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Theme Three

Innovations in material science for water and energy processes and systems

Theme Leader: Dr. Scott Husson, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

This theme embodies a range of emerging, smart advanced materials, including new materials for energy-efficient water purification as well as new materials for energy production from water systems; these new materials are largely the result of advances in nanotechnology and include organic (polymeric) and inorganic compositions.

Theme-related topics include:

  • Tunable and designed materials (e.g., pH or temperature sensitive/responsive) in water and energy applications and technologies
  • Novel polymeric, ceramic, and inorganic-organic composite membranes
  • Improved electrodes for electrochemical desalting technologies (e.g., capacitive deionization)
  • Nanomaterials as adsorbents, catalysts, and disinfectants
  • Emerging materials for improved process efficiency (e.g., graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and bio-inspired materials (aquaporins))
  • Module configuration and optimization
  • Computational design of materials