Several research projects focus on problems of fluid dynamics, rheology, porous material characterization and mass transport. A key underlying theme in these projects is microstructure and morphology in both flow systems and porous materials. The effect of flows on the morphology and phase behavior of binary polymer blends is investigated.
Computer vision is used for characterization and control of the process.
It has been shown by both simulation and CAT-scan analysis that the liquid distribution during flow through a bed of packings is a manifestation of local flow features involving several particles. The morphology of amorphous and crystalline oxides is a focus of several projects. Dynamic adsorption-desorption of liquid nitrogen or krypton, mercury porosimetry and electron microscopy are three tools used to characterize morphology. The effects of pore size and porosity of silica-supported catalysts on the fragmentation and yield during the initial stages of olefin polymerization are studied. In a similar vein, in collaboration with scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratories, X-ray synchrotron computed microtomography is applied to characterize the morphology of olefin polymerization catalysts.