Search for Assistant Professor, Process Intensification: Devashish Gokhale
The Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry is pleased to host a special research and teaching seminar by Devashish Gokhale on Tuesday, March 17th and Wednesday March 18th in WB-215 and/or virtually on teams. Please see the full details below:
RESEARCH SEMINAR: March 17th at 10:30 am (WB-215 or on MS Teams)
Title: Interfacial design to overcome transport limitations in the removal of micropollutants from water
Abstract: Micropollutants, ranging from pharmaceuticals and surfactants to heavy metals, are found at low concentrations (µg/l-mg/l) in water, yet pose significant risks to ecosystems and human health. Extensive research has shown that existing water treatment methods are ineffective at micropollutant elimination. Using a fundamental thermodynamics and kinetics framework, I analyze why certain commercial treatment methods outperform others and why micropollutant removal requires the development of novel methods. Highlighting how transport limitations hinder micropollutant removal, I will present two studies leveraging interfacial design towards more efficient separations.
First, combining ideas from photocatalysis and redox-mediated electrosorption, I present a top-down approach wherein classical, bulk (photo)electrochemical water treatment methods being explored in the literature can be deployed in the form of particles to enable rapid micropollutant elimination. Second, I will showcase a bottom-up approach wherein small functional molecules that capture micropollutants are tagged onto zwitterionic hydrogel particles—increasing effective size and practicability without significantly hindering mass transport. Combining simulations and experiments, we synthesize hydrogels that remove chemically diverse micropollutants at least 10x faster than state-of-the-art adsorbents. Finally, I will briefly discuss some personal learnings in scaling up and commercializing separations technology as a motivation for future research.
Joining Virtually?
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/26853315878544?p=RCwq5gICdNt8OCDJMl
Meeting ID: 268 533 158 785 44
Passcode: Q34SV6vM
Dial in by phone
+1 647-794-1609,,892822475# Canada, Toronto
Phone conference ID: 892 822 475#
For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial-in PIN
TEACHING SEMINAR: March 18th at 10:00 am (WB-215 or on MS Teams)
Title: Thinking in Stages: The Architecture of Separation Processes
Joining Virtually?
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/26758128977658?p=WkHNJb4BK0ub3nl0Oy
Meeting ID: 267 581 289 776 58
Passcode: CX66cE3r
Dial in by phone
+1 647-794-1609,,109910185# Canada, Toronto
Phone conference ID: 109 910 185#
For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial-in PIN
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY:
Devashish Gokhale is a Prof. Joe Greene Postdoctoral Fellow in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and the Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Devashish works with Prof. Xiao Su, developing (photo)electrochemical systems through new theory and experiments for separations in the chemical industry, including applications in water treatment, critical element recovery, and hydrocarbon separations. Devashish received his PhD in chemical engineering at MIT, where he started a new thrust in Prof. Pat Doyle’s group by translating materials used for drug delivery into new methods for the separation and destruction of micropollutants in water. He also holds an MS (Chemical Engineering Practice) from MIT and a BTech (Hons) (Chemical Engineering) from IIT Madras. Devashish’s research has been recognized through awards from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Chemical Society, and the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, among others, and has also featured in the MIT Technology Review, New York Post, Popular Science magazine, and TV news.