Location: Presented in GLT 5.104 or by Zoom ID: 827 9681 1194
Sponsor: McKetta's Department of Chemical Engineering
Title: Beyond Size and Charge: Molecular Origins of Selective Ion Transport in Membranes
Abstract
Electrochemical membrane-based technologies are poised to play an important role in meeting the growing global demand for clean water, sustainable energy, and critical materials because of their high efficiency, compact footprint, and operational simplicity. Central to these technologies are ion-exchange membranes (IEMs), which are made from charged polymers that regulate the transport of ionic species. Two properties are particularly important to membrane performance: membrane resistance, which influences energy consumption, and ion selectivity, which determines separation efficiency. Although membrane resistance can often be reduced through changes in thickness, selectivity is governed by complex molecular interactions and is therefore considerably more difficult to control. Developing membranes with enhanced and predictable selectivity is essential for expanding the use of electrochemical membrane processes. In this presentation, I will discuss our recent efforts to uncover the molecular origins of ion selectivity in IEMs. First, I will describe how specific ion effects arise from ion-water-polymer interactions within charged membranes and how these interactions influence ion mobility. Second, I will present a concentration gradient-driven approach for separating monovalent and divalent cations through selective thermodynamic partitioning and coupled ion transport, without the need for an applied electric field. Together, these studies illustrate how molecular-scale interactions can be leveraged to understand and control selective ion transport.
Bio
Dr. Jovan Kamcev is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and Macromolecular Science & Engineering at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the University of Michigan in Fall 2019, he completed his postdoctoral training in Chemistry at University of California, Berkeley under the guidance of Prof. Jeffrey Long. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 2016 from The University of Texas at Austin under the guidance of Profs. Benny Freeman and Donald Paul. His research group investigates the fundamental mechanisms of small molecule transport in polymeric materials and develops structure-property relationships to guide the design of polymer membranes for water treatment, critical materials recovery, and energy generation and storage. He has been recognized with several awards including the DOE and NSF Early Career Awards, NAMS Young Membrane Scientist Award, AIChE’s 35 Under 35 Award, ECS Toyota Young Investigator Fellowship, ACS PMSE Early Investigator Award, and the AIChE FRI/John G. Kunesh Award.