Events

ABSTRACT:  This seminar is divided into three distinct sections: the first is focused on the synthesis of novel polymers by Nitroxide Mediated Polymerization (NMP), the second is the design of small molecules and their use in the fabrication of organic electronic devices and the third section combines both previous sections to explore the use of smart polymers in smart-sensors.

ABSTRACT:  This seminar focuses on solving engineering challenges related to the continuous production of HNBR and NBR emulsion. Part 1 - Hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) which is known for its excellent elastomeric properties and mechanical retention properties after long time exposure to heat, oil and air is produced by the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) using a semi-batch process.

ABSTRACT: With fossil fuels becoming scarcer and more expensive, biotechnology offers an alternative way to produce fuels, chemicals, drugs and proteins. Using bacteria and algae as the catalysts of the conversions offers several advantages. Although microorganisms naturally produce a wide variety of chemicals, further engineering is required to achieve yield and productivity target values, and develop cost-effective production processes.

ABSTRACT:  Chain architecture or topology of polymers is a critically important structural parameter governing intrinsically their physical properties and applications.  The rapid developments in polymerization techniques, particularly “living”/controlled polymerization techniques, in the past two decades have enabled the precision synthesis of novel polymers having a broad class of complex yet well-defined chain architectures from different monomer stocks. 

ABSTRACT:  Vascular cells adapt and respond to biomechanical forces.  The focal nature of most cardiovascular diseases has been linked to a dysfunctional response of endothelial cells and blood components to local hemodynamic forces.  My lab studies the role of hemodynamic forces in the initiation, progression and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.  In this talk I will present work we have done using three dimensional cell culture models to simulate the vascular hemodynamic environment in order to answer questions on how endothelial cells (ECs) and blood components respo

ABSTRACT:  Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is an efficient electrochemical device that directly converts the chemical energy of a fuel into electricity. The conventional Ni/YSZ anode of SOFC accumulates carbon when operated in hydrocarbon fuels. The accumulated carbon degrades cell performance and eventually damages the anode microstructure.

The addition of carbon-tolerance enhancing materials (Cu, BaO) helps to reduce the carbon accumulation at Ni/YSZ anode and thereby improve cell performance.

ABSTRACT:  Consumption of fossil fuels along with accelerated deforestation is leading to a significant increase in concentration of greenhouse gases (e.g., CO₂) in the atmosphere. Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is considered a promising alternative to lower the amount of CO₂ emissions. This talk will briefly discuss technical and environmental aspects of three particular cases in the context of CO₂ utilization (or/and conversion) and storage processes.

ABSTRACT:  This presentation describes my recent work  in developing small scale fluid devices, microfluidics, for energy applications and CO₂ sequestration. Microfluidics has emerged over the last two decades with applications in biomedical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and life sciences research.

ABSTRACT:  Converting sunlight into chemical energy via solar thermal reforming of natural gas is an attractive route to increase the energy content of methane, consequently reducing both natural gas consumption and greenhouse gases emission. The upgraded ²solar² fuel can be used for direct power generation in gas turbines or as a feedstock for chemical industry.

ABSTRACT:  Diminishing resources are creating a global paradigm change towards more efficient, sustainable and cleaner use of energy. The conversion of chemical energy in heterogeneous catalysis is at the centre of this rapidly growing field of energy science. Since our understanding of the elementary processes constituting the reaction steps is still in its infancy, macro-scale concepts are likely to be challenged by emerging insights on the atomic scale.