Supervisor: Michael Fowler, Chemical Engineering
Grad Students: Please join Professor Abukhdeir in the Staff & Faculty Lounge for some coffee/tea*, cookies and conversation.
* Bring your own mug. Coffee, tea and cookies are on us.
Supervisors: Aiping Yu, Chemical Engineering and Michael Fowler, Chemical Engineering
X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a useful technique for studying electronic and structural properties of materials. When these measurements are performed in-situ, it is valuable to identify the reactive species and monitor the reaction kinetics. This could significantly improve our understanding of material property and advance the rational design of material with improved performance.
Model based multi-parametric optimization provides a complete map of solutions of an optimization problem as a function of, unknown but bounded, parameters in the model, in a computationally efficient manner, without exhaustively enumerating the entire parameter space. In a Model-based Predictive Control (MPC) framework, multi-parametric optimization can be used to obtain the governing control laws – the optimal control variables as an explicit function of the state variables.
Interested in learning more about the fascinating research that Waterloo's chemical engineering graduate students are conducting? Now is your chance!
Join us at the Master's Research Colloquium, where master's students will present their research throughout the day.
POSTER SESSION: 9:15-10:15 am in the 1st and 3rd floor atriums
PRESENTATIONS:
Session 1
Group A, Process Systems Engineering: E6 2024 10:30-11:30 am
Group B, Biochemical & Biomedical Engineering: E6 2022 10:30-11:15 am
Biomimetic Hydrogels: Design Strategies and Transformative Applications in Biomedicine
Abstract
Driven by the growing need for clean and sustainable energy sources, a number of carbon-neutral energy conversion technologies have been extensively explored over recent years, which include photo- and electrocatalytic water-splitting systems, fuel cells, and metal ion batteries. In particular, water electrolysis, consisting of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), is considered a promising and efficient way to produce a clean energy carrier, hydrogen, to meet such energy demands. Green hydrogen produced by renewable-energy-powered water electrolysis could help resolve the energy crisis and cut our carbon footprint at the same time.
Abstract: Dehumidification accounts for a substantial fraction of energy use and associated emissions in air‑conditioning systems, representing roughly 53% of energy‑related air conditioning emissions on a global average. Vapor-selective membranes, which preferentially transport water molecules while blocking the transport of other gases, have emerged as a promising alternative technology for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry, even being ranked as a top alternative technology by the US Department of Energy. Over the past 20 years, the field has seen a significant amount of research interest in the development of high-performance membrane materials and synthesis procedures. However, translation of these materials advances into practical HVAC systems has largely relied on idealized thermodynamic system models, with a notable lack in experimental demonstration. As a result, a disconnect persists between membrane material development, component-level limitations, and realistic system and process design. This seminar presents our ongoing work aimed at bridging this gap by explicitly linking real membrane properties to component sizing, operating constraints, and system‑level efficiency. The broader goal of this research is to establish a holistic framework that integrates materials, components, and system design to clarify tradeoffs, define benchmark performance targets, and guide future research and development towards the broader adoption of high-efficiency, membrane-based HVAC technologies.
Porous media form the backbone of electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies, governing transport, reaction access, and overall efficiency in redox flow batteries, electrolyzers, and fuel cells. Despite their central role, most porous electrodes and transport layers have changed little over decades, relying on randomized architectures that constrain performance, durability, and cost. Dr. van der Heijden’s research group reimagines porous media as engineered components, structures that can be deliberately designed rather than inherited. By integrating pore‑scale modeling, operando imaging, computational optimization, and advanced manufacturing, the group uncovers fundamental structure–performance relationships and develops new architectures that reduce transport losses. This talk highlights how tailored porous microstructures can enable more efficient, robust, and scalable electrochemical devices.