Chemical Engineering Faculty Projects

Gas-liquid microfluidic flows

Professor Kimberly H. Henthorn

An existing system has been developed to study bubble dynamics in gas-liquid microfluidic flows. This project will involve the characterization of transitional bubble and liquid profiles during bubble breakup periods, and may also include investigation into the effect of fluid rheology on pressure drop profiles in these systems. It is anticipated that students will have prior knowledge of fluid dynamics and physics.

Polyelectrolyte multilayer films

Professor Adam J. Nolte

This project will explore the processing of ultrathin polymer coatings by alternating adsorption of positively and negatively charged polymers (polyelectrolytes). Such coatings are known as "polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs)" and they can have very interesting chemical and physical properties, including the ability to swell in specific ways in response to chemical species in their environment. This project will examine how various methods used to adsorb the polyelectrolytes affect the ability of the resulting PEM to swell in humid air. Students should possess basic physics and chemistry laboratory skills.

Biodegradable drug delivery vehicles

Professor Scott J. McClellan

Biodegradable polymers can be used to encapsulate drugs that will subsequently be released inside of the body as the polymer degrades. Care must be taken in the preparation of the drug-loaded particles to ensure uniformity in size and shape, and in the amount of drug loaded. In this project, a student will work to create and characterize drug-loaded nanoparticles. Total characterization includes particle size analysis, quantification of drug loading, and complete release studies.