Catalysis and Reaction
Understanding chemical reactions, developing better catalysts, and engineering reacting systems is a core component of chemical engineering. Research at Michigan in this increasingly significant area includes biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals, electrochemical reactions, plasma chemistry, petroleum production, biochemical engineering, environmental catalysis, fuel cells, CO2 capture and conversion. We employ computational, experimental and modeling approaches, often in concert, to solve pressing societal problems.
Scott Fogler
Ongoing research topics for Professor Scott Fogler and his research group include: flow, reaction, precipitation and modeling of wax deposition in subsea pipelines; fused chemical reactions; asphaltene deposition and precipitation; rheometric and microscopic studies of crystallization and of gel breaking phenomena; asphaltene characterization and precipitation kinetics; and catalyzed dissolution of minerals. A number of research results are now being used in industrial applications.
Bryan Goldsmith
Catalysis research in Professor Goldsmith’s group is focused on applying first-principles modeling (e.g., density-functional theory and molecular dynamics) and predictive theories to gain a deeper understanding of heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic processes for natural gas conversion, pollution reduction, and energy generation. Some systems of interest include dispersed metal ions on amorphous supports, metallic clusters supported on metal oxides, and homogeneous organometallic catalysts for a variety of important reactions.
Erdogan Gulari
Professor Erdogan Gulari’s research group is active in developing catalysts for energy-related applications both in converting biomass to hydrocarbon fuels as well as clean up of emissions. They are currently focusing on producing and improving upon enzymes found in termite guts for breaking down cellulosic material and new catalysts for converting CO2 to liquid hydrocarbons.
Mark Kushner
Professor Mark Kushner and his group computationally investigate the fundamental transport and kinetic properties of low temperature plasmas (partially ionized gases), plasma chemistry and plasma surface interactions and their application to society benefiting technologies. Current projects include plasma fabrication of advanced materials for nano-electronics, plasma medicine (use of plasmas for human healthcare), macro- and micro-plasmas as photonic sources, plasmas in liquids, plasma treatment of porous polymeric membranes, and plasma aided combustion for energy efficient transport systems.
Computational Plasma Science and Engineering Group
Suljo Linic
The central objective of Professor Suljo Linic’s lab is the development of predictive theories of surface chemistry related to heterogeneous catalysis, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. Lab members are currently working on a number of projects that aim to address various issues in the fields of energy and environment, functional nanomaterials, industrially-important reactions and fundamental heterogeneous catalysis.
Johannes Schwank
Catalysis research in Professor Johannes Schwank’s lab is focused on correlations between the catalyst structure, composition and catalytic function in reactions of industrial importance. Current projects include autothermal reforming of hydrocarbons, solid oxide fuel cell anode catalysts, automotive emission control catalysis, photocatalysis, production of synthetic fuel via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, cellulosic biomass conversion into fuels and value added chemicals, and gas sensors.
Nirala Singh
Catalysis research in the Singh Lab focuses on understanding heterogeneous catalysis and electrocatalysis through experimental rate measurements, spectroscopy and adsorption measurements. By looking at how catalyst surfaces influence rates and selectivities, we aim to understand and improve catalysts used for energy storage, fuel production from biomass waste, and waste remediation such as nitrate reduction.
Singh Group
Fei Wen
In the development of biofuels, Professor Fei Wen and her team rely on enzymatic catalysis to degrade biomass to sugars, which can be fermented.
Fei Wen – Protein Assembly Engineering Research Group
Ralph Yang
Professor Ralph Yang and his research group synthesize new nanostructured materials for difficult separations by exploiting weak and reversible chemical bonds, such as pi-complexation. The group studies new sorbents for removing sulfur from fuels and for CO2 capture as well as materials for hydrogen storage. In catalysis, his group has been studying and developing new catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with ammonia and hydrogen.
Robert Ziff
Professor Robert Ziff and his group have developed a kinetic Monte Carlo technique that allows reaction dynamics to be studied efficiently, including the kinetic phase transitions that occur in such systems. Ziff and his colleagues apply this to the reactions that take place on an automotive catalytic converter. The group also uses percolation models to study such phenomena as flow through porous media, conductivity of composites such as nano-tubules, polymer gelation and growth of the giant component in networked systems.
