Introduction to basic concepts of chemical engineering including unit analysis, balance concepts and various mathematical tools including use of software such as Excel, MatLab and Visual Basic.
Design and synthesis of chemical systems using basic engineering principles with integration of reliability, safety and environmental aspects. The economics involved in the design of chemical plants such as capital cost, profitability, operating costs, and alternative evaluation.
Continuation of Design I but with emphasis on complex chemical systems and innovation in design. Introduction to process modeling, the use of computer-aided process design, and analysis.
Study of complex chemical reaction systems, catalytic and non-catalytic reactions, homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, and heat effects.
Hydrogels structures form both naturally and synthetically and have properties that are associated with their unique capacity to accommodate water molecules by either physisorptive or chemisorptive means. Some examples of hydrogels include cell membranes, opal, super absorbent polymers and calcium silicate hydrate (a product of portland cement hydration). This short list of hydrogels illustrates the vast spectrum of types of materials and physical environments in which they are formed and used, both by and in nature and by humans through synthetic means. This course will explore the structure, synthesis and applications of hydrogel materials and will endeavor to assemble a framework for similarity between forms of gels from which one might relate properties of one gel form to that of another. How might hybrid gel systems be assembled to produce unique properties and behaviors? How might synthetic gels be engineered to obtain the properties of natural gels? Where might gels be transformative solutions? These and other questions will be addressed.