive...
Using Catalytic Nanoparticles to Clean Water Archived Webinar Apr 15, 2010 In this talk, I will describe our work in improving the feasibility of these NP catalysts for groundwater remediation and in understanding how the gold enhances the Pd catalytic activity so dramatically.
The Wonderful World of Carbon Nanotubes Archived Webinar Dec 17, 2009 The combination of remarkable mechanical properties and unique electronic properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offers significant potential for revolutionary applications in electronics devices, computing and data storage technology, field emission devices, sensors, detectors,...
Nanotechnology: What is it? What are the opportunities? Archived Webinar Mar 11, 2008 Nanotechnology deals with the creation of materials, devices and systems through the manipulation of nanoscale matter, and takes advantage of novel and interesting properties that may arise. This is a broad technology that is expected to impact every aspect of the economic spectrum including...
Greener Concrete Possible through "Programmed" Nanoparticles December 15, 2016Researchers at Rice University have recently published work that makes greener concrete a reality, thanks to nanoscale techniques that brings more order to the semicrystalline...
Novel Nanotechnique Traps Harmful Emissions December 19, 2016Researchers at the University of Texas Dallas have developed a new way of capturing potentially harmful gasses in a metal-organic framework , or MOFs. MOFs are composed of metal-...
Graphene Detects Brain Cancer Cells December 20, 2016Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have used graphene to identify a single hyperactive cancerous brain cell, according to a report published this week. The...
Nanotechnology Growing in Importance with New Advances December 6, 2016Nanotechnology advances continue to accelerate as researchers produce an increasing amount of incredible new materials and products. In fact, in recognition of nanotechnology's...
Diamond Nanothreads Show Wide-Ranging Potential October 7, 2016New research from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has solved the issue of brittleness, making diamond nanothreads flexible and thus unlocking significant and numerous...
Making Metal Surfaces Waterproof, but without Coatings January 28, 2015Scientists at the University of Rochester have used lasers to transform metals into extremely water repellent, or super-hydrophobic, materials without the need for temporary...
Ann Marie Sastry, Lithium Battery Giga-Factory Slayer November 18, 2015When Elon Musk started bulldozing desert scrub to build his giga-factory near Reno, Nevada, he bet the ranch that the lithium-ion battery market would skyrocket to around $75...
New Greaseless Coating Combats Friction and Corrosion June 8, 2015A new grease-free coating battles two major issues facing industrial machinery: friction and corrosion. Designed to take the place of lubricants and oils, a new functional coating...
Gold Nanoparticles Used to Rapidly Kill Bacteria March 22, 2016A new technique using highly porous nanodisks and light has been shown effective for rapidly killing bacteria. The hope is this technique could assist in treating common...
Undergrad Leads Study Showing Buckyballs' Ability to Remove Toxins from Water February 10, 2015A study led by Rice University undergraduate Jessica Heimann shows that treated buckyballs have the ability to remove potentially toxic metals from water and reserve them for...
"Green" Superhydrophobic Nanomaterial Inspired by Nature December 15, 2015Researchers have developed a hydrocarbon-based superhydrophobic nanomaterial that presents a green alternative to hazardous fluorocarbons generally used for this purpose.
Nanoscale Gold Spirals Proposed for Fighting Counterfeiting June 12, 2015The world’s smallest continuous spirals, produced by researchers at Vanderbilt University, show potential for fighting counterfeiting. The nano-spirals and their unique optical...
Perovskite's Facets May Hold Secrets for Higher PV Efficiency July 6, 2016In a report in Nature Energy this week, Berkeley Lab scientists from the Molecular Foundry and the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis announced a discovery that could...
Nanotechnology Makes Steel 10 Times Stronger February 19, 2015"Stronger than steel" has just taken on a new meaning, thanks to the work of a Seattle-based company called Modumetal. The company's process relies on a type of advanced...
New Metal Nanocomposite Extremely Strong and Light December 24, 2015A team led by researchers at UCLA has created a super-strong yet light structural metal nanocomposite with extremely high specific strength and modulus. Composed of magnesium...
New Technology Mimics Bird Feathers for Permanent Color June 15, 2015Researchers at The University of Akron are investigating structural color patterns found in bird feathers to create non-fading colors for commercial use.
New Work Boosts LIthium-Ion Battery Performance August 24, 2016Researchers at Kansas State University and Catalyst Power Technologies Inc. have recently received a patent that promises higher efficiency for lithium-ion batteries. The...
Graphene Membrane Makes Desalination More Energy Efficient March 26, 2015Researchers have demonstrated an energy-efficient desalination technology that uses a porous membrane made of strong, slim graphene.
Boron Nitride Outdoes Carbon Nanotubes in Strength December 29, 2015Researchers have discovered evidence that boron-nitride reinforced nanocomposites could provide more strength per weight than carbon-nanotube composites.
Move Over, Graphene — Here Comes Another Super Thin Substance July 13, 2015Graphene astounded the world as the first atom-thick carbon network, but a joint German-US research project has developed black phosphorus in which individual phosphorus atoms are...
Graphene Shows Potential as Bone Implant Material September 6, 2016Research suggests that flakes of graphene welded together into solid materials may have potential for use as bone implants. The team of researchers behind the discovery used spark...
Cancer Treatment "Magic Bullet" Nanoparticles Safety Tested April 7, 2015Medical science has long sought a “magic bullet” for cancer that would target only cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells alone. Certain nanoparticles have shown potential for...
Building New Nanocomposite Materials with Math December 30, 2015Researchers turned to math to help predict which nanoparticles will best combine with polymers for successful nanocomposites.
Engineering Students Develop Nano-Filter for Industrial Water Treatment December 26, 2014Students in the Department of Materials Science at Sweden's Luleå University of Technology have developed a new bio-based water filtration system that will be tested in an...
Tapping Infrared to Improve Solar Cell Efficiency August 6, 2015Residential solar installers are desperately waiting for photovoltaic (PV) efficiency upgrades so they can pump out more juice per square foot for price-sensitive consumers...
Cigarette Butts the Basis of New Energy Storage Solution May 18, 2015A South Korean research group has converted used cigarette butts into a material that shows promise as the coating for supercapacitor electrodes. The new material outperformed...
Atomic Vibrations Dictate Nanomaterial Performance March 10, 2016Vibrations of the outermost atomic layer of materials in nanosize significantly affect material behavior, according to new researcher out of Switzerland's ETH Zurich. The finding...
New Versatile Nanomaterial Inspired by Mother of Pearl January 22, 2015A new nanoscale material mimics mother of pearl's brick-and-mortar-like alternating layers, offering many diverse applications.
Vegetable Fiber Waste Becomes Impressive Industrial Additive September 22, 2015A Scottish company by the name of CelluComp has turned to root vegetables such as beets and carrots to produce a manufacturing additive with a wide range of possible applications...
Nanoparticles Help Direct Radiotherapy to Tumors May 20, 2015Radiotherapy is a strong tool in fighting cancer, but one great downside is that it affects both healthy and cancerous cells. Focusing radiotherapy on just tumors is the goal of...
New Tech Signals Viable Future for Hydrogen Fuel Cells March 15, 2016New technology out of the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) offers potential for faster fueling and improved performance for...
Aqueous-Phase Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis by Using Ruthenium Nanoparticle Catalyst Conference PresentationAIChE Spring Meeting and Global Congress on Process SafetyApril 30, 2013Fischer-Tropsch synthesis has long been known as an alternative process to produce long-chain hydrocarbons for their use in transportation fuels. In...
Explosibility of Nano-Sized Metal Powders Conference PresentationAIChE Spring Meeting and Global Congress on Process SafetyApril 30, 2013Industrial accidents in the metal processing industries are not uncommon. Some of these accidents are in the form of dust explosions or flash fires...
Investigation of Phase Stability of Magnesium Alanate for Hydrogen Storage From First Principles Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 30, 2012Complex hydrides including alanates ([AlH 4 ] – ) have recently gained attention as alternative hydrogen storage materials. Many of these materials...
Inorganic Catalytic Nanofibers for the Production of Hydrogen Via Alkaline Hydrolysis of Biomass Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 17, 2011Here we propose to develop a farm-scale biorefining system that can convert cellulosic biomass into useable hydrogen gas. In particular, we focus on...
Continuous Nanoparticle Production Using Focused Acoustics Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 12, 2015Continuous nanoparticle production using focused acoustics Many drugs currently in development are either water insoluble or lipophilic, thus...
Investigation of Nanostructural Characteristics of Lignin-ABA Block Copolymer Aggregates Leading to Use of Micelles As Nanoreactors for Lignin Conversion Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 9, 2015Nanostructural self-assembly of lignin derivatives incorporated in polyethylene oxide-block-polypropylene oxide-block-polyethylene oxide (PEO-b-PPO-b...
Laser-Activated Carbon Nanoparticle Cellular Damage and Prevention Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 7, 2013The cell membrane is a challenging barrier to cross because of its structure and composition. Endocytotic processes can be inefficient, especially...
Distinctive Nanoscale Organization of Double- Cationic Versus Single-Cationic Ionic Liquids Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 5, 2013Double-cationic ionic liquids are attracting the increasing research interests recently. In this work , the distinctive structural organization of...
New Advances In Membranes For Antibiotic Recovery and Controlled Release Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 4, 2013This presentation covers new advances in two types of membranes: (1) supported liquid membranes (SLMs) with strip dispersion for recovery of...
Production of Hydrogen and Nanocarbon From Catalytic Decomposition of Methane Over a Ni-Fe/Al2O3 Catalyst Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 31, 2012Methane catalytic decomposition reaction (MCD) has received much attention in recent years as a potential route for the direct production of COx (CO/...
Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) Materials and Membranes for Molecular Separations Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 29, 2012This talk will describe our recent progress in the synthesis and processing of MOF/ZIF materials for molecular separation applications, and their...
Nanoarchitectured Ni-ZrO2 Catalysts for Hydrogen Production From Steam Reforming of Ethanol Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 18, 2011Hydrogen has been considered as an important alternative energy vector and a bridge to a sustainable energy future. Production of hydrogen...
Rapid Deposition of Titania Nanoparticles for Dye Solar Cells Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 18, 2011Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), while only having been designed about twenty years ago, are considered to be one of the most promising third-...
Catalytic Hydrolysis of Ammonia Borane Using Co-B Nanoparticles Embedded In Mesoporous Silica Particles: a Very Efficient Catalyst for Hydrogen Production Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 17, 2011Ammonia Borane (AB), with high hydrogen storage capacity (19.5 wt.%), is predicted to be possibly a future fuel for providing pure H 2 to fuel cell...
Atomic Layer Deposition of Nanoscale Materials for Energy Conversion Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 16, 2011For a number of technologies, including microelectronics and energy conversion devices, feature sizes are becoming increasingly small, and the need...
Photoelectrochemical Properties of Birnessite-Type MnO2 Thin Films for Solar Water Splitting Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 11, 2010Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting to produce clean hydrogen fuel is an attractive method for harvesting intermittent solar energy and...
Evidence for High-Efficiency Exciton Dissociation at Poly(3-hexylthiophene)/Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Interfaces in Planar Nano-Heterojunction Photovoltaics Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 9, 2010There is significant interest in combining carbon nanotubes with semiconducting polymers for photovoltaic applications due to potential advantages...
Understanding and Controlling Organic-Inorganic Interfaces in Mesostructured Titania/Conjugated Polymer Materials for Photovoltaic Applications Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 9, 2010The use of surfactant-directed mesostructured inorganic materials allows for the preparation of oxide frameworks as continuous transparent films with...
Hydrophilic Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Application in Forward Osmosis Processes Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 7, 2010*Corresponding author, Email: chencts@nus.edu.sg , Fax: (65)-6779 1936 ABSTRACT Freshwater shortage has caused serious world-wide problems and many...
Titania Nanotube Supported Gold Photoanodes Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 8, 2009Photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) combine a photovoltaic device for light harvesting and an electrolyzer for water splitting into a single system...
CEP: News Update July2016News UpdateIceland CCS Project Stores CO2 Permanently as Minerals An international team of scientists has demonstrated for the first time that anthropogenic CO 2 can be effectively captured and permanently stored by injecting it into volcanic bedrock. A Mild...
Nanotechnology: A Guide to Nano-Objects May2011On The HorizonSravani Gullapalli, Michael WongRapid change in the field of nanotechnology can make it hard to keep track of the latest nanomaterial developments. Here's a primer on the most common shapes, sizes, and compositions of nano-objects.
Nanosensors: Evolution, Not Revolution...Yet June2008News FeatureSuzanne A. ShelleyPromising nanotechnology-enabled sensors, monitoring devices and analytical instruments continue to advance toward commercialization for diverse industrial, environmental, medical and military applications— but hurdles remain.
Nanotechnology: Cause for Concern? September2007News FeatureKristine ChinNanotechnology— it's a small science with big stakes. Some of the unique properties that make nanoscale materials useful may also pose hazards to humans and the environment. Can the EPA find a way to effectively regulate these tiny high-tech...
Nanotechnology: From Discovery to Innovation and Socioeconomic Projects May2011On The HorizonMihail C. RocoNanoscale science and engineering continue to evolve from a scientific novelty to a broad-based technology with potential to transform medicine, productivity, sustainability, and quality of life.
CEP: News Update May2016News UpdateBuilding Microstructures, One Particle at a Time As engineers and scientists synthesize ever-smaller structures, one source of building blocks is colloidal particles. Now, a new method enables the creation of colloidal particle structures with...
Effect of Nanoporous Materials on Saturation Pressure in Shale Reservoirs Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 9, 2015There has been a rapid growth in research for thermodynamic properties of shale reservoirs. The common pore size of shale reservoirs is approximately...
Importance of Conductivity and Structure in the Capacity Retention of NiO Anodes in Li Batteries Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 20, 2014Over the past several years, there has been a considerable amount of effort put forth to increase the energy density of Li-ion batteries. At the...
Ultra-Deep Desulfurization of Hydrocarbon Fuels Using TiO2 and Ag-TiO2 Adsorbents Assisted By UV Irradiation Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 18, 2014Fuel cell (FC) technologies have attracted dramatic research interests in recent years to achieve clean electric power for the “hydrogen economy”...
Polymer Strip Films As a Robust, Surfactant-Free Platform for Delivery of BCS Class II Drug Nanoparticles Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 18, 2014
Organic Solvent Nanofiltration in Continuous Catalytic Reactions Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 17, 2014Introduction Organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) is an emerging technology for performing membrane separation/purification processes in organic...
Purification and Concentration of Wood Extracts By Membrane Filtration Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 17, 2014Ultrafiltration and nanofiltration were applied to remove impurities and increase sugar concentrations of wood extracts and/or hydrolysates. A series...
Low-Temperature Decomposition of Hydrous Hydrazine Over Ni-Fe-Cu Nano-Catalysts Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 6, 2013Khachatur V. Manukyan 1 , Allison Cross 1 , Jeff Miller 2 and Eduardo E. Wolf 1 * 1 Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University...
Aggregation in Ionic Liquids: Molecular Dynamics Simulation Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 5, 2013The spatial microheterogeneity in ionic liquids (ILs) is one of the the key features and has been proved useful in understanding the special behavior...
At Least 1,000X Thinner than a Human Hair Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 5, 2013The last century witnessed the development of two classes of materials—polymers and semiconductors—that dramatically changed people’s lives. A new...
Immunostimulating Effect of Ginseng Polysaccharide Nanoparticles On Macrophage Cell Lines Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 4, 2013Ginseng polysaccharides , one of the main components of ginseng , provide unique biological activities such as immunostimulating effects. This work...
Functionalized Responsive Membranes for Environmental Applications (invited paper) Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 4, 2013The functionalization of microfiltration membrane pores with macromolecules undergoing conformational changes provides nano-scale interactions in a...
Capture of Carbon Dioxide With Tetraethylenepentamine-Functionalized Industrial Carbon Nanotubes Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 4, 2013Industrial carbon nanotubes (I-CNTs) is a low-cost substitute for commercially available multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CCNTs). In this work , I-CNTs...
Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) of Biodegradable Polymer Matrices and Particles: Impact of a Recent Mathematical Model Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingNovember 1, 2012Long-acting controlled release formulations address the top causes of non-compliance, a problem responsible for 10% of hospitalizations and over $100...
Hybrid Li-Air Battery with Sulfuric Acid Electrolyte and Buckypaper Air Cathode Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 31, 2012Li-air battery (LAB) with aqueous-based catholyte and a water-stable lithium electrode using a LISICON-type lithium ion conducting glass ceramic...
Dependence of Hydrogen Adsorption on the Structural Properties of Carbons Conference PresentationAIChE Annual MeetingOctober 30, 2012Dependence of Hydrogen Adsorption on the Structural Properties of Carbon; Deviation from Graphite: Good or Bad? Ali Qajar, Maryam Peer, Ramakrishnan...