Research Areas
Our research group focuses on improving metal extraction and purification, materials synthesis and evaluation for new technologies such as chemical sensors, and corrosion mitigation and recycling to make our world better and our way of life more sustainable. These focus areas are interrelated. Some of the same chemical principles used to evaluate and predict metal extraction are used to reduce metal corrosion, and similarly, some of the same principles used for metal purification are used for metal and materials synthesis. Metal recycling is generally performed using the same principles and processes as metal extraction and purification. Our focus in these areas is linked to improving processes, efficiencies, recoveries, and performance levels to enable a better and more sustainable future.
Our research in chemical extraction of metals has involved small and large column leaching tests in which recovery is tracked as a function of time and the flow rates and parameters such as pH are monitored and controlled by automated equipment. In other work we have utilized leaching vessels of a wide range of size to perform a variety of extraction testing.
We have performed work for many different companies as well as government agencies such as the Department of Energy.
We have performed many electrometallurgy projects in which we have produced copper and modeled the associated performance based on operating parameters.
Areas of particular interest have been in copper electrorefining and electrowinning. Our work in this area has been funded by government and private sources.
Our corrosion research has been very productive in understanding and modeling surfactant corrosion inhibition, sensitization measurement and prediction, and in general corrosion assessments.
Our corrosion research has been funded by ONR, Department of Defense, and private companies.
Under the expertise and innovation of Dr. Prashant Sarswat, our materials synthesis research has been very productive in the areas of sensor development and thin film synthesis for photovoltaic and Dirac materials.
Our materials synthesis research has been funded by a variety of sources.