Lori Tunstall
1 year ago
Materials Research Colorado School of Mines in United States
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Chemical Engineering
Funding
Funding is in place for 5 years through an NSF CAREER award
Deadline
Expired
Country
United States
University
Colorado School of Mines
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Where to contact
Official Email
Keywords
Chemical Engineering
Materials Science
Molecular Dynamics
Civil Engineering
Interfacial Science
Cementitious Materials
About this position
The Tunstall Materials Research Group is hiring a new Ph.D. student! Explore beautiful Colorado in a collaborative, supportive research environment. Funding is in place for 5 years through an NSF CAREER award. Please reach out with your CV and why you think you'd be a good fit for the project:
[email protected]
Project details below:
Pickering Stability of Air Bubbles for Superior Air-Entrainment and Frost Durability of Cementitious Materials
This project will explore the hypothesis that Pickering stabilization can be used instead of/in addition to current air entrainment approaches for exceptional bubble stability and size control.
The successful candidate will use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments to test the hypothesis and develop a fundamental model to describe the mechanisms controlling Pickering stabilization of air bubbles in cementitious systems. Using both MD simulations and experimental research, the proposed work will contribute a robust, fundamental model describing the mechanisms controlling Pickering stabilization of air bubbles in cementitious systems. This is the first time Pickering stabilization has been explored as a method for entraining air in concrete and offers a unique advancement opportunity in a field that has been stagnant for nearly a century. Since the proposed work is the first of its kind, it is expected to produce several novel data sets that will be useful for chemical admixture producers, for example determining the binding energy of various surfactant types onto cement and determining the fraction of adsorption sites on a cement particle. The proposed work will also benefit other industries requiring highly stable foam, which may include applications such as fracking fluid alternatives, enhanced oil recovery, froth flotation for mineral processing, and flotation de-inking processes to recycle papers, etc.
This research will be integrated into a K-12 education/outreach (EO) program to enrich research, education, and outreach experiences simultaneously. The proposed work will develop this workforce by building a diverse pipeline through a research-integrated K-12 education and outreach program, an undergraduate/graduate training program focused on best practices in inclusive pedagogy and community building, and an annual concrete career week that will introduce grade 8-12 students to hands-on research experience from the proposed work and 5 other concrete career options via facility tours from industry professionals.
Prospective students should have an interest in both experimental work and molecular dynamics; no prior experience is expected. The project work will likely consist of 75% experimental work and 25% simulation work. Chemical engineering concepts, including thermodynamics and interfacial science, will be heavily leveraged in this work.
Project details below:
Pickering Stability of Air Bubbles for Superior Air-Entrainment and Frost Durability of Cementitious Materials
This project will explore the hypothesis that Pickering stabilization can be used instead of/in addition to current air entrainment approaches for exceptional bubble stability and size control.
The successful candidate will use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments to test the hypothesis and develop a fundamental model to describe the mechanisms controlling Pickering stabilization of air bubbles in cementitious systems. Using both MD simulations and experimental research, the proposed work will contribute a robust, fundamental model describing the mechanisms controlling Pickering stabilization of air bubbles in cementitious systems. This is the first time Pickering stabilization has been explored as a method for entraining air in concrete and offers a unique advancement opportunity in a field that has been stagnant for nearly a century. Since the proposed work is the first of its kind, it is expected to produce several novel data sets that will be useful for chemical admixture producers, for example determining the binding energy of various surfactant types onto cement and determining the fraction of adsorption sites on a cement particle. The proposed work will also benefit other industries requiring highly stable foam, which may include applications such as fracking fluid alternatives, enhanced oil recovery, froth flotation for mineral processing, and flotation de-inking processes to recycle papers, etc.
This research will be integrated into a K-12 education/outreach (EO) program to enrich research, education, and outreach experiences simultaneously. The proposed work will develop this workforce by building a diverse pipeline through a research-integrated K-12 education and outreach program, an undergraduate/graduate training program focused on best practices in inclusive pedagogy and community building, and an annual concrete career week that will introduce grade 8-12 students to hands-on research experience from the proposed work and 5 other concrete career options via facility tours from industry professionals.
Prospective students should have an interest in both experimental work and molecular dynamics; no prior experience is expected. The project work will likely consist of 75% experimental work and 25% simulation work. Chemical engineering concepts, including thermodynamics and interfacial science, will be heavily leveraged in this work.
Funding details
Funding is in place for 5 years through an NSF CAREER award
How to apply
Please reach out with your CV and why you think you'd be a good fit for the project: [email protected]
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Pickering Stability of Air Bubbles for Superior Air-Entrainment and Frost Durability of Cementitious Materials