(4pi) Understanding Behaviors of Gas-Sorbing Materials: Learning Key Physical Attributes through towards Obtaining Structure-Property Relationships

Porous solid materials are promising for gas capture and storage, given their robust and tunable properties. For example, amine-functionalized porous silica effectively captures CO2 from ultra-dilute streams such as ambient air (~420 ppm CO2) in a selective manner. Tuning the physicochemical properties of zeolites and metal-organic frameworks can lead to highly selective gas sorption. My team will employ novel experimental techniques such as neutron scattering, diffraction (X-ray, neutron), and solid-state NMR to investigate fundamental physical and chemical attributes critical to materials aimed at gas capture and storage. Perspective research areas include:

Through the perspective research mentioned above, my team will pursue curiosity-driven research oriented to understanding fundamental behaviors of gas-capturing materials and contributing to addressing problems faced by global society, such as mitigating global warming gases and water harvesting.

The research mentioned above builds upon my background. During my PhD studies at Georgia Tech, I explored the physical attributes of amino-polymers encapsulated in porous silica supports, with a particular emphasis on understanding the distribution and mobility of amines. Learning and utilizing unconventional techniques such as small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS), and solid-state NMR, I gained insights into the behavior of amines within porous supports. By correlating the physical properties of amines with CO2 capture properties, I established structure-property relationships critical to carbon capture performance and stability over repeated capture-regeneration cycles. In my current role as a post-doctoral researcher at the NIST Center for Neutron Research and the Center for Neutron Science at the University of Delaware, I have expanded my expertise to include diffraction techniques while combining with the skills I learned during my PhDto investigate the structures and motions of gaseous molecules in porous solids such as zeolites and metal-organic frameworks. Along with my research experiences, I have worked with researchers specializing in simulation and modeling to validate my experimental findings. The interdisciplinary research experiences helped me broaden my scope and learn the goodness of a collaborative research atmosphere. Moving forward, I am eager to apply my knowledge and skills at research-oriented universities or research institutes focused on gas capture or storage using porous solids, organic-inorganic hybrids, and fully organic materials.

Teaching Interests

During my PhD studies, I mentored two undergraduate research interns and three junior PhD students from different cultural backgrounds. Through these mentorships, I forged mutual bonds with them and thrived together. For instance, I carried out research projects with undergraduate interns, where they actively engaged in conceiving research ideas, conducting experiments, analyzing data, and preparingmanuscripts. One project resulted in a publication in a peer-reviewed journal, while another is under review. Currently, they are both pursuing PhD degrees at US universities. My relationship with junior PhD students in my previous group broadened my perspective on how students from different backgrounds approach research questions and daily lives. Two of these junior students collaborated with me on neutron beamline experiments, where we exchanged valuable insights through intensive field trips. Bur prior to being a mentor, I was nurtured by great mentors, including my PhD advisor and senior members in my former group. They provided unwavering support during the initial periods of my PhD studies. In my current group, I continue to receive nurturing support from my advisor, senior post-doctoral researchers, and staff members. With what I have learned, I look forward to mentoring new students and collaborating with colleagues throughout my career.

My teaching philosophy was shaped significantly during my teaching assistantship. I was a lead teaching assistant (TA) for a mandatory graduate course named Kinetics & Reactor Design, Chemical Process Safety for undergraduates, and Chemical Product Design for undergraduates. Through my TA experiences, I absorbed teaching strategies posed by the instructor (my PhD advisor) and discovered that teaching could inspire students, giving a great initiative for future scientists and engineers. The instructor was delighted to share the beauty of science that he has learned, with examples encountered in our daily lives. Through direct interactions with students, I learned that dedication and empathy arepowerful in supporting students’ learning needs. As a TA for a graduate course (Kinetics & Reactor Design), I held weekly office hours to assist with homework assignments, provided additional office hours upon request for reviewing lecture materials, and delivered a couple of lectures to summarize exam topics and present examples. Despite significant time and energy invested, I was fully recharged not only by what I had learned but also by the engaging feedback from students. With this teaching philosophy, I feel confident in teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Chemical Engineering, including Kinetics & Reactor Design, Transport Phenomena, Spectroscopy, and Crystallography & Diffraction. One potential curriculum that I envision developing is Transport & Sorption in Porous Media, which aligns with my research experiences.