chemical engineering - che.ufl.edu · university of florida department of chemical engineering 2 we...

CHEMICAL

2 0 1 7D E P A R T M E N T

V I E W B O O K

ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Department of Chemical Engineering

2

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO PROVIDE THIS BROCHURE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT our depar tment and it s excit ing graduate program. Our depar tment is among the largest and

highest ranked Chemical Engineering programs in the southeastern region. Our renowned faculty

includes several Distinguished Professors, Fellows of professional societies including: The Ameri-

can Institute of Chemical Engineers, The American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers,

The American Physical Society, The Electrochemical Society, and The American Vacuum Society and

recipients of the highest teaching awards bestowed by the University of Florida: the Teacher-of-the-

Year Award and the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars.

Our research and educational activities are not hindered by Departmental or College boundaries, as

many of our faculty either lead or are active members of multidisciplinary centers, such as the Flori-

da Energy Systems Consortium, the Institute of Cellular Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, and

the Nanoscience Institute for Medical and Engineering Technology. We are located within a short walk

to the UF College of Medicine, the Emerging Pathogens Institute, the UF Cancer & Genetics Research

Complex, and the UF Clinical & Translation Science Institute, which facilitate fruitful research collabo-

rations for our faculty with research interests in the life sciences.

While the University of Florida, with its exceptional faculty and resources and picturesque campus,

provides a wonderful academic environment, the quality of life in the city of Gainesville and the sur-

rounding community is second to none. Serving as the cultural, educational, and commerce center of

beautiful North Central Florida, Gainesville is only an hour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf

of Mexico and less than two hours from Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa.

- Richard Dickinson - Department Chair

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING TENURE-TRACK AND RESEARCH FACULTY

3

21 FACULTY MEMBERS ENGAGED IN GRADUATE

RESEARCH AND TEACHING

UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE INFORMATION

DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

04

06

WELCOME TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

KIRK ZIEGLER

LEWIS JOHNS

DMITRY KOPELEVICH

ANTHONY LADD

TANMAY LELE

RANGA NARAYANAN

MARK ORAZEM

CHANG-WON PARK

FAN REN

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

JASON BUTLER

ANUJ CHAUHAN

OSCAR CRISALLE

RICHARD DICKINSON

HELENA HAGELIN-WEAVER

DAVID HIBBITTS

PENG JIANG

12

13

14

15

18

19

16

17

CARLOS RINALDI

SYPROS SVORONOS

YIIDER TSENG

SERGEY VASENKOV

JASON WEAVER

28

29

30

31

32


The University of Florida is the oldest and largest of Florida’s

11 state universities.

5

TODAY, WITH APPROXIMATELY 56,000 STUDENTS, UF ISTHE SIXTH LARGEST UNIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES. UF HAS 16 COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS OFFERING MORE THAN 100 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS.

T H E C O L L E G E

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y

THE HERBERT WERTHEIM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING IS THE LARGEST professional school at the University of Florida, the second largest of all the colleges, and one of the three largest research units. There are over 270 fac-ulty members in 9 academic departments, which offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in 15 disciplines, including aerospace, agricultural, bio-medical, chemical, civil, coastal and oceanographic, computer and informa-tion science, computer engineering, electrical, environmental, industrial and systems, materials science, mechanical, nuclear and radiological engineering and medical physics, as well as interdisciplinary studies.

The engineering student body of more than 10,000 includes over 7,000 undergraduates and above 3,000 on-campus gradu-

ate students. The college grants nearly 2,200 degrees annually, including 112 PhD degrees.

In 2016, annual research expenditures exceed-ed $70 million. A signif icant amount of inter-

disciplinary research is conducted through centers such as the Florida Institute for

National Security, the Florida Institute for Sustainable Energy, the Nanoscience Institute for Medical and Engineering Technology, the Institute for Cell Engi-neering and Regenerative Medicine and the Institute for Computational Engi-neering.

The Graduate School coordinates more than 200 graduate programs. Professional degree programs include dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and law.

As a land-grant university identif ied by the Morrill Act of 1862, UF has a special focus on engineering, as well as agriculture, with a mandate to deliver the practical benefits of university research throughout the state. To meet this goal, UF has over 200 interdisciplinary research centers, bureaus and institutes on campus. UF is ranked among the nation’s top research universities and is one of only 17 public, land-grant universities that belong to the Association of American Universities.

The university employs approximately 5,000 faculty members and more than 7,000 administrative, professional and support employees. In addition to the 2,000-acre main Gainesville campus, UF has research centers, extension operations, clinics and other facilities and affiliates in every Florida county.

6 7

T H E D E PA R T M E N T H A S 2 1 FA C U LT Y M E M B E R S E N G A G E D I N G R A D U AT E R E S E A R C H A N D T E A C H I N G .

Their interests span a wide range of topics including bioengineering, nanotechnology, complex f luids, advanced mate-

rials processing and surface and interfacial phenomena. These diverse interests are reflected in the types of graduate

courses available at both the department and the college, allowing

our students excellent opportunities to obtain a broad background

in chemical engineering.

Listed in this brochure are the present members of the graduate

faculty, with a brief description of their major areas of research.

Please contact them directly via e-mail for more details concerning

their research programs. Many are leading members or directors

of special university centers such as the NSF Engineering Research

Center for Particle Science and Technology, the Center for Surface

Science and Engineering and the Florida Energy Systems

Consortium.

Our annual funding level from contracts and grants typically

exceeds 4.5 million dollars. Support for our programs comes

from federal agencies such as NSF, NIH, NASA, DOE, a variety

of Defense agencies and non-profit organizations such as the

American Chemical Society and the Gas Research Institute. The

department’s emphasis is on the fundamentals that academic

work traditionally provides as the basis for commercial

development and manufacturing. The relevance of our research

studies is demonstrated by industrial funds from a large number

of chemical, aerospace, defense and semiconductor companies

that also complement the support we receive from government

funding agencies.

MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE – THESIS OPTION

Completion of this program is possible in 16 months, and the usual duration ranges from 16 to 24 months. The principal requirements for the M.S. degree are 30 semester hours and a research thesis approved by the student’s supervisory committee. These credits include:

1. Twelve graduate semester hours in the basis of chemical engineer-ing courses (Mathematical Basis, Continuum Basis, Molecular Basis, and Chemical and Bio Lab). Molecular Basis can be replaced with an Elective for students on Applied Track.

2. Six credits of Chemical Engineering Science courses, including at least one course in reaction engineering, bioengineering, or kinetics.

3. Up to six semester hours of supervised research.

Students must submit a final thesis and pass an oral thesis-defense examination.

MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE – NON-THESIS OPTION

This program is designed for completion in 12 months, although some students prefer longer durations. The MS-Non Thesis provides an op-portunity to develop an in-depth knowledge of chemical engineering fundamentals, to emphasize a specific specialization area and to ac-quire basic experience in research or industrial practice through a short internship. The principal requirements are 30 credits of courses includ-ing an option for 7 credits of research work in a laboratory or of work in an industrial internship. The core course requirements for this program are identical to that for the MS-Thesis. A final thesis document is not required but a written report on a project, internship or a contemporary Chemical Engineering topic is required for graduation.

All new students for the MS program are admitted to the non-thesis option at the time of admission and some are converted to the the-sis option upon approval by the Research Advisor and the Director of Graduate Programs.


IN ADDITION, WE RECENTLY COMPLETED OUR 10,000 SQUARE-FOOT CHEMICAL ENGINEERING STUDENT CENTER, WHICH HOUSES THE STUDENT ADVISING

CENTER, THE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION AND AMPLE STUDENT COLLABORATION SPACE. THIS FACIL-

ITY WAS 100% FUNDED BY OUR GENEROUS ALUMNI.

P R O G R A M S O F S T U DY

OUR DEPARTMENT IS HOUSED IN OUR FOUR-STORY, 51,000-SQUARE-FOOT

BUILDING, MUCH OF WHICH IS DEVOTED TO RESEARCH.

T H E D E P A R T M E N T

.

Graduate student professional and social life is enhanced by the chemical engineering’s graduate student soci-ety, GRACE (GRaduate Association of Chemical Engineers). One of GRACE’s

many activities is organizing the annual Graduate Student Research Symposi-

um, where students have an opportuni-ty to present and discuss their research with each other, the faculty and visiting

industrial representatives.

8


The department offers research assistantships and/or fellowships to all admitted Ph.D. students and some M.S. students. Financial assis-tance decisions are made at the time of admission, or shortly after. For Fall-term admission, the following items should be submitted by January 15 for full consideration. Late applications may be considered under exceptional circumstances.

DOCUMENTS TO BE SENT TO THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS:

1. On-Line Admission Application (http://www.admissions.ufl.edu start.html)2. Application fee (application fee waived for domestic applicants)3. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended4. Official GRE scores from ETS5. Official English Language Test (TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB) scores for international applicants

DOCUMENTS TO BE SENT TO THE CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT:

1. Graduate fellowship / assistantship application2. Statement of Purpose (unless submitted on-line)

3. Three recommendation letters (unless submitted on-line)4. Photocopy of official transcripts (copy of the original sent to Office of Admissions)5. Photocopy of GRE and English Language Test scores (copy of the original sent to Office of Admissions)6. A resume no longer than two pages (optional)

All relevant forms and more detailed information can be found on the university’s web page: http://www.admissions.ufl.edu/grad/.

UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSIONS

GPA≥3.0

International Students:

(1) GRE verbal ≥140 and(2) TOEFL≥550 (CBT≥213, IBT≥80) or IELTS≥6.0 or MELAB≥77

ETS codes for submission of GRE & TOEFL scores: 5812 (UF), 1001 (ChE Dept).

The GPA and GRE scores of accepted students are typically significantly higher than the minimum requirements.

ASSISTANTSHIPS

Graduate assistantships pay very attractive stipends plus tuition and are awarded to students for research duties. Graduate students who receive assistantships and have completed more than one year of study are generally expected to serve as teaching assistants for two terms. If satisfactory progress is maintained (3.0 GPA or better, and satisfactory grades in thesis and assistantship work) and funds are available, support is continued till graduation.

Research constitutes the most important focus of graduate work. New graduate students are encouraged to begin research as soon as pos-sible. Early in the Fall semester, the faculty make available descriptions of their research projects. In the weeks that follow, students consult with the faculty members and become better acquainted with the research in the department. The students then indicate their preferences for individual advisors. The assignments are then made based on the preferences expressed by the students.

CORE COURSES

Mathematical Basis of Chemical Engineering Molecular Basis of Chemical Engineering Continuum Basis of Chemical Engineering CHE ELECTIVES

Transport Phenomena Heat and Mass Transfer Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics Electrochemical Engineering Advanced Control

Thermodynamics Advanced Thermodynamics Phase and Chemical Equilibria

Reaction Engineering and Design Reactor Design and Optimization Chemical Kinetics Surface Science and Catalysis

Process Engineering and Design Computer Control of Processes Advanced Separation Processes Process Optimization

LAB COURSES

Chemical and Biological Lab Unit Operations Management Lab Semiconductor Device Fabrication Lab SPECIAL TOPICS

Electronic Materials Processing Interfacial Phenomena Biochemical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Polymer Processing Advanced Numerical Analysis Several other special topics

9

ENTREPRENEURSHIP, LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION

The following courses offered by the Engineering Innovation Institute (ELI) are available to all ChE graduate students. The ELI is instilling a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in students through experiential and cur-ricular based education that focuses on delivering key creativity, innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship skill sets.

Engineering LeadershipEngineering Innovation Engineering Entrepreneurship / Entrepreneurship for EngineersPrinciples of Ethical Engineering Practice Engineering Project Management Divergent Thinking

G R A D U AT E C O U R S E S The Department of Chemical Engineering offers a large selection of graduate courses. The most frequently offered courses are listed below.

In addition, students take courses offered by other departments in the College of Engineering and the University.

MASTER OF ENGINEERING DEGREE

A student with a B.S. degree in biology, chemistry, physics, mathemat-ics, or another branch of engineering may obtain a graduate degree in Chemical Engineering by meeting the necessary academic require-ments and taking selected undergraduate courses. Students intending to obtain a professionally oriented M.E. degree would normally com-plete their undergraduate requirements in 1-2 semesters. The graduate course requirements of 30 credits of coursework require another 3-4 semesters. The M.E. students can apply for conversion to the MSNT or MS-Thesis program after satisfactory completion of the undergradu-ate courses.

PH.D. DEGREE

The Ph.D. degree plan is primarily a research program. The granting of the degree is based essentially on general proficiency and distinctive attainments in Chemical Engineering and particularly on the

demonstrated ability to conduct an independent investigation as exhib-ited in the doctoral dissertation. Briefly, the formal requirements for the Ph.D. degree are:

1. Maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher with B- or higher in all Basis courses.

2. Successful completion of written and oral examinations for advancement to candidacy. The written examination is comprised of the candidate’s objectives and achievements towards his/her doctoral dissertation. The oral examination is based on the written part and related areas. The oral section also includes the Qualifying Examination to test the student’s breadth of knowledge in Chemical Engineering fundamentals.

3. Preparing a dissertation based on original research.

4. Passing the final examination based on the dissertation.

5. The graduation requirements include 90 credits including at least 30 credits in coursework. Details and minor changes in any of these requirements will be given upon the student’s arrival.

F I N A N C I A L A S S I S TA N C E

A S S I S TA N T S H I P S


M E E T

T H E

F A C U LT Y

1. Powell, K.C., & Chauhan, A. (2016). Inter-facial effects and emulsion stabilization by in situ surfactant generation through the saponification of esters. Colloids and Sur-faces A-Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 504, 458-470.

2. Gause, S., Hsu, K.H., Shafor, C., Dixon, P., Powell, K.C., & Chauhan, A. (2016). Mecha-nistic modeling of ophthalmic drug delivery

to the anterior chamber by eye drops and contact lenses. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 233, 139-154.

3. Hsu, K.H., Fang, S.P., Lin, C.L., Liao, Y.S., Yoon, Y.K., & Chauhan, A. (2016). Hybrid electrospun polycaprolactone mats con-sisting of nanofibers and microbeads for extended release of dexamethasone. Phar-maceutical Research, 33(6), 1509-1516.

4. Powell, K.C., & Chauhan, A. (2016). Dy-

namic interfacial tension and dilational rheology of dispersant Corexit 9500. Col-loids and Surfaces A-Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 497, 352-361.

5. Cave, G., Wu, Z., Hunter, N., Damitz, R., Chauhan, A., & Harvey, M. (2016). Reversal of lipophilic weak bases using pH gradient acidic centre liposomes: Demonstration of effect in dabigatran-induced anticoagula-tion. Clinical Toxicology, 54(5), 428-433.

12

JASON E. BUTLER, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1998, University of Texas at Austin

[email protected]

ANUJ CHAUHAN, PROFESSOR & ASSOCIATE CHAIR

Ph.D., 1998, City University of New York

[email protected]

OUR GROUP IS IN T ER EST ED IN EX PLOR ING PROBLEMS AT T HE interface of materials design, interfacial phenomena, and transport. Currently a majority

of our efforts are focused on ophthalmic biomaterials and pharmaceutical formulations. In each case, our goal is to integrate the fundamentals into the application driven

research to solve problems of immense societal interest.

OPT H A LMIC BIOM AT ER I A LS We are interested in various ophthalmic biomaterials including puncta plugs, for-nix inserts, contact lenses and drug eluting devices for both anterior and posteri-or segment diseases. We are currently designing contact lens coating to improve the lubricity and wettability, which are correlated to the comfort. Additionally we are exploring delivery of ophthalmic drugs via contact lenses for several diseases

with a focus on glaucoma therapy and cystinosis treatment for children. The con-tact lens based delivery is motivated by the deficiencies of eye drops including low

bioavailability of 1-5% and poor compliance particularly for diseases that require instillation of multiple eye drops each day. We have proven that contact lenses

deliver about 50% of the drug payload to the cornea and can be designed to release drugs for extended periods of a week to a month. Our approach for tailoring the drug

release profiles to the specific indication includes dispersing or self-assembling nanoparti-cles or nanobarriers into the contact lenses. With our novel approaches, the release durations

and amounts can be tailored in a wide range from a few hours to weeks, compared to an hour from commercial contact lenses. We have recently designed systems that can achieve a 2-week efficacy with 4-day lens wear. Our research in this area is at the interface of materials design, colloidal and interfacial phenomena, transport, and physiology. The in vitro experi-ments are accompanied by mathematical modeling and animal experiments, to be followed by human trials.

IN T ER FACI A L A ND COLLOIDA L PHENOMENA Our group is interested broadly in interfacial phenomena relevant to a wide range of problems including emulsion stabilization, adsorp-tion, self-assembly, precipitation, nanoparticle formation, protein adsorption, and drug stabilization and delivery. Our current emphasis is on designing kinetically stable macroemulsions for pharmaceutical application particularly intravenous delivery of drugs that have a narrow therapeutic window. We have designed kinetically stable systems that are stable for at least a few years using biocompatible surfactants for intravenous delivery of propofol. The animal studies show comparable pharmacodynamics to the commercial formula-tions and in vitro studies suggest that our formulations should reduce the pain that frequency accompanies propofol administration. Our group is also designing liposome based overdose treatment therapies. Animal studies with our liposomal formulation show excel-lent detoxification potential superior to Intralipid, which is the current state of the art. Other areas of interest include drug delivery, adsorption of drugs and proteins in contact lenses, design of novel sunscreens to minimize transport of toxic chemicals into the skin, designing liposomal systems for drug overdose therapy, ocular physiology and transport.

NA NOM A NUFACT UR ING Nanomaterials development is a key research area for us, and we are very interested in scalable production of nanomaterials for vari-ous applications. We are focusing on designing a wide range of nanomaterials to match the needs of the specific applications including microemulsions, liposomes, polymeric particles, nanorods, nanocrystals, etc. We are also interested in dispersion of the nanostruc-tures in hydrogel based devices to achieve the desired material and transport properties.

Department of Chemical Engineering FACULTY

Dynamics of Complex Fluids, Suspension andMultiphase Fluid Mechanics, Polymer Dynamics,

and Microfluidic Flows of Complex MaterialsOphthalmic Biomaterials, Interfacial and Colloidal

Phenomena, Nanomanufacturing

1. Bihi, I., Baudoin, M., Butler, J.E., Faille, C., & Zoueshtiagh, F. (2016). In-verse Saffman-Taylor Experiments with particles lead to capillarity driven fingering instabilities. Physical Review Letters, 117(3), 034501.

2. Arca, M., Ladd, A.J.C., & Butler, J.E. (2016). Electro-hydrodynamic con-centration of genomic length DNA. Soft Matter, 12(33), 6975-6984.

3. Snook, B., Butler, J.E., & Guazzelli, E. (2016). Dynamics of shear-induced migration of spherical particles in oscillatory pipe flow. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 786.

4. Phong P., Metzger, B., & Butler, J.E. (2016). Origin of critical strain amplitude in periodically sheared suspensions. Physical Review Fluids, 1, 022201.

5. Arca, M., Butler, J.E., & Ladd, A.J.C. (2015). Transverse migration of polyelectrolytes in micro-fluidic channels induced by combined shear and electric fields. Soft Matter, 11(22), 4375-4382.

Simulation of the vorticity alignment of a suspensions of rods caused by an

oscillatory shearing flow.

M Y R ESEA RCH GROUP IS GENER AT ING INSIGH TS A ND SOLU T IONS to problems regarding the transport of complex fluids using experimental, computa-

tional, and theoretical methods. Complex fluids, which encompass suspensions of particulates, emulsions, polymer solutions, and more, serve important roles in a

wide range of industries as well as emerging technologies. Efficient control and processing of these fluids requires predictive capabilities that, in most cases,

are lacking, as they often demonstrate nonlinear dynamics that create unex-pected and intriguing observations.

Some specific examples from our work are described:

M ACROMOLECUL A R T R A NSPORT IN MICROFLUIDICS Microfluidic, or lab-on-chip, technologies have the potential to significantly

improve medical diagnostic capabilities and accelerate advances in biological and biochemical research. Realizing this promise requires the ability to manipu-

late, and hence model, macromolecular motion within these small devices. As one effort, we have been examining transport dynamics of DNA, a polyelectrolyte,

through electrodeless channels. The work has demonstrated new and unexpected meth-ods that can be harnessed to control the cross-stream distribution of DNA using a combina-

tions of pressure gradients and electric fields. We are validating our model of this phenomenon through rigorous comparison of experimental results and simulations while simultaneously investigating technological applications.

SUSPENSION R HEOLOGY A ND DY NA MICS Suspensions of particles in viscous fluids are found in everyday materials such as concrete, in industrial advanced technologi-cal applications, and even in natural processes. Consequently, advances in evaluation in the transport properties and predictive capabilities for the dynamics will have a widely distributed impact through improved ability to rationally design processes. Some recent work in our group is focused on assessing the precise origin of irreversibilities in non-colloidal suspensions of spheres; these irreversibilities can cause, as one example, suspensions to demix during rheological testing and create inaccurate estimates of viscosities. Much of our work examines suspensions of rod-like particles, where coupling of the orientational dynamics with the flow field and center-of-mass motion creates truly complex results.

13

Selected Publications



14

OSCAR CRISALLE, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1990, University of California, Santa Barbara

[email protected]

Process Modeling, Robust Control Design forUncertain Systems, Predictive Control, Virtual

Sensors, Green and Renewable Energy Optimization, and Fuel Cells

OUR R ESEA RCH FOCUSES ON T HE A NA LYSIS A ND DESIGN OF advanced control systems, with applications to chemical-processing and energy-

generation industries. Our guiding philosophy is to establish new theoretical foundations, and validate advances through computer simulation studies and

experimental implementations. The applications include energy production systems and fuel cells, the manufacture of integrated microelectronic and photovoltaic devices, and the development of on-line measurement instru-mentation.

CON T ROL SCIENCE We design controllers that deliver high performance in spite of the pres-

ence of modeling uncertainty. Ongoing research seeks the synthesis of robust multivariable controllers predictive-control, variable-structure control, and

frequency-domain techniques, including our formulation of a robustness metric we call Nyquist Robust Stability Margin.

V IRT UA L SENSORS Often critical process variables needed for diagnostics and control cannot be meas-

ured because of the inability to place a physical sensor inside constrained geometries. Our group designs software sensors that estimate the value of inaccessible measurements using mathematical models and data from installed at other locations. The technology involves Kalman and Luenberger observers, as well as integral observers that can preserve accuracy even under conditions of data uncertainty.

FUEL CELLS We are developing direct methanol fuel cells designed to serve as long lasting power supplies for small electrical appliances. Our group conducts first-principles fuel cell modeling work to serve as the basis for designing real-time control manipulations that optimize operations and ensure high system performance. The goal is to develop green and renewable energy production technologies that can effectively address society’s growing need for a sustainable energy infrastructure.

1. Qu, B.Y., Lang, B.F., Liang, J.J., A.K., & Crisalle, O.D. (2016). Two-hidden-layer extreme learn-ing machine for regression and classification. Neurocomputing, 175, Part A, 826-834.

2. Luo, Y., Wang, S.Z., Sun, X.C., & Crisalle, O.D. (2016). Analysis of retailers’ coalition stability for supply chain based on LCS and stable set. International Journal of Production Research, 54(1), 170-185.

3. Mudiraj, S.P., Biswas, M.A.R., Lear, W.E., & Crisalle, O.D. (2015). Comprehensive mass trans-port modeling technique for the cathode side of an open-cathode direct methanol fuel cell. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 40(25), 8137-8159.

4. Biswas, M.A.R., Mudiraj, S.P., Lear, W.E., & Crisalle, O.D. (2014). Systematic approach for modeling methanol mass transport on the anode side of direct methanol fuel cells. Interna-tional Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 39(15), 8009-8025. 5. Kuo, C.C., Lear, W.E., Fletcher, J.H., & Crisalle O.D. (2012). Critique and improvement of a one-dimensional, semi-analytical model of a direct methanol fuel cell. Journal of Fuel Science and Technology, 9(5), 054501.


15

RICHARD DICKINSON, PROFESSOR & DEPARTMENT CHAIR

Ph.D., 1992, University of Minnesota

[email protected]

1. Zhang, Q., Kota, K.P., Alam, S.G., Nickerson, J.A., Dickinson, R.B., & Lele, T.P. (2016). Coordinated dynamics of RNA splicing speckles in the nucleus. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 231(6), 1269-1275.

2. Kent, I.A., Rane, P.S., Dickinson, R.B., Ladd, A.J.C., & Lele, T.P. (2016). Transient pinning and pulling: A mechanism for bending microtubules. PLOS One, 11(3), e0151322.

3. Aggarwal, V., Dickinson, R.B., & Lele, T.P. (2016). Concentration sensing by the moving nucleus in cell fate determination: A com-putational analysis. PLOS One, 11(2), e0149213.

4. Neelam, S., Hayes, P.R., Zhang, Q., Dickinson, R.B., & Lele, T.P. (2016). Vertical uniformity of cells and nuclei in epithelial monolay-ers. Scientific Reports, 6, 19689.

5. Li, Y., Lovett, D., Zhang, Q., Neelam, S., Kuchibhotla, R.A., … Lele, T.P., … Dickinson, R.B. (2015). Moving cell boundaries drive nuclear shaping during cell spreading. Biophysical Journal, 109(4), 670-686.

OUR R ESEA RCH IS IN T HE A R EA OF MOLECUL A R /CELLUL A R bioengineering. We apply engineering principles to student the behavior of living

cells or other small-scale biological systems. Using a combination of engineer-ing modeling/analysis, quantitative experimentation, together with the tools of

molecular cell biology, we seek to better understand the relationship between cell function and the physical and molecular properties of cells and their envi-ronment. Our projects are typically in collaboration with experts in microscopy cell biology.

FORCE GENER AT ION BY IN T R ACELLUL A R BIOPOLY MERS Living cells have a cytoskeleton comprised of semi-flexible filaments (actin

microfilaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments), which determine the cell’s mechanical properties and, through their interactions with molecular motors,

are responsible for for cell movements and intracellular force generation. In one area of focus, we study the reaction/diffusion processes involved filament assembly

that lead to cellular protrusions during cell crawling and propel intracellular pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. We are also investigating how the molecular motor protein

complex dynein generating force on microtubules moves the nucleus and allows the cell to locate its center. Another area of interest is to understand the dynamics and mechanical properties of muscle-like actin filament bundles called stress fibers in non-muscle cells.

FORCE GENER AT ION OF T HE NUCLEUS Cell behavior depends strongly on the chemical and mechanical properties of its environment. For example, stem cells cultured on compliant materials will differentiate to cells of the tissue type that has similar rigidity. Mechanical cues change gene expression in a process called “mechanotransduction”, which often involves transmission of force from the outside to the cell to the nucleus. One current focus is to understand how these forces are transmitted to generate stresses on the nuclear surface that result in shape changes and positioning of the nucleus.

Biomolecular Motors and Cell Motility, Biomedical Device-Centered Infections,and Adhesion-Mediated Cell Migration




16

HELENA HAGELIN-WEAVER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1999, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm

[email protected]

Heterogeneous Catalysis, Nanoparticle Oxide Shapes, Atomic Layer Deposition, SurfaceCharacterization, and Renewable Energy

Applications

1. Elkins, T.W., Roberts, S.J., & Hagelin-Weaver, H.E. (2016). Effects of alkali and alkaline-earth metal dopants on magnesium oxide supported rare-earth oxide catalysts in the oxi-dative coupling of methane. Applied Catalysis A General, 528, 175-190.

2. Zhao, E.W., Xin, Y., Hagelin-Weaver, H.E., & Bowers, C.R. (2016). Semihydrogenation of propyne over cerium oxide nanorods, nanocubes, and nano-octahedra: Facet-dependent parahydrogen-induced polarization. Chemcatchem, 8(13), 2197-2201.

3. Zhao, E.W., Zheng, H.B., Ludden, K., Xin, Y., Hagelin-Weaver, H.E., & Bowers, C.R. (2016). Strong metal-support interactions enhance the pairwise selectivity of parahydrogen addi-tion over Ir/TiO2. ACS Catalysis, 6(2), 974-978.

4. Dodson, J.J., & Hagelin-Weaver, H.E. (2015). Effect of titania structure on palladium oxide catalysts in the oxidative coupling of 4-methylpyridine. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A-Chemical, 410, 271-279.

5. Roberts, S.J., Dodson, J.J., Carpinone, P.L., & Hagelin-Weaver, H.E. (2015). Evaluation of nanoparticle zirconia supports in the thermochemical water splitting cycle over iron oxides. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 40(46), 15972-15984.

W E WOR K ON HET EROGENEOUS CATA LYST DEV ELOPMEN T in my laboratory and our ultimate goal is to obtain a fundamental understanding of

these catalysts at the atomic level. Our approach is to prepare well-defined het-erogeneous catalysts using nanoparticle oxides with various shapes and sizes

as supports and use different methods, including conventional precipitation-deposition and incipient wetness impregnation as well as atomic layer deposi-tion, to deposit active metals onto these supports. Since different shapes of nanoparticle oxides expose different surface facets, the use of these materials allows us to investigate how the active metal-support interactions vary with surface facets, and how this ultimate affects the catalytic activities. Further-more, the fraction of corner and edge sites (relative to terrace sites) increases

with decreasing particle size. Therefore, by varying the size of the nanoparticle oxides, we can investigate the effects of coordinatively unsaturated sites (i.e.

corner and edge sites) of the support on the active metal. The use of atomic layer deposition of metal (or metal oxide) onto these nanoparticle oxides will provide

better control over the metal particle size on the support.

OUR R ESEA RCH IN VOLV ES SY N T HESIS OFa-shape and size- selected nanoparticle oxides, active metal deposition onto the nanoparticle ox-

ides using different methods, and catalyst characterization using a number of analytical techniques to determine how the particle size and shape of the oxide support influence the active metal and thus also the catalytic activities and selectivities. The analyti-cal techniques include for example; Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, chemisorption of probe molecules (such as carbon monoxide or hydrogen) to determine active metal surface area, temperature programmed reduction and oxidation (TPR and TPO) experiments to determine reduction-oxidation (redox) properties, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to deter-mine electronic structure and surface chemical composition, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to determine support particle sizes and shapes, as well as particle sizes and size distribution of active metals on the support, and x-ray diffrac-tion (XRD) measurements to determine crystal structures and crystallite sizes.

W E FOCUS M A INLY ON EN V IRONMEN TA LLY FR IENDLY, ENERGY-R EL AT ED R EACT IONS Our projects include catalyst development for hydrogen production via catalytic steam reforming of methanol (for proton ex-change membrane {PEM} fuel cell applications), C-H activation and C-C coupling of aromatic compounds, oxidative coupling of methane (methane to higher-value chemicals), Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of diesel fuel from biomass-derived synthesis gas (CO+H2), and thermochemical water-splitting using solar energy.

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images obtained from CeO2 nano-octahedra onto which a thin layer of Al2O3 have been depos-ited using atomic layer deposition (left) and copper particles have been deposited using a microemul-sion technique (right).


DAVID HIBBITTS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 2012, University of Virginia

[email protected]

1. Hibbitts, D., Dybeck, E., Lawlor, T., Neurcock, M., & Iglesia, E. (2016). Preferential activation of CO near hydrocarbon chains during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on Ru. Journal of Catalysis, 337, 91-101.

2. Hibbitts, D.D., Flaherty, D.W., & Iglesia, E. (2016). Role of branch-ing on the rate and mechanism of C–C cleavage in alkanes on metal surfaces. ACS Catalysis, 6(1), 469-482.

3. Hibbitts, D., & Neurcock, M. (2016). Promotional effects of chem-isorbed oxygen and hydroxide in the activation of C–H and O–H bonds over transitional metal surfaces. Surface Science, 650, 210-220.

4. Hibbitts, D., & Iglesia, E. (2015). Prevalence of bimolecular routes in the activation of diatomic molecules with strong chemical bonds (O2, NO, CO, N2) on catalytic surfaces. Accounts of Chemical Re-search, 48(5), 1254-1262.

5. Gurbuz, E.I., Hibbitts, D.D., & Iglesia, E. (2015). Kinetic and mecha-nistic assessment of alkanol/alkanal decarbonylation and deoxy-genation pathways on metal catalysts. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 137(37), 11984-11995.

HIBBIT TS’ R ESEA RCH GROUP Hibbitts’ research group will combine kinestic and isotopic experiments with

state-of-the-art density functional theory calculations to achieve an atomic-level understanding of heterogeneous catalysis. His Ph.D. studies were at the Uni-versity of Virginia (advised by Matthew Neurock), where he learned computa-tional catalysis. From there, he did a Post-Doc at the University of California at Berkeley (advised by Enrique Iglesia), where he used a combination of theory and experiments to study the production of fuels from carbon monoxide and hydrogen (Fischer-Tropsch synthesis).

CATA LYST M AT ER I A LSThe desired shift in the global energy economy from petroleum-based fuels to

renewable resources will be made possible through the design of catalysts, includ-ing electro- and photo-catalysts. These catalyst materials enable the efficient

conversion of feedstocks derived from biomass, natural gas, and other emerging resources into value-added fuels and chemicals. Key to the development of such cataylsts

is an understanding of how they behave at the molecular level, leading to structure-function relationships which improve catalytic processes and guide catalyst discovery.

HIBBIT TS’ R ESEA RCH GROUP W ILL COMBINE M ULT IPLE T ECHNIQUES In order to study a variety of chemical conversions of biomass and shale gas, and the group will attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of supported noble metal and zeolite catalysts. In addition to his research endeavors, Hibbitts is teaching a course in Molecular Understanding of Catalysis available to graduate Ph.D. and Master’s students. The course will cover a wide range of topics in heterogeneous catalysis, including synthesis, characterization, kinetic and isotopic studies, as well as the use of density functional theory and other computational methods in the area of cataylsis.

Heterogenous Catalysis, Kinestic Studies, Density Functional Theory, and Catalyst Synthesis and

Characterization

17



18

PENG JIANG, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 2001, Rice University

[email protected]

W E A R E BROA DLY IN T ER EST ED IN DEV ELOPINGNew chemical, physical, engineering, and biological applications related to self-as-

sembled nanostructured materials. Our current research is focused on the follow-ing four topics:

SELF-ASSEMBLED PHOTONIC & PL ASMONIC CRYSTA LS Photonic crystals and plasmonic crystals offer unprecedented opportuni-ties for the realization of all-optical integrated circuits and high-speed optical computation. Our group is developing a number of scalable colloidal self-assembly technologies to control, manipulate, and amplify light on the sub-wavelength scale. We are also involved in the fabrication, characteriza-tion, and modeling of a large variety of functional nanooptical and plasmonic

devices enabled by the bottom-up approaches.

BIOMIMET IC BROA DBA ND A N T IR EFLECT ION COAT INGS By mimicking the nanostructured antireflection layer on the cornea of a moth and

the water-shedding coating on the wings of a cicada, we are developing self-cleaning broadband antireflection coatings for a wide spectrum of applications ranging from

highly efficient solar cells and light emitting diodes to high-sensitivity spectroscopy for space exploration. Once again, we are interested in scalable nanomanufacturing technologies that

can be inexpensively applied to large areas.

NOV EL ST IM ULI-R ESPONSI V E SH A PE MEMORY POLY MERS By integrating scientific principles drawn from two disparate fields—the fast-growing photonic crystal and shape memory poly-mer (SMP) technologies, we have developed a new type of shape memory polymer (SMP) that enables unusual “cold” program-ming and instantaneous shape recovery triggered by applying an external pressure or exposing to an organic vapor at ambient conditions. These new stimuli-responsive SMPs differ greatly from currently available SMPs as they enable orders of magnitude faster response and room-temperature operations for the entire shape memory cycle. We are now exploring the broad applica-tions of these smart materials in detecting Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) materials and aerospace morphing structures.

SM A RT W INDOW COAT INGS FOR ENERGY-EFFICIEN T BUILDINGS Windows are typically regarded as a less energy efficient building component, and they contribute about 30 percent of overall building heating and cooling loads. We are developing a transformative dynamic window technology that enables dynamic and independent control of visible and NIR light and eliminates expensive transparent conductors in the final devices. The innova-tive dynamic windows are inspired by the mature heat pipe and photonic crystal technologies, which have been widely used in controlling the flow of heat and light, respectively.

Self-Assembled Photonic Crystals & PlasmonicCrystals, Biomimetic Broadband Antireflection

Coatings, Novel Stimuli-Responsive Shape Memory Polymers, & Smart Window Coatings for Energy-

Efficient Buildings

1. Askar, K., Leo, S., Liu, D., & Jiang, P. (2016). Layer-by-layer assembly of near-infrared-active colloidal photonic crystals. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 482, 89-94.

2. Choi, B., Dou, X., Chung, P.Y., & Jiang, P. (2016). Outstanding surface plasmon resonance perfor-mance enabled by templated oxide gratings. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18, 26078-26087.

3. Fang, Y., Ni, Y.L., Leo, S. Y., Wang, B.C., Basile, V., Taylor, C., & Jiang, P. (2015). Direct writing of three-dimensional macroporous photonic crystals on pressure-responsive shape memory polymers. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 7, 23650-23659.

4. Fang, Y., Ni, Y., Leo, S.Y., Taylor, C., Basile, V., & Jiang, P. (2015). Reconfigurable photonic crystals enabled by pressure-responsive shape-memory polymers. Nature Communications, 6, 7416.

5. Fang, Y., Ni, Y., Choi, B., Leo, S.Y., Gao, J., Ge, B., … Jiang, P. (2015). Chromogenic photonic crystals enabled by novel vapor-re-sponsive shape-memory polymers. Advanced Materials, 27, 3696-3704.


LEWIS JOHNS, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1964, Carnegie Mellon University

[email protected]

1. Johns, L.E., & Naryanan, R. (2012). Miscible displacement in bounded fluid layers: Branching beyond critical. European Journal of Mechanics - B/Fuids, 32, 91-100.

2. Batson, W.R., Johns, L.E., & Narayanan, R. (2011). Effect of domain perturbations on the critical condition for steady-state thermal explosions. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 50(23), 13244-13249.

3. Uguz, K.E., Johns, L.E., & Narayanan, R. (2011). Stabilizing the interface in the Rayleigh-Taylor and the Saffman-Taylor problems by heating. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 50(23), 13250-13257.

4. Johns, L.E., & Narayanan, R. (2011). The Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a surface of arbitrary cross section with pinned edges. Phys-ics of Fluids, 23, 012108.

5. Agarwal, S., Johns, L.E., & Narayanan, R. (2009). Subcritical-supercritical crossover in solidification. Journal of Crystal Growth, 311, 3511.

Fluid Mechanics and Stability of Phase Boundaries

M Y WOR K IN VOLV ED T HE STA BILIT Y OF PH ASE BOUNDA R IES

as one phase displaces another. Other areas of interest are electro-deposition,

solidification, precipitation, and other related phenomena.


19

G AT O R

Great to be a


20

DMITRY KOPELEVICH, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 2002, University of Notre Dame

[email protected]

1. Kopelevich, D.I., & Nagle, J.F. (2015). Correlation between length and tilt of lipid tails. Journal of Chemical Physics, 143(15), 154702.

2. Kopelevich, D.I. (2013). One-dimensional potential of mean force underestimates activation barrier for transport across flexible lipid membranes. Journal of Chemical Physics, 139(13), 134906.

3. Ahn, Y.N., Mohan, G., & Kopelevich, D.I. (2012). Collective degrees of freedom involved in absorption and desorption of surfactant mol-ecules in spherical non-ionic micelles. Journal of Chemical Physics, 137(16), 164902.

4. Ahn, Y.N., Gupta, A., Chauhan, A., & Kopelevich, D. (2011). Molecular transport through surfactant-covered oil-water interfaces: Role of physical properties of soluted and surfactants in creating energy barriers for transport. Langmuir, 27, 2420-2436.

5. May, E.R., Narang, A., & Kopelevich, D.I. (2007). Role of molecular tilt in thermal fluctuations of lipid membranes. Physical Review E, 76, 021913.

Self-Assembled Surfactant Systems, Stability of Biomembranes, and Transport in Self-Assembled

Systems

OUR RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THEORETICAL & COMPUTATIONALinvestigation of transport phenomena and non-equilibrium processes in nanoscale

systems. We apply molecular dynamics and multi•scale simulations, as well as theoretical tools, to various nanoscale systems whose understanding is of sig-

nificant scientific and technological importance.

SELF-ASSEMBLED SUR FACTA N T SYST EMSSurfactants (or amphiphiles) are molecules that contain both hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments. In aqueous solutions, surfactants spontaneously self-assemble into a variety of microstructures that find use in numerous

applications, including drug delivery vehicles and templates for advanced nanostructured materials. In addition to their industrial uses, self-assembled

structures of amphiphilic molecules, such as lipid bilayers, are building blocks for various biological systems. In all of these systems, the dynamics of self-assembly

and transitions between different self-assembled struc tures plays an important role. Our goal is to understand molecular mechanisms of these transitions. Currently,

we are investigating several systems, including formation and break-up of spherical micelles and dynamics of lipid membranes.

STA BILIT Y OF BIOMEMBR A NESOne of the common causes of cell death is disruption of the cellular membrane. Therefore, understand ing mechanisms of membrane instability is important in various biomedical applications. For example, improvement of antimicrobial agents (e.g., peptides) which efficiently kill bacteria by destabilizing their mem branes may lead to development of medications which do not promote antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. On the other hand, reduction of toxicity of various industrial products calls for the development of mate-rials which do not destabilize cellular membranes on contact. Our current research is focused on investigation of stability of the major constituent of cellular membranes (lipid bilayers) to perturbations created by manufac tured nanoparticles (such as fullerenes and carbon nanotubes) and surfactant molecules.

T R A NSPORT IN SELF-ASSEMBLED SYST EMSThe process of mass transfer across surfactant-covered microemulsion interfaces and lipid bilayers plays an important role in numer-ous applications, including separations, reactions, drug delivery, and detoxification. We investigate the molecular mechanisms of solute transport across an interface composed of tightly packed amphiphilic molecules and assess various factors that affect this transport.


ANTHONY LADD, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1978, University of Cambridge

[email protected]

Complex Fluids, and Soft Matter and TransportPhenomena

1. Starchenko, V., Marra, C.J., & Ladd, A.J.C. (2016). Three-dimensional simulations of fracture dissolution. Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth, 121, 6421-6444.

2. Kent, I.A., Rane, P.S., Dickinson, R.B., Ladd, A.J.C., & Lele, T.P. (2016). Transient pinning and pulling: A mechanism for bending microtu-bules. PLOS One, 11(3), e0151322.

3. Arca, M., Ladd, A.J.C., & Butler, J.E. (2016). Electro-hydrodynamic concentration of genomic length DNA. Soft Matter, 12(33), 6975-6984.

4. Ladd, A.J.C. (2015). Lattice-Boltzmann methods for suspensions of solid particles. Molecular Physics, 113(17-18), 2531-2537.

5. Upadhyay, V.K., Szymczak, P., & Ladd, A.J.C. (2015). Initial conditions or emergence: What determines dissolution patterns in rough frac-tures? Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth, 120(9), 6102-6121.

OUR R ESEA RCH FOCUSES ON T HE DY NA MICS OF SYST EMS at the micron scale; colloids, polymers, and other soft matter. The research com-

bines the scientific disciplines of statistical mechanics and fluid dynamics with advanced computing to elucidate the key physical processes that underlie labora-

tory observations and measurements. Areas of application include statistical physics, biophysics and geophysics.

DISSOLU T ION & BR EA K T HROUGH IN NA R ROW FR ACT UR ES The origin of underground cave systems, such as those at Mammoth Mountain, Kentucky has been investigated for over 100 years. In the 19th cenrury, Lyell realized that subterranean caverns were the result of dissolutionby weakly

acidic solutions of atmospheric C02. However, models for the dissolution pro-cess suggest that water flowing through limestone formations is very quickly

saturatedd with calcium ions, over distances of the order of centimeters. Never-theless, limestone caverns extend for kilometers; Mammoth cave in Kentucky has

nearly 400 miles of pas sages. So how does the dissolution get so deep? The answer until recently has been described in terms of changes in chemical kinetics; in natural cal-

cite the reaction rate decreas es by orders of magnitude near saturation.

PA R A DOX ICA LLY, T HIS PROMOT ES DISSOLU T ION Since the undersaturated solution can penetrate deeper into the fractured rock. Although this is an appealing and wideIy accepted resolution of the cave formation paradox, it turns out to be the wrong explana tion. Recently, Piotr Szymczak and I realized that there is auniversal instability in the equations for fracture dissolution, so that a dissolution front is always unstable. This provides a more effective means to promote dissolution than changes in chemical kinetics and has a profound effect on how long it takes for break-through (when the fracture opens along its whole length) to occur. This work was recently reported in Science News and also selected as an Editor’s Choice by Science magazine.


21

UF ranks #7 Best public colleges in America by The Business Journals


TANMAY LELE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 2002, Purdue University

[email protected]

Supramolecular Complex Assembly, Physical Control of Cell Behavior, and

Nanobiotechnology

CELL MECH A NICS We are studying the molecular mechanisms of force generation in the cell cytoskel-

eton with a (current) focus on nuclear forces. We employ techniques like femtosec-ond laser ablation, micromanipulation and photoactivation for manipulating the

cellular force balance. We are also interested in how cells sense and respond to micro-environmental mechanical cues and how cytoskeletal forces are altered

in pathologies like cancer and muscular dystrophies.

CELL A ND T ISSUE ENGINEER ING New technologies for controlling cell and tissue function are an important focus. We are developing novel materials for controlling cell adhesion, new

methods to apply mechanical forces to cells and to micropattern intracellular structure.

QUA N T ITAT I V E CELL BIOLOGY We have developed new methods for analyzing protein binding interactions in living

cells using a combination of mathematical modeling and fluorescence-based methods. We continue to refine these methods and apply them for developing a quantitative under-

standing of intracellular processes.

1. Neelam, S., Chancellor, T.J., Li, Y., Nickerson, J., Roux, K., Dickinson, R.B., & Lele, T.P. (2015). A direct force probe reveals the mechanics of nuclear homeostasis in the mammalian cell. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(18), 5720-5725.

2. Alam, S.G., Lovett, D., Kim, D.I., Roux, K., Dickinson R.B., & Lele T.P. (2015). The nucleus is an intracellular propagator of tensile forces in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Journal of Cell Science, 128(10), 1901-1911.

3. Torbati, M., Lele, T.P., & Agrawal, A. (2016). On the ultra-donut topology of the nuclear envelope. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(40), 11094-11099.

4. Li, Y., Lovett, D., Zhang, Q., Neelam, S., Kuchibhotla, R.A., Zhu, R., Gundersen, G.G., Lele, T.P., & Dickinson, R.B. (2015). Moving cell boundary drives nuclear flattening during cell spreading. Biophysical Journal, 109(4), 670-686.

5. Kent, I., Rane, P.S., Dickinson, R.B., Ladd, A.J.C., & Lele, T.P. (2016). Transient pinning and pulling: A mechanism for bending microtubules. PLOS ONE, 11(3), e0151322.

2x The College of Engineering has twice the average number of inventions produced per research dollar invested.

22


RANGA NARAYANAN, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1978 Illinois Institute of Technology

[email protected]

1. Batson, W., Zoueshtiagh, F., & Narayanan, R. (2015). Two-frequency excitation of single-mode Faraday waves. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 764, 538-571.

2. Batson, W., Zoueshtiagh, F., & Narayanan, R. (2013). Dual role of gravity on the Faraday threshold for immiscible viscous layers. Physical Review E, 88, 063002.

3. Uguz, E.K., & Narayanan, R. (2012). Instability in evaporative binary mixtures, Part I: The effect of solutal Marangoni convec-tion. Physical Fluids, 24, 094101.

4. Uguz , E.K., & Narayanan, R. (2012). Instability in evaporative binary mixtures, Part II: The effect of Rayleigh convection. Physi-cal Fluids, 24, 094102.

5. Diwakar, S.V., Zoueshtiagh, F., Amiroudine, S., & Narayanan, R. (2015). The Faraday instability in miscible fluid systems. Physics of Fluids, 27(8), 084111.

T R A NSPORT OF HEAT A ND M ASS A ND MOMEN T UM A R E OFT EN a c c o m p a n i e d by spatial and temporal pattern formation. Understanding the

cause of pat tern formation is pivotal as this research has application to the pro-cessing of materials on earth and under microgravity conditions.

IN T HE A R EA OF INSTA BILIT IES, IT IS T HE GOA Lof the present research to examine the physics of the spontaneous generation of spatial patterns in processes that involve solidifica tion, electrodeposition and free-surface convection. The pattern formation is associated with insta-bilities of a parent state as a control parameter is changed. Other processes of interest that involve instabilities are shearing flows with viscous dissipation

of heat and oscillatory flows where flow reversal is the cause of non-rectilinear patterns.

T HE M AT HEM AT ICA L MET HODS USED IN OUR R ESEA RCHare related to bifurcation theory, non -linear energy methods, and perturbation

techniques. The experimental methods involve flow sensing by infrared imaging, shadowgraphy and electrochemical titration.

ST UDIES A R E A LSO BEING CONDUCT ED IN T R A NSPORT PHENOMENA AS applied to regenerative life support. In this regard, the effect of pulsatile flow on mass and heat transfer is being investigated with the objective of enhancing transport and separation of species. In addi tion, these studies have application to biomedical fields such as transport in the lungs.


5x The College of Engineering has five times the U.S. average of startups launched per research dollar invested.

23


Interfacial Instability, Pattern Formation withApplications to Materials Science, and Life Support

and Space Enabling Operations

24

MARK ORAZEM, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1983, University of California, Berkeley

[email protected]

ENERGY SYST EMS A combined experimental and modeling approach is being used to facilitate an

in-depth understanding of the physical processes that control degradation and failure of lithium-ion battery systems. The objective is to use impedance spec-

troscopy to identify conditions that precede failure of lithium batteries. The failure modes under investigation include the effects of temperature, overcharge, and over-discharge.

A PPLICAT IONS OF ELECT ROCHEMICA L ENGINEER ING A series of research projects illustrate the application of electrochemical

engineering to systems of practical importance. A combined experimental and modeling approach is being used to improve understanding of internal and exter-

nal corrosion of pipelines used for transportation of oil and natural gas. Electro-kinetic phenomena are being exploited to enhance separation of water from dilute

suspensions of clay associated with phosphate mining operations.

ELECT ROCHEMICA L IMPEDA NCE SPECT ROSCOPY Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is an experimental technique in which sinusoidal

modulation of an input signal is used to obtain the transfer function for an electrochemical system. In its usual application, the modulated input is potential, the measured response is current, and the transfer function is represented as an impedance. The impedance is obtained at different modulation frequencies, thus invoking the term spectroscopy. Through use of system-specific models, the impedance response can be interpreted in terms of kinetic and transport parameters. Through an international collaboration with scientists and engineers from France, Italy, and the United States, work is underway to improve the understanding of how impedance can be interpreted to gain insight into the physics and chemistry of such diverse systems as batteries, fuel cells, corroding metals, and human skin. Current projects include impedance of enzyme-based sensors for biological systems and development of impedance-based sen-sors to detect failure of segmentally constructed bridges.

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy,Energy Systems, Corrosion, and

Mathematical Modeling

Dragline at a Florida Phosphate mine, part of an operation producing fertilizer. A process under develop-

ment using an electric field to provide rapid removal of solids from a dilute waste stream may greatly reduce the

environmental impact of the process.

1. Chen, Y.-M., Nguyen, A.S., Orazem, M.E., Tribollet, B., Pébère, N., Musiani, M., & Vivier, V. (2016). Identification of resistivity distributions in dielectric layers by measurement model analysis of impedance spectroscopy. Electro-chimica ACTA, 219, 312-320.

2. Nguyen, A.S., Musiani, M., Orazem, M.E., Pebere, N., Tribollet, B., & Vivier, V. (2016). Impedance study of the influence of chromates on the properties of waterborne coatings deposited on 2024 aluminum alloy. Corrosion Science, 109, 174-181.

3. Alexander, L., Tribollet, B., & Orazem, M.E. (2016). Influence of micrometric-scale electrode heterogeneity on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Electrochimica ACTA, 201, 374-379.

4. Chen, Y.M., & Orazem, M.E. (2016). Impedance analysis of ASTM A416 ten-don steel corrosion in alkaline simulated pore solutions. Corrosion Science, 104, 26-35.

5. Alexander, C.L., Tribollet, B., & Orazem, M.E. (2016). Contribution of surface distributions to Constant-Phase-Element (CPE) behavior: 2. capacitance. Elec-trochimica ACTA, 188, 566-573.


25

CHANG-WON PARK, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1985, Stanford University [email protected]

POLY MER R HEOLOGY A ND PROCESSING Multicomponent flows of polymeric materials are encountered frequently in vari-

ous industrial applications. Due to the complexity of polymer rheology, numer-ous issues involving such flows remain to be understood.

Our study in this area focuses on investigating various multicomponent flows of polymeric fluids through an interplay between process modeling and experiment. The modeling is to establish theoretical bases of various fluid mechanical behaviors observed experimentally. Fundamental under-standing is thereby obtained regarding the influence of polymer rheology and processing conditions on the solid-state properties of various articles fabricated by such flows. This study not only provides useful information

for process improvement, but also contributes to developing new novel processing techniques for polymeric fluids. As a specific application, vari-

ous methods to fabricate Graded-Index Polymer Optical Fibers (GI-POF) are investigated. GI-POF is of practical interest as a high bandwidth data transmis-

sion medium for local area networks as well as home networks.

M ULTI-PH ASE FLOWS Multiphase flows are of great importance in numerical industrial applications. Our current

interest is in the flow of gas-liquid mixture through a porous medium with a specific focus on a com-pact reformer system to generate hydrogen from a methanol-water mixture. The compact reformer is to generate hydrogen fuel for portable polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) that are favored as a portable power source for various applica-tions such as aviation, automobile and consumer electronics (laptops, cell phones, camcorders, etc.). Although pure hydrogen is the best fuel for PEMFC, difficulties associated with hydrogen storage and the portability of the storage system make hydro-carbons to be more practical choices as a fuel for small-size mobile applications. Our research in this area is to develop a new design for a micro-reformer to produce hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuels that provides high efficiency in terms of conversion and thermal management, compactness and easy integration with the fuel cell for portability.

1. Park, C.-W., Kwon, O., Hwang, S.S., & Lee, S.Y. (2010). All-optical gigabit internet infrastructure in home/office network. Proceedings on the 9th International Conference on Optical Internet, Jeju, Korea.

2. Park, C.-W., & Kwon, O. (2008). Modification of RI profile for the reduction of bending loss of a PMMA GI-POF. Proceedings on the 17th International Conference on Polymer Optical Fibers, San Jose, USA.

3. Park, C.-W. (2006). Fabrication of GI-POF for high bandwidth data communication. Proceedings on the International Conference on Telecommunications & Multimedia, Heraklion, Greece.

4. Park, C.-W. (2005). Manufacture of POF. Proceedings on the 14th International Conference on Polymer Optical Fibers, Hong Kong, China.

5. Qin, K., Moudgil, B., & Park, C.-W. (2004). A chemical mechanical polishing model incorporating both the chemical and mechanical effects. Thin Solid Films, 446, 277-286.

Polymer Rheology and Processing



26

FAN REN, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1991, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute of Technology

[email protected]

Semiconductor Materials and Devices

1. Oh, S.Y., Kim, J.H., Ren, F., Pearton, S.J., & Kim, J. (2016). Quasi-two-dimensional b-gallium oxide solar-blind photodetectors with ultrahigh responsivity. Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 4, 9245.

2. Ahn, S., Ren, F., Oh, S., Jung, Y., Kim, J., Mastro, M.A., … Pearton, S.J. (2016). Elevated temperature performance of Si-implanted solar-blind beta-Ga203 photodetectors. Journal of Vacuum Sci-ence & Technology B, 34(4), 041207.

3. Ahn, S., Lin, Y.H., Ren, F., Oh, S., Jung, Y., Yang, G., … Pearton, S.J. (2016). Effect of 5 MeV proton irradiation damage on perfor-mance of beta-Ga203 photodetectors. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, 34(4), 041213.

4. Kang, T.S., Lin, Y.-H., Ahn, S., Ren, F., Gila, B.P., Pearton, S.J., & Cheney, D.J. (2016). Identification of trap locations in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors by varying photon flux during

sub-bandgap optical pumping. Journal of Vacuum Science & Tech-nology B, 34, 011203.

5. Morrow, W.K., Pearton, S.J., & Ren, F. (2016). Review of gra-phene as a solid state diffusion barrier. Small, 12(1), 120-134.

W IDE ENERGY-BA NDGA P ELECT RONIC DEV ICES Wide energy-bandgap electronic devices, typically based on GaN films, have been

extensively investigated in recent years due to their unique optical and electronic properties and exciting potential applications. In particular, visible and ultravio-

let lasers and light-emitting diodes have been demonstrated for display and data-storage applications. This effort is part of a consortium chartered with developing the requisite technologies for high power and high breakdown voltage electronics based on GaN materials. Contact metallization, pas-sivation, device integration and characterization studies are routinely per-formed using state-of-the-art equipment. This work has been supported by the Office of Naval Research, the Electric Power Research Institute and the

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

SEMICONDUCTOR DEV ICE PASSI VAT ION This research program aims to develop the basic science and technology of low-

temperature deposition methods that can provide reliable and reproduc ible passi-vation for compound semiconductor devices, such as pseudomorphic AIGaAs/InGaAs/

GaAs PHEMTs, GaAs MESFETs, GaAs based HBTs and lnGaAs/InP based HBTs and GaN based devices.

T HER E A R E T HR EE M AJOR TOPICS UNDER IN V EST IGAT ION: (1) Deposition of silicon-nitride based dielectrics using different precursors such as SiH4/NH3, SiH4/N2, SiD4/N2, SiD4/ND3 and hydrogen-free dielectric and incorporation of a D, 0, or N plasma treatment to reduce the occurrence of dangling bonds.

(2) Optimization of the dielectric material quality with different deposition techniques and conditions. The systems considered include conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), down-stream electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECRCVD), and inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICPCVD).

(3) Characterization of device degradation mechanisms related to deposition techniques, dielectric film quality and the hydro-gen passivation effect.


27

CARLOS RINALDI, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 2002, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

[email protected]

Nanomedicine, Cancer Nanotechnology, MagneticNanoparticles, Colloidal Hydrodynamics, and

Transport Phenomena

1. Merchant, R.R., Maldonado-Camargo, L.P., & Rinaldi, C. (2017). In situ measurements of dispersed and continuous phase viscosities of emulsions using nanoparticles. Journal of Colloid and Interface Sci-ence, 486, 241-248.

2. Dhavalikar, R., & Rinaldi, C. (2016). Theoretical predictions for spa-tially-focused heating of magnetic nanoparticles guided by magnetic particle imaging field gradients. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 419, 267-273

3. Cruz-Acuña, M., Maldonado-Carnargo, L.P., Dobson, J., & Rinaldi, C. (2016). From oleic acid-capped iron oxide nanoparticles to linked polyethyleneimine single-particle magnetofectines. Journal of Nano-

particle Research, 18(9), 268.

4. Chiu-Lam, A., & Rinaldi, C. (2016). Nanoscale thermal phenomena in the vicinity of magnetic nanoparticles in alternating magnetic fields. Advanced Functional Materials, 26(22), 3933-3941.

5. Velez, C., Torres-Diaz, I., Maldonado-Camargo, L.P., Rinaldi, C., & Arnold, D.P. (2015). Magnetic assembly and crosslinking of nano-particles for releasable magnetic microstructures. ACS Nano, 9(10), 10165-10172.

M Y GROUP ST UDIES T HE BEH AV IOR A ND A PPLICAT IONSof suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles in applied magnetic fields. This field has seen

explosive growth due to potential in biomedical applications such as magnetic reso-nance and magnetic particle imaging, biosensors, targeted delivery and triggered

release of drugs, magnetomechanical actuation of cell response, and the ability to deliver magnetic energy at the nanoscale in the form of heat. We combine exper-tise in synthesis and surface modification of magnetic nanoparticles; physical, chemical, and magnetic characterization; and modeling of the coupling of mag-netic, hydrodynamic, and Brownian forces and torques to answer fundamental questions regarding the behavior of magnetic nanoparticle suspensions, under-stand their interaction with biological entities, and to develop novel biomedical

applications taking advantage of their unique properties.

ENGINEER ING CELL FAT E T HROUGH NA NOSCA LE ENERGY DE-LI V ERY

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) can be engineered to target specific cells or even cellular components. Under an alternating magnetic field

(AMF) they can deliver energylocally, in the form of shear or heat. This ability to deliver

energy at the nanoscale and selectively to targeted cells or cellular components allows for novel biomedical applications. In one potential application, magnetic nanoparticles can target and destroy cancer by disruption of cellular components. Because traditional cancer treatments can have syn-ergistic effects with thermal treatment, their combination with hyperthermia induced by magnetic nanoparticles is promising. My group is interested in understanding how nanoscale energy delivery by magnetic nanoparticles kills cancer cells, with the objective of engineering novel, more effective magnetic nanoparticle-based strategies to treat cancer.

PROBING BIOLOGICA L EN V IRONMEN TS USING M AGNET IC NA NOPA RT ICLES In this l ine of research we take advantage of the fac t that nanopar ticle rotation is sensit ive to the mechanical proper ties of the environment surrounding the nanopar ticles and to the presence of biomacromolecules that bind to the nanopar ticle sur face. The rotation of col lec tions of magnetic nanopar ticles can be monitored remotely through their magnetization. We apply our fundamental understanding of the coupl ing of magnetic, hydrodynamic and Brownian forces and torques to use magnetic nanopar ticles as nanoscale probes in biological complex f luids.



SPYROS SVORONOS, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1981, University of Minnesota

[email protected]

Modeling and Optimization of Biological, Chemical, and Particle Processes

ACT I V E PROJ ECT: BIOFUEL PRODUCT ION FROM SA LINE CYA NOBACT ER I A

Although microalgae provide excellent means of capturing sunlight and atmospheric carbon dioxide, impediments to their widespread utilization are the inability

to grow algae in a sustainable manner without large inputs of freshwater and nutrients—and to economically separate valuable products. The research aims to establish a path for the economic production of a biofuel (methane) and an extracellular bioproduct. It utilizes a remarkable cyanobacterium that eliminates the need for fresh water inputs or external addition of nitrogenous nutrients and avoids expensive purification methods for product recovery. The project is

in collaboration with Professor Pratap Pullammanappallil of the UF Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department and Professor Edward J. Phlips of the UF

School of Forest Resources and Conservation.

1. Yin, J., Stevenson, W., Guo, Z., Koopman, B., & Svoronos, S. (2016). Effect of protein crude extract on oxic/anoxic diauxic growth of a nap-deficient mutant of Paracoccus pantotrophus. Journal of Bioremediation & Biodegradation, 7(5), 1000367.

2. Starkey, D., Taylor, C., Morgan, N., Winston, K., Svoronos, S., Mecholsky, J., … Iacocca, R. (2014). Modeling of continuous self-classifying spiral jet mills part 1: Model structure and validation using mill experiments. AICHE Journal, 60(12), 4086-4095.

3. Starkey, D., Taylor, C., Siddabathuni, S., Parikh, J., Svoronos, S., Mecholsky, J., … Iacocca, R. (2014). Modeling of continuous self-classifying spiral jet mills part 2: Power-dependent parameters from characterization experiments. AICHE Journal, 60(12), 4096-4103.

4. Yin, J., Wang, C., Mody, A., Bao, L., Hung, S.H, Svoronos, S.A., & Tseng, Y. (2013). The effect of z-ligustilide on the mobility of hu-man glioblastoma T98G cells. PLOS One, 8(6), e66598.

5. El-Midany, A.A., El-Shall, H., & Svoronos, S. (2011). Modeling the PVA-coated dolomite floatability in acidic media. Powder Technol-ogy, 209(1-3), 25-28.

28

DID YOU KNOW?


1.

YIIDER TSENG, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1999, Johns Hopkins University

[email protected]

Interactomics, Systems Biology Approaches, and Molecular Biomechanics

GROUNDED IN SCIENCE A ND ENGINEER ING FUNDA MEN TA LS, research in my laboratory focuses on combining new engineering principles with

advanced life science methods for the purpose of developing a systematic, quantita-tive and integrative way to understand fundamental biological phenomena ar the

molecular and cellular levels. My research has implications on tissue engineer-ing, wound repairs, microorganism invasions and disease states such as cancer

metastasis.

M Y R ESEA RCH L A BOR ATORY A DDR ESSES T HE FOLLOW ING: (1) Developing high-throughput methods to establish the complete interactome

of the recently discovered bacterial cytoskeleton. After identifying the regula-tors of the cytoskeleton, we will be able to pursue new molecular strategies to

pre vent bacterial invasion processes.

(2) Combining micromanipulation and systems-biology approaches to elucidate the distribution and function of lipids in cellular processes. The technique of total internal

reflection microscopy, combined with cellular engineering, helps understand the rela-tionships between spatial and temporal micro-heterogeneity of the cell membrane and the

roles of lipids in regulating cellular activities.

(3) Applying in vivo multiple-particle tracking microrheology to study cell-mechanical phenomena where force plays an essential role.The focus is on the effect of forces on the regulation of drug delivery, viral infection and bacterial invasion.

1. Lan, T., Cheng, K., Ren, T., Arce, S.H., & Tseng, Y. (2016). Dis-placement correlation between a single mesenchymal-like cell and its nucleus effectively link subcellular activities and motility in cell migration analysis. Scientific Reports, 6, 34047.

2. Gong, J.H., Zhang, D.X., Tseng, Y., Li, B.L., Wirtz, D., & Schafer, B.W. (2013). Form-finding model shows how cytoskeleton network stiffness is realized, PLOS One, 8(10), e77417.

3. Arce, S.H., Wu, P.H., & Tseng, Y. (2013). Fast and accurate auto-mated cell boundary determination for fluorescence microscopy. Scientific Reports, 3, 2266.

4. Yin, J., Wang, C., Mody, A., Bao, L., Hung, S.H., Svoronos, S.A., & Tseng, Y. (2013). The effect of z-ligustilide on the mobility of hu-man glioblastoma T98G cells. PLOS One, 8(6), e66598.

5. Hung, S.H., Arce, S.H., Wu, P.H., & Tseng, Y. (2012). A biophysi-cal analysis of cell and nucleus relation. Biophysical Journal, 102(3), 707A-707A.


29

The College of Engineering’s graduate program ranks #23 among public universities in the US News & World Report, 2013.


30

SERGEY VASENKOV, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1994, Russian Academy of Science

[email protected] in Porous Membranes, Single-fileDiffusion, Separations of Greenhouse Gases,

Dynamics in Catalysts, and Diffusion in IonicLiquids

FUNDA MEN TA LS OF DIFFUSION IN MEMBR A NES & CATA LYSTS with a hierarchy of pore sizes. Obtaining a fundamental understanding of gas

transport in a broad range of microscopic length scales inside porous solids is important for fabrication of transport-optimized porous membranes, sorbents and

catalysts. A new diffusion NMR technique, which was introduced by Vasenkov’s group in collaboration with the National Magnet Lab, allows performing studies of gas transport on sub-micrometer and micrometer length scales in real-life membranes and catalysts. Relating microscopic transport properties obtained by this technique with the corresponding macroscopic transport properties measured by standard permeation techniques reveals the factors controlling the rate of macroscopic transport of light gases in membranes and catalysts. Such

studies have been recently performed for transport of carbon dioxide, methane, ethane and ethylene in novel carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes and for

transport of carbon dioxide in samaria/alumina aerogel catalysts.

SINGLE-FILE DIFFUSION IN NA NOT UBES Diffusion studies of gaseous sorbates in systems of one-dimensional nanochannels are of

high fundamental interest and also of high relevance for a number of applications including molecular separations, nanofluidics and catalysis. Confinement of sorbate transport to one-

dimension can lead to anomalous single-file diffusion (SFD), i.e. diffusion under conditions when molecules cannot pass one another in narrow channels. In Vasenkov’s group, an application of high field and high gradient diffusion NMR enabled observation of SFD for gaseous sorbates. These studies revealed unique features of SFD in confined gas mixtures. New knowledge obtained in these studies can potentially lead to the development of a novel strategy for highly-selective separations of gas mixtures under SFD conditions.

T R A NSPORT IN MI X T UR ES OF ROOM T EMPER AT UR E IONIC LIQUIDS A ND CO2MOLT EN SA LTS

that are liquid at temperatures around room temperature are known as room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). These materials show large sorption capacities for light gases such as carbon dioxide. As a result, RTILs are attractive materials for potential applications as gas separating agents and catalytic reaction media. In the group of S. Vasenkov a newly developed diffusion NMR technique was used to obtain first record of self-diffusivities of carbon dioxide inside RTILs by any type of microscopic technique. An application of the diffusion NMR and exchange NMR techniques to the so-called “task specific” ionic liquid that chemically complexes with carbon dioxide allowed observing exchange between the reacted and unreacted states of CO2 on the millisecond time scale. These techniques were also used to investigate how the diffusion process of ions and CO2 is modified by this exchange process.

1. Forman, E.M., Trujillo, M.A., Ziegler, K.J., Bradley, S.A., Wang, H.Y., Prabhakar, S., & Vasenkov, S. (2016). Self-diffusion of heptane inside aggregates of porous alumina particles by pulsed field gradient NMR. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 229, 117-123.

2. Dutta, A.R., Sekar, P., Dvoyashkin, M., Bowers, C.R., Ziegler, K.J., & Vasenkov, S. (2016). Single-file diffusion of gas mixtures in nano-channels of the dipeptide L-Ala-L-Val: High-field diffusion in NMR study. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 120(18), 9914-9919.

3. Mueller, R., Hariharan, V., Zhang, C., Lively, R., & Vasenkov, S. (2016). Relation-ship between mixed and pure gas self-diffusion for ethane and ethene in ZIF-8/6FDA-DAM mixed-matrix membrane by pulsed field gradient NMR. Journal of Membrane Science, 499, 12-19.

4. Hazelbaker, E.D., Guillet-Nicolas, R., Thommes, M., Kleitz, F., & Vasenkov, S. (2015). Influence of confinement in mesoporous silica on diffusion of a mixture of carbon dioxide and an imidazolium-based ionic liquid by high field diffusion NMR. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 206, 177-183.

5. Mueller, R., Zhang, S.H., Zhang, C., Lively, R., & Vasenkov, S. (2015). Relationship between long-range diffusion and diffusion in the ZIF-8 and polymer phases of a mixed-matrix membrane by high field NMR diffusometry. Journal of Membrane Science, 477, 123-130.


31

JASON WEAVER, PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 1998, Stanford University

[email protected]

OUR R ESEA RCH FOCUSES ON A DVA NCING T HE MOLECUL A R-LEV EL understanding of chemical reactions occurring on solid surfaces. Such reactions are

fundamental to heterogeneous catalysis and semiconductor processing, yet remain poorly understood at the molecular level. My students and I investigate surface

chemical reactions using a wide array of analysis methods based on ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) surface chemistry and physics, including methods that provide information about surface reaction kinetics, adsorbed intermediates, atomic-scale surface structure and the chemical states of adsorbed molecules and atoms of the solid. We also make rigorous comparisons between our experimen-tal data and predictions of molecular simulations, and find that this approach is

a powerful way in which to identify the elementary processes governing surface chemical reactions.

GROW T H A ND SUR FACE CHEMIST RY OF OX IDE T HIN FILMS We are investigating the growth and chemical properties of oxide thin films that

develop on the surfaces of late transition metals during oxidation catalysis. This work is motivated by findings that metal oxide layers form on metallic catalysts that are operating

in oxygen-rich environments, and that such oxide layers can play a decisive role in determin-ing catalytic performance. In our research, we produce oxide thin films in UHV by oxidizing metal-

lic surfaces using beams of plasma-generated oxygen atoms. This approach allows us to investigate oxide films under well-controlled conditions, and thereby gain detailed insights for understanding the growth and surface chemical properties of oxides that are central to several catalytic applications, such as the catalytic combustion of natural gas, exhaust gas remediation in automobiles, fuel cell catalysis and selective oxidation processes. We also investigate the catalytic behavior of oxide thin films using in situ synchrotron-based techniques, which affords comparisons between the results of our model UHV studies and the behavior of working catalysts. Key topics on which we have focused include the mechanisms for Pt and Pd oxidation and the adsorption and activation of small mol-ecules, particularly alkanes, on well-defined Pt and Pd oxide surfaces. Our work has provided new understanding of the surface chemi-cal properties of late transition-metal oxides, and continues to clarify the microscopic origins of the reactivity of this important class of materials.

CATA LYSIS BY DOPED OX IDES

We are also studying oxidation chemistry on rare earth oxide surfaces. Our main goals are to determine fundamental structure-reac-tivity relationships of rare earth oxide surfaces and develop methods for tuning the oxide selectivity toward promoting partial vs. complete oxidation reactions. We are particularly interested in understanding how to modify these surfaces to achieve high selectivity toward the oxidative coupling of methane to C2 products, while avoiding complete oxidation. We are exploring how metallic dopants influence the reducibility and catalytic properties of rare earth oxides. The ultimate aim is to establish rational strategies for modify-ing catalytic performance by incorporating metallic dopants into the structure of a host oxide.

Surface Chemistry of Metals and Metal Oxides,Reaction Kinetics and Catalysis, and Oxide Thin

Films

1. Rai, R., Li, T., Liang, Z., Kim, M., Asthagiri, A., & Weaver, J.F. (2016). Growth and termination of a rutile IrO2 (100) layer on Ir(111). Surface Science, 652, 213-221.

2. Li, T., Kim, M., Rai, R., Liang, Z., Asthagiri, A., & Weaver, J.F. (2016). Adsorption of alkanes on stoichiometric and oxygen-rich RuO2(110). Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18(32), 22647-22660.

3. Merte, L.R., Heard, C.J., Zhang, F., Choi, J., Shipilin, M., … Weaver, J.F., … Lund-gren, E. (2016). Tuning the reactivity of ultrathin oxides: NO adsorption on monolay-er FeO(111). Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 55(32), 9267-9271.

4. Bowker, M., & Weaver, J. (2016). Dear contributors and colleagues in surface sci-ence and catalysis Bob Madix. Surface Science, 650, 1-1.

5. Choi, J., Pan, L., Mehar, V., Zhang, F., Asthagiri, A., & Weaver, J.F. (2016). Promo-tion of CO oxidation on PdO(101) by adsorbed H2O. Surface Science, 650, 203-209.




32

KIRK ZIEGLER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Ph.D., 2001, University of Texas at Austin

[email protected]

Nanomaterial Interfaces

NEA R LY A LL NA NOM AT ER I A L A PPLICAT IONS R EQUIR Ean interface with other materials, including, for example, polymers in composites,

electrodes in devices, pharmaceuticals in drug delivery, body fluids and cells in bioimaging and biosensors, or analytes in chemical sensors. Our group focuses

on developing a fundamental understanding of interfaces in nanoscale systems, which can have far-reaching implications to various fields of nanotechnology. The goal is to manipulate interfaces to dictate the nanostructures that are fabricated and to control reactions and transport at the surface of the nanostructures. Once these interfaces can be controlled and manipulated, it will be possible to fabricate nanomaterials with novel functionality, improving their integration and performance in several applications.

M A NIPUL AT ING IN T ER FACES The ultimate objective is to compensate for poor interfaces and create new

functionality by manipulating the interface. The manipulation of these interfaces can alter the wettability, interaction of nanomaterials with matrices, and their

stability to environmental effects. For example, the organization of highly-ordered arrays of nanoparticles is typically disturbed once the temperature is raised due to

agglomeration and Ostwald ripening. These changes limit the organization and dimensions of nanowires that are subsequently fabricated from the nanoparticles. Figure 1 shows that we can alter

these interfaces to yield thermally-stable surfaces. In the field of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), we have exploited the natural sensing capabilities of the nanotubes to help us characterize the localized environment surrounding them. The ability to characterize the surface of SWCNTs has enabled the development of processes to alter the surfactant structure surrounding the nanotube, providing more stable suspensions, better fluorescence intensities, selective adsorption onto surfaces, and reduced toxicity.

CON T ROLLING R EACT IONS A ND T R A NSPORT AT SUR FACES Nanotechnology offers significant promise to improving the performance of solar cells, batteries, and supercapacitors because of the large surface area and unique properties of nanomaterials. However, designing these devices requires exceptional control of the chemical and electronic processes that occur at interfaces. Since many of the atoms in nanostructures exist on the surface, their reaction and transport properties depend strongly on the interface. Our group develops nanomaterial interfaces that help control biological function or accessibility, enhance the collection of photons, improve charge transport, yield better heat transfer, and generate more plasma.

1. Zhao, Y., Clar, J.G., Li, L.P., Xu, J., Yuan, T.Y., Bonzo-ngo, J.-C.J., & Ziegler, K.J. (2016). Selective desorption of high-purity (6,5) SWCNTs from hydrogels through surfactant modulation. Chemical Communications, 52(14), 2928-2931.

2. Dutta, A., Sekar, P., Dvoyashkin, M., Bowers, C.R., Ziegler, K.J., & Vasenkov, S. (2015) Relationship be-tween single-file diffusion of mixed and pure gases in dipeptide nanochannels by high field diffusion NMR. Chemical Communications, 51, 13346-13349.

3. Li, L.P., Xu, C., Zhao, Y., Chen, S., & Ziegler, K.J. (2015). Improving performance via blocking layers in dye-sensitized solar cells based on nanowire photoan-odes.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 7, 12824-12831.

4. Clar, J.G., Gustitus, S., Youn, S., Silvera Batista, C.A., Ziegler, K.J., & Bonzongo, J.-C. J. (2015). Unique toxicological behavior from single-wall carbon nanotubes sepa-rated via selective adsorption on hydro-gels. Environmental Science & Technology, 49, 3913-3921.

5. Clar, J.G., Silvera-Batista, C.A., Youn, S., Bonzongo, J.-C.J., & Ziegler, K.J. (2013). Interactive forces between SDS-suspended single-wall carbon nanotubes and agarose




A L E A D E R

I N N O V A T I V E

I N T E R D I S C I P L I N A R Y

E N T R E P R E N E U R I A L

THE NEW ENGINEER IS:

POWERING THE NEW ENGINEER.

d

SEE YOURSELF HERE

1030 Center Drive Gainesville, FL 32611

P: 352.392.0881 F: 352.392.9513

http://www.che.ufl.edu

UF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Designed by Monique Phears; Edited by Ashley Melengu

chemical engineering - che.ufl.edu · university of florida department of chemical engineering 2 we...

Documents