Advanced Materials Design, Synthesis and Processing

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Materials matter: every societal-shifting innovation owes its success to the molecular building blocks used to construct it. Our researchers are discovering new ways to make the materials the world already relies on, and ushering the next generation of materials from theory into reality.

From silicon to diamond to titanium to any number of other high-performance alloys, the materials that feed the world’s industry can be costly to make—they often require expensive raw materials, massive amounts of energy and expansive production facilities. Our researchers are creating revolutions in processing to produce these essential materials faster, more cost-effectively and safer—all at industrial scale. They’ve discovered how to grow diamonds at low-pressure, apply electrolysis to extract titanium directly from molten titanium salts, and use plasma to dramatically reduce the energy required to produce ammonia. We are innovating at every stage of the production process to engineer solutions for manufacturing’s major materials-related challenges. And when the solution calls for something that doesn’t exist yet, our chemical engineering researchers are at the leading edge of emergent materials—envisioning entirely new molecular combinations and structures to make stronger alloys, more biocompatible drug-delivery devices, ultra-tiny electrical components and more.

Institutes, centers and labs related to Advanced Materials Design, Synthesis and Processing

Sankaran Laboratory

Studies chemical reactions via non-equilibrium plasmas, and engineers processes to synthesize and process materials at the nano and micro scales.

Energy Lab

Studies the fundamental electrochemical processes in ionic liquids, and designs nonflammable electrolytes for energy storage and conversion

Faculty who conduct research in Advanced Materials Design, Synthesis and Processing

Rohan Akolkar

Milton and Tamar Maltz Professor of Energy Innovation
Chief Scientist (Joint Appointmet), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Director, Electronic Design Center (EDC)
Develops new electrochemical processes for applications including nano-material fabrication, energy storage, electrometallurgy and sensors

Harihara Baskaran

Department Chair, Chemical Engineering
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Understands and solves problems in biology and medicine using transport principles

Christine Duval

Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops separation materials and processes to benefit nuclear medicine, environmental protection, and nuclear waste recycling and remediation.

Donald Feke

Vice Provost, Case Western Reserve University
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops novel polymeric materials and ultrasonic-based separation processes for nano- and microscale multi-phase systems

Burcu Gurkan

Professor, Chemical Engineering
Designs and studies ionic liquid and eutectic solvents for applications in separations, carbon dioxide capture and electrochemical conversion, and energy storage

Daniel Lacks

Associate Dean, Academics
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops first-principles molecular-scale theories of chemical processes and materials properties

Heidi Martin

Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops diamond electrodes for electrochemical and neural device applications

Julie Renner

Dean's Fellow for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops biomolecular platforms to control solid-liquid interfaces and enable a new generation of advanced technologies

Robert Savinell

Department Chair, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops high-performance electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies through fundamental and applied studies of interfacial and transport processes