Dept. of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson University

Title: Electrical discharge plasma for wastewater treatment

Abstract:

Plasma-based water treatment (PWT) utilizes electrical discharge plasmas formed in contact with or in the vicinity of water to degrade chemicals within contaminated water. Plasma in these conditions is capable of producing a diverse range of highly reactive species with relatively low energy input and without chemical additives, which makes PWT a promising alternative treatment technology that has inspired decades of investigation and development. Despite the obvious benefits and advantages of PWT, the technology is only now reaching a level of development where it can be commercially used. This work discusses the capabilities of PWT and introduces the (plasma) science and engineering aspects of plasma reactor design for wastewater treatment. Approaches for the development and scaleup of high throughput plasma reactors are also presented.

Bio:

Thagard received her BS in chemical engineering from the University of Zagreb in Croatia and her Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Florida State University. Before coming to Clarkson, Thagard held post-doctoral appointments at Toyohashi University of Technology in Japan and at Colorado State University. Her expertise is in electrical discharge plasma processes with a focus on theoretical and experimental investigations of fundamental plasma chemistry in single and multiphase plasma environments. Thagard has coauthored >40 peer reviewed journal articles and 3 book chapters, presented over 40 conference presentations, and made over 30 invited lectures at universities and conferences throughout the world. Her work has been funded by NSF, EPA, US Department of Defense, Semiconductor Research Corporation, NY Pollution Prevention Institute and United States Air Force. Thagard serves on the Editorial Board of Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing.

Dept. of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University

Title: Mechanoresponsive Polymeric Materials: Design, Applications, and Beyond

Abstract:

Smart materials are gaining both scientific and technological interest. Their stimuli-responsive features are being explored for applications in chemical sensing, aerospace engineering, and biomedical materials. Materials responsive to chemical, optical, thermal, and biological inputs have been under in-depth investigation; however, limited systems have been well-established to respond to mechanical stress in a controlled manner. Microcapsule-based composite materials and polymer mechanophores will be presented in this seminar as microscale and molecular-level solutions for the development of mechanoresponsive polymeric materials. Microencapsulation is a facile and scalable microscale method to incorporate autonomous functionality into composite materials. I will present several advances from my recent research, demonstrating the development of microcapsules-based materials to solve engineering challenges and enhance scientific understanding of compartmentalized materials, including self-reporting materials for early-stage damage detection, cure-on-demand materials and self-healing materials. Polymer mechanochemistry provides an alternative way to trigger chemical reactions and tune photophysical properties other than conventional thermal-, electro-, and photo-based stimuli. Polymers incorporated with mechanosensitive molecular species (mechanophores) exhibit mechanochromism and structural transformation in response to external mechanical forces. Mechanoresponsive materials provide great potential to solve significant issues concerning both the scientific community and society at large. Research and engineering perspectives of mechanically sensitive polymeric systems will also be discussed.

Bio:

Dr. Xiaocun Lu is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science at Clarkson University. He is originally from China and received his B.S. in chemistry from Peking University and his PhD in polymer science at the University of Akron under the guidance of Professor George R. Newkome. His graduate research involved the design and construction of metallosupramolecular materials with various geometries and functions. In 2015, he joined Professor Jeffrey S. Moore’s group as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His postdoctoral research was at the interface of polymer chemistry and materials engineering with a focus on the development of smart microcapsules for applications in self-reporting, self-healing and cure-on-demand materials. Dr. Lu began his independent academic career at Clarkson University in 2018. His major research interests include mechanoresponsive materials, supramolecular self-assembly, and smart delivery systems.

Dept. of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University

Title: Real-time Quality Assurance in Additive Manufacturing with Ultrasound

Abstract:

Additive manufacturing/3D printing (AM/3DP) has become a practical manufacturing modality in fabricating high-performance parts, providing a form-free flexibility for the development of high-value/high performance products. However, inconsistent quality, build-to-build variabilities in geometric tolerances, lower mechanical strength, and non-uniform microstructures have often been reported as its shortcomings. In this presentation, we present an in situ/real-time monitoring approach, in which, instead of monitoring and/or evaluating the actual build directly, the ultrasonic spectral characteristics of elastic wave propagation in a specially designed 2D and 3D artifacts having periodic structures are monitored. The design of an artifact is based on the geometric complexities of the actual build, and its internal structures amplify certain specified aspects of its AM/3DP process, materials, and equipment. Furthermore, the artifact is substantially simpler and smaller than the actual build it represents, thus considerably easier to monitor.

Bio: