Company/Organization: TRI/Princeton (Center for Modeling and Characterization of Nanoporous Materials)
The overall objective of our research is the development of theoretical and simulation methods and experimental techniques/protocols for molecular design, process modeling, and characterization of porous materials. Our goal is to obtain a thorough understanding of the microscopic factors that control interactions of fluids with nanostructured and porous substrates and determine their sorption, wetting and transport properties. Our current research program focuses on modeling of adsorption, absorption, wetting, flow and phase transformations in confined fluids, development of pore structure characterization methods, experimental verification of the models and methods, and development of experimental techniques and protocols to study structural, sorption, wetting, and transport properties of porous materials. Our Center is a world renown leader in porous materials characterization. We concentrate on the adsorption and absorption methods which are based on studies of interactions of fluids with nanostructured surfaces and porous systems.
Current projects deal with: a) microporous (carbon nanotubes, metal-organic frameworks, zeolites) and mesoporous molecular sieves (silica, organic-inorganic, regular structures templated on surfactant and copolymer mesophases), b) low-k dielectric films and permselective polyelectrolite membranes (Nafion, block-copolymers), c) nanofibrous materials (carbon nanotube fibers and polymeric nanowebs), and d) soil particles, clay, and coal. We study adsorption and phase transformations in nanoscale pores of adsorbents and catalysts, nucleation in nanophases, nanosegregation and transport in polyelectrolyte membranes for fuel cells and protective clothing, equilibrium, stability and dynamics of thin films and contact lines on nanostructured surfaces, wetting, capillary flows, and micro- and nanofluidics of polymer solutions and biofluids with various biomedical, human protection, and environmental applications. Several projects focus on novel nanofibrous materials made of carbon nanotubes and polymer nanofibers. We explore applicability of these materials as conduits in nanofluidics machinery and supports for biomedical sensors. Our research funded by governmental agencies, including NIH, EPA, USDA, US Army, and by a group of TRI corporate members.
Partners: NIH, ARO, group of US and foreign companies
Web Link for this research or capability: http://www.triprinceton.org/aneimark
Last Updated: 8/13/05