Focus - Dr. Peter T. Cummings Dr. Peter Cummings improve s materials from the molecule up. His research involves studying the ways a system responds to changes in temperature and pressure and why and how it changes from solid to liquid to gas. He has also developed new mathematical models which illustrate how bacteria contaminates ground water. More recently, his Oak Ridge research group's work has been devoted to studying molecular rheology and developing an understanding of how carbon dioxide can be used as an industrial solvent.
Rheology is used to describe the flow properties of materials.
Molecular rheology is used to describe theories which allow the rheology of a fluid to be predicted based on the motion of the molecules in the fluid. Cummings' group is a world leader in molecular rheology. There are about 300,000 small dry cleaning operations in the United States and the cost of reducing air and water pollution and of increasing regulation is making it economically feasible for dry cleaning to be based on the use of carbon dioxide as the solvent. For seven years, Cummings worked on chemical process designs that focused on energy efficiency. The outcome of our research will help redesign the chemical process that will substitute the hazardous organic solvents with products that are more safe for the environment.