Research

Biomaterials
The complete vision of a bio-processing plant involves the conversion of renewable biomass sources into not only energy and fuels, but value-added chemicals and products, too. Chief among these value-added products are materials, such as polymers, for ultimate use in mechanical and structural applications.

Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical engineering combines research in medicine, biology, and engineering to design and create innovative devices and processes (i.e. drug delivery) for the human body. With a core knowledge in materials, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, and transport phenomena, chemical engineers are crucial to the field of biomedical engineering, and to improving health care in the world.

Bioprocessing and Biochemical Engineering
Historically, chemical engineers are trained to design and optimize chemical processes – ones which chemically transform one or more raw materials into one or more valuable end-products. With this process-based perspective, chemical engineers are well-suited to address biological processes as well – processes involving biological agents and biological transformations and operations. Research in the department focuses on the bioprocessing of biomass into renewable energy, fuels, and value-added chemicals and materials, as well as bio-chemical reaction engineering and bio-based separations, with emphasis on energy and pharmaceutical applications.

Catalysis and Reaction Engineering
Whether developing new catalytic or energetic materials, designing bio-reactors, or characterizing reaction mechanisms, catalysis and reaction engineering are central to the activities of chemical engineers, and process and product development. Department research in this area contributes to renewable energy, novel materials synthesis, biochemical engineering and nanotechnology, and involves both experimental and computational investigations.

Complex Fluids and Soft Solids
Engineers process a wide array of multiphase materials that include additions such as polymers, surfactants, colloids, and particulates. The transport phenomena of these soft materials have drastically increased complexities. We work to develop both theoretical and experimental methods that can be applied to the study of complex fluids and soft solids, including many biological systems. Our ultimate goal is to provide new detailed insights into the macroscopic characteristics of materials and processes through an in-depth understanding of the fundamental physics that are active at the molecular level.

Computer Simulation and Modeling
In addition to experimentation, computer simulation and modeling are crucial components in research. Activity in the department involves applications of finite element modeling of transport phenomena (coupled fluid/mass transfer, coupled heat transfer with chemical reaction) as well as molecular modeling and simulation investigations of materials (polymers, fluids), combustion, and catalysis.

Environmental and Remediation
The skills chemical engineers possess not only equip them to design new chemical and biological processes for commercial production, but also to design and engineer systems to aid the environment. Research activity within the department is focused on the removal of pollutants (such as arsenic or uranium) from groundwater and soil, and involves the use of chemical engineering separations and applied microbiology.

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Developing viable solutions for the improved production of bio-energy, bio-fuels, bio-chemicals, and bio–products requires research at the interface of molecular biology, microbiology, and chemical engineering. Current department research efforts are focused on the use of extremophiles to facilitate bio-chemical conversion of biomass into hydrogen, fuels, and bio-materials, and is aided by the Sanford Underground Research Facility.

Nanotechnology
Nano-scaled materials offer numerous application possibilities, and several advantages over their traditional macro-scale counterparts. Department research focuses on the use of nano-catalysts for water splitting and fuel chemistries, the synthesis of nano-energetic materials, and the synthesis and characterization of nano-composites for materials applications.

Polymers
As materials, polymers have a wide range of potential uses, in technologies and industries such as space and aerospace, automotive, energy, and environmental. Department research focuses on the development, characterization, and testing of polymers and polymer nanocomposites for these various systems and applications, and is facilitated by the Center for Advanced Polymer Engineering and the Composite and Nanocomposite Advanced Manufacturing Center.

Separations
Chemical and physical separations are indispensable as part of a chemical engineering process. The ability to selectively remove/separate a desired product/molecule from one or more undesired products or constituent molecules is a crucial step in several industries, including biochemical, energy, environmental, and pharmaceutical technologies.

Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is the study of the equilibrium behavior of matter, and includes determining the properties of solids, liquids, and gases, their mixtures, and their application in chemical engineering processes. Department research focuses on the thermodynamics of polymers, environmental systems, supercritical fluids, and ionic liquids, and involves both experimental and computational investigations.