Principal Investigator Zachary Smith
Separations are a key theme in Chemical Engineering. Finding solutions to purifying molecules requires expertise in phase and chemical equilibria, mass transfer, and related topics. We seek to address challenges in separations by designing new materials and characterizing their separation capabilities through fundamental relationships in thermodynamics and mass transfer. By controlling molecular interactions responsible for diffusion and solubility of small molecules in polymeric and porous materials, fundamental challenges related to energy and the environment can be addressed. An example of separation performance for polymers used in the removal of CO2 from CH4 is shown in the so-called Robeson Upper Bound.