a. Liquid-2-D-material interactions for energy, environmental, and biomedical applications
This research topic focuses on probing the interactions between liquids and 2D materials like graphene, hexagonal Boron Nitride, etc. We employ Molecular Dynamics Simulations for our investigations. The key applications are fabrication of graphene-based water filters, graphene-based heat exchangers and super-capacitors, etc.
Involved Graduate Students (Present): Bhargav Chava
Involved Graduate Students (Past): Joseph Andrews, Shayandev Sinha, Yanbin Wang
Involved Postdoctoral Fellows (Present): Yanbin Wang
Involved Postdoctoral Fellows (Past): Enrqiue Wagemann
Thesis resulting from this topic: WETTING OF GRAPHENE (MS Thesis of Mr. Joseph Andrews), WATER, ION, AND GRAPHENE: AN ODYSSEY THROUGH THE MOLECULAR SIMULATIONS (Ph.D. Thesis of Dr. Yanbin Wang)
Sponsors: CECD (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, UMD)
Collaborators: Sushanta K. Mitra (University of Waterloo)
Related recent publication
- E. Wagemann#, S. Misra, S. Das,and S. K. Mitra, “Quantifying water friction in misaligned graphene channels under Ångström confinements.” ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c10445 (2020).
- E. Wagemann, Y. Wang#, S. Das, S. K. Mitra, “On the Wetting Translucency of Hexagonal Boron Nitride.” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 22, 7710-7718 (2020). (Selected as the Back Cover Article of the 21 April, 2020 Issue of the journal)
- E. Wagemann, Y. Wang#, S. Das, and S. K. Mitra, “Wettability of Nanostructured Hexagonal Boron Nitride Surfaces: Molecular Dynamics Insights on the Effect of Wetting Anisotropy.” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 24, 2488-2497 (2020).
- Y. Wang#, K. Ahuja#, S. Sinha#, P. R. Desai#, and S. Das*, “Water-Holey-Graphene Interactions: Route to Highly Enhanced Water-Accessible Graphene Surface Area.” ACS Applied Nano Materials, 1, 5907-5919 (2018).
- Y. Wang#, S. Sinha#, K. Ahuja#, P. R. Desai#, J. Dai, L. Hu, and S. Das*, “Dynamics of a Water Nanodrop Through a Holey Graphene Matrix: Role of Surface Functionalization, Capillarity, and Applied Forcing.” The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 122, 12243–12250 (2018).
- Y. Wang#, S. Sinha#, L. Hu, and S. Das*, “Interaction between Water Drop and Holey Graphene: Retarded Imbibition and Generation of Novel Water-Graphene Wetting States.” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 19, 27421-27434 (2017).
- Y. Wang#, J. E. Andrews#, L. Hu, and S. Das*, “Drop Spreading on a Superhydrophobic Surface: Pinned Contact Line and Bending Liquid Surface.” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 19, 14442-14452 (2017).
- J. E. Andrews#, Y. Wang#, S. Sinha#, P. W. Chung, and S. Das*, “Roughness-Induced Chemical Heterogeneity Leads to Large Hydrophobicity in Wetting-Translucent Nanostructures.” The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 121, 10010-10017 (2017).
- J. Andrews#, S. Sinha#, P. W. Chung, and S. Das*, “Wetting dynamics of a water nanodrop on graphene.” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18, 23482-23493 (2016). (Selected as the Inside Front Cover Article)
b. Energy and environmental applications of nanofluidics in abundantly available materials like wood
This research topic focuses on exploring the transport of water and ions in the hierarchical micro-nanochannels of the wood nanocellulose in trees for fabricating solar steam generator, purifying contaminated water, and generating electricity from waste heat.
Involved Graduate Students (Present): Vishal Sankar Sivasankar, Sai Ankit Etha, Harnoor Singh Sachar
Involved Graduate Students (Past): Guang Chen
Collaborators: Prof. Liangbing Hu (UMD)
Related recent publication
- S. He, C. Chen, G. Chen#, J. Dai, J. Song, F. Jiang, H. Xie, Y. Yao, C. Jia, E. Hitz, B. Liu, F. Chen, A. Gong, S. Das, and L. Hu, “A High-Performance, Scalable Wood-based Filtration Device with a Reversed-Tree Design.” Chemistry of Materials, 32, 1887-1895 (2020).
- W. Gan, C. Chen, Z. Wang, Y. Pei, W. Ping, S. Xiao, J. Dai, Y. Yao, S. He, B. Zhao#, S. Das, B. Yang, P. B. Sunderland, and L. Hu, “Fire-Resistant Structural Material Enabled by An Anisotropic Thermally Conductive Hexagonal Boron Nitride Coating.” Advanced Functional Materials, 30, 1909196 (2020).
- S. He, C. Chen, Y. Kuang, R. Mi, Y. Liu, Y. Pei, W. Kong, W. Gan, H. Xie, E. Hitz, C. Jia, X. Chen, A. Gong, J. Liao, J. Li, Z. Ren, B. Yang, S. Das, L. Hu, “Nature-Inspired Salt Resistant Bimodal Porous Solar Evaporator for Efficient and Stable Water Desalination.” Energy and Environmental Science, 12, 1558-1567 (2019).
- Y. Kuang, C. Chen, G. Chen#, Y. Pei, G. Pastel, C. Jia, J. Song, R. Mi, B. Yang, S. Das, L. Hu, “Bioinspired Solar-Heated Carbon Absorbent for Efficient Clean-Up of Highly Viscous Crude Oil.” Advanced Functional Materials, 29, 1900162 (2019).
- T. Li, X. Zhang, S. D. Lacey, R. Mi, X. Zhao, F. Jiang, J. Song, Z. Liu, G. Chen#, J. Dai, Y. Yao, S. Das, R. Yang, R. Briber, L. Hu, “Cellulose Ionic Conductors with High Differential Thermal Voltage for Low-Grade Heat Harvesting.” Nature Materials, 18, 608-613 (2019).
- C. Wang, S. Wang, G. Chen#, W. Kong, W. Ping, J. Dai, G. Pastel, H. Xie, S. He, S. Das, and L. Hu, “Flexible, Bio-Compatible Nanofluidic Sodium Ion Conductor.” Chemistry of Materials, 98, 7707-7713 (2018).
- T. Li, H. Liu, X. Zhao, G. Chen#, J. Dai, G. Pastel, C. Jia, C. Chen, S. Das, R. Yang, and L. Hu, “Scalable and Highly Efficient Mesoporous Wood-Based Solar Steam Generation Device: Localized Heat, Rapid Water Transport”. Advanced Functional Materials, 28, 1707134 (2018).
- H. Liu, C. Chen, G. Chen#, Y. Kuang, X. Zhao, J. Song, C. Jia, X. Xu, E. Hitz, H. Xie, S. Wang, F. Jiang, T. Li, Y. Li, A. Gong, R. Yang, S. Das, and L. Hu, “High-Performance Solar Steam Device with Layered Channels: Artificial Tree with a Reversed Design.” Advanced Energy Materials, 8, 1701616 (2018).
- C. Jia, Y. Li, Z. Yang, G Chen#, Y. Yao, F. Jiang, Y. Kuang, G. Pastel, H. Xie, B. Yang, S. Das, and L. Hu, “Rich Mesostructures Derived from Natural Woods toward Energy-water Nexus.” Joule, 1, 588-5999 (2017).
- M. Zhu$, Y. Li$, G. Chen#$, Z. Yang, X. Luo, Y. Wang#, J. Dai, S. D. Lacey, C. Wang, C. Jia, J. Wan, Y. Yao, B. Yang, Z. Yu, S. Das*, L. Hu*, “Tree-Inspired Design for High-Efficiency Water Extraction.” Advanced Materials, DOI: 10.1002/adma.201704107 (2017). ($: Co-first authors).
- F. Chen, A. Gong, M. Zhu, G. Chen#, S. Lacey, F. Feng, Y. Li, Y. Wang, J. Dai, Y. Yao, J. Song, B. Liu, K. Fu, S. Das, and L. Hu, “Mesoporous, Three-Dimensional Wood Membrane Decorated with Nanoparticles for Highly Efficient Water Treatment.”, ACS Nano, 11, 4275-4282 (2017).
- Y. Wang, G. Sun, J. Dai, G. Chen#, J. Morgenstern, Y. Wang#, S. Kang, M. Zhu, S. Das, L. Cui, and L. Hu, “High-Performance, Low Tortuosity Wood Carbon Monolith Reactor.” Advanced Materials, 29, 1604257 (2017).
c. Applications for Interfacial Sciences for Nanomaterials Fabrication
In this topic, we develop theories to better control the interfacial principles for nanomaterial-based fabrication
Related recent publication
- Z. Liu, Y. Wang, K. Fu, Z. Wang, Y. Yao, J. Wan, J. Dai, S. Das*, and L. Hu, “Solvo-thermal microwave-powered two-dimensional materials exfoliation.” Chemical Communications, 52, 5757-5760 (2016).
- Z. Liu, L. Zhang, R. Wang, S. Poyraz, J. Cook, M. Bozack, S. Das, X. Zhang, and L. Hu, “Ultrafast microwave nano-manufacturing of fullerene-like metal chalcogenides.” Scientific Reports, 6, 22503(1-8) (2016). (media coverage: enme.umd.edu)
Collaborators: Prof. Liangbing Hu (Materials Science, UMD), Xinyu Zhang (Auburn University)
Involved Graduate Students: Yanbin Wang