17

Department ofChemical Engineering

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES

18

Carl R. F. LundChair

T. J. MountziarisDirector of Graduate

Studies

Johannes M. NitscheDirector of Graduate

Admissions

Graduate Admissions

Department of Chemical

Engineering

University at Buffalo

Furnas Hall Rm. 904

Box 604200

Buffalo, NY 14260-4200

Telephone: (716) 645-2911

Fax: (716) 645-3822

E-mail: tjm@eng.buffalo.edu

Web site: www.eng.buffalo.

edu/Departments/CE

Department StatsFull-time faculty: 13

Adjunct faculty: 1

Full-time graduate

students: 53

Part-time graduate

students: 11

Teaching/research/graduate

assistants: 34

The Department of Chemical Engineering at UB is nationally and

internationally known for academic excellence in both teaching and research. It

has been consistently ranked among the nation’s top thirty chemical engineering

departments in the Gorman and the National Research Council reports. In two

recent rankings of all chemical engineering departments in the world, conducted

independently by the University of Pittsburgh and the Korean Advanced Institute

of Science and Technology, UB’s chemical engineering department was ranked in

the top ten worldwide based on research publications per faculty and their impact

on the field (as manifested by the quality of the scientific journals in which the

papers were published and the number of citations each paper received).

Graduate students in the department have the opportunity to participate in a

vigorous research program covering the areas of bioengineering, catalysis and

Department ofChemicalEngineering

19

Callie ShoshoPH.D. CANDIDATE

“The UB chemical engineering department is fairly small,

which is one of its strengths. In many of my classes and

labs, professors were able to devote time to us individually.

But also, UB has exceptional facilities and cutting-edge

equipment. This combination makes for a wonderful

educational experience.

“If prospective students want small classes and profes-

sors who take an interest in what their students are work-

ing on and if students want to work on interesting and

diverse engineering problems, I definitely think they

should come here.”Callie Shosho’s research focuses on fluid rheology and transportphenomena. She has been especially interested in the relationbetween the thickness of bubbles and the influence of thetube wall. Upon graduating, she hopes to work in researchand development with a food manufacturer.

reaction engineering, ceramics, colloids, electronic and photonic materials,

environmental engineering, interfacial phenomena, dinetics, molecular

simulation, polymer processing and rheology, polymer science,

process design and control, separations, statistical physics, surface

science, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena. Research

projects are generously supported by federal and state funding

agencies and by industry.

Innovative graduate courses are offered in the fundamentals of

chemical engineering as well as in specialty and emerging areas.

Tailored to meet the needs of each student, graduate academic

programs are designed to provide flexibility for students to develop

special technical interests and to acquire new skills. In collaboration

with organized research centers, multidisciplinary studies are

available in the fields of advanced materials, bioengineering, and

environmental engineering.

Graduate students are advised by a dynamic group of faculty that includes one

member of the National Academy of Engineering, three former NSF Presidential

Young Investigators, and several recipients of national, international, and regional

research and teaching awards from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers,

the American Chemical Society, the Electrochemical Society, the Alexander von

Humboldt Foundation, the American Society for Engineering Education, Tau

Beta Pi, and the State University of New York system, among others.

The department has an excellent record in placing its graduates in highly

visible positions in industry and academia.

20

M.Eng. ProgramThe master’s of engineeringin chemical engineering is aprofessional degree that isprimarily intended for prac-ticing chemical engineerswho desire advanced profes-sional engineering training,and for those who desire toenter the workplace with atechnical specialization be-yond that of the B.S. Thisprogram, which involvesgraduate courses and aproject, is typically completedin twelve months. Wheneverpossible, M.Eng. projects areconducted in collaborationwith local industry.

Some financial support isavailable for M.Eng. candi-dates in the form of partial orfull tuition scholarships.These may be offered toqualified domestic studentspursuing full-time study.

Course RequirementsAll M.Eng. candidates inchemical engineering are re-

Graduate

DEGREES OFFEREDM.Eng., M.S., and Ph.D.in Chemical Engineering

Concentrations:

❖ Bioengineering

❖ Catalysis and Reaction

Engineering

❖ Ceramics

❖ Colloids

❖ Electronic and Photonic

Materials

❖ Environmental

Engineering

❖ Interfacial Phenomena

❖ Kinetics

❖ Molecular Simulation

❖ Polymer Processing and

Rheology

❖ Polymer Science

❖ Process Design and

Control

❖ Separations

❖ Statistical Physics

❖ Surface Science

❖ Thermodynamics

❖ Transport Phenomena

quired to take at least two ofthe four core curriculumcourses (CE 509 TransportPhenomena, CE 525 Ad-vanced Chemical EngineeringThermodynamics, CE 531

Chemical Engineering Analy-sis I, CE 561 Applied Chemi-cal Kinetics) and at least twochemical engineering electivecourses. Beyond these basiccourse requirements, M.Eng.

Programs

Ranjit ChakravortiPRESIDENT, TRS CONSULTING OF SAN RAMON, CALIFORNIA

Ph.D., ’73, University at Buffalo

“I graduated in 1973. In those days we had wonderful

and excellent professors; today the faculty in the Buffalo

engineering school is one of the best in the country. I am

pleased that I often see UB professors’ names in the various

magazines and journals I read.

“As engineers, we have the opportunity to make

improvements and help people. My company is currently

funding a project to assess the municipal solid waste prob-

lems in Calcutta, which is where I was born. Our goal is to

eventually put together a team of American companies to

see what we can do to help in that part of the world.”Ranjit Chakravorti founded TRS Consulting in 1988. His companyspecializes in construction management, dealing with transporta-tion and facilities projects as well as projects involving environ-mental concerns. At Buffalo, he was a student of Dr. Tom Weber.His research involved charting the absorption of carbons inenvironmental pollution.

21

Admission RequirementsAdmission to the graduate program in chemical engineering is

on a competitive basis. It is the goal of the department to serve

highly talented students with the greatest potential to enrich

the profession and the society it serves. This policy promotes a

stimulating and productive academic environment. Applicants

are generally expected to have completed with distinction a

broad undergraduate program in chemical engineering in a

college of recognized standing. Scholastic averages in technical

courses and on a cumulative basis are expected to range from

“B” (3.0) to “B+/A-” (3.5) or better depending on the degree

program to which admission is sought. Students with scientific

or technical backgrounds outside chemical engineering can be

accommodated in special curriculum programs.

For consideration for admission to the program, students

should submit the following materials:

❖ Completed application form

❖ Official transcripts sent directly to the department from every

college or university attended, even if no degree was awarded

David KofkeASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO

Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

“I try to connect the microscopic world to what we see

around us—the macroscopic behavior of substances.

“The interaction between myself and students is strong:

I get involved in the details of what they’re working on,

but I encourage students to carve out the problem area

they want their research to answer.

“The best resource for students here is the faculty. The

younger people are at the leading edge of what chemical

engineering is doing right now. And the senior faculty con-

tinue to bring their experience to the latest challenges in

chemical engineering. It’s the right balance.”Dr. Kofke’s research focuses on thermodynamics, statistical physics,and molecular simulation. He has recently received an NSF grantto develop a WWW textbook on molecular simulation.

❖ Three letters of recommendation sent directly to the depart-

ment from persons who can comment on the applicant’s

potential for graduate study

❖ Scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Aptitude Test

❖ TOEFL test scores, for nonnative speakers of English

(see page 5)

❖ Proof of financial support, for international students

(see page 5)

Students are also encouraged to send any other standardized

test scores and materials that may enhance their application

for admission. Submission of a brief statement outlining profes-

sional objectives, special interests and educational plans is

highly recommended.

Students should apply as early as possible. All application

materials must be received by the department by February 1

for full consideration for financial support for fall semester

admissions, or by October 15 for spring semester admissions.

candidates may constructtheir course of study in col-laboration with, and subjectto the approval of, the direc-tor of graduate studies.

M.S. ProgramThe master of science programin chemical engineering istypically completed in eighteento twenty-four months. It in-volves formal and informalcoursework and a researchproject. The M.S. program isprimarily intended for stu-

dents desiring to acquiresome research experience inaddition to formal training inchemical engineering funda-mentals at an advanced levelthrough graduate coursework.

Highly qualified M.S.candidates are eligible forsupport in the form of teach-ing or research fellowshipsand full tuition scholarships.Partial or full tuition scholar-ships are also offered to quali-fied domestic students.

Course RequirementsA minimum of eight graduatecourses must be taken. Ofthese, four should be techni-cal electives, two of whichmust be taken within thedepartment. The remainingfour courses come from thecore curriculum: CE 509Transport Phenomena, CE525 Advanced Chemical En-gineering Thermodynamics,CE 531 Chemical Engineer-ing Analysis I, and CE 561Applied Chemical Kinetics.

Elective course selections aremade in consultation with thestudent’s academic advisor.

Ph.D. ProgramThe Ph.D. program in chemi-cal engineering is aimed ateducating outstanding studentswho have the talent and theambition to become futureleaders in the field. The em-phasis of the Ph.D. programis on the development of thestudent’s capability to per-form independent, creative,and in-depth research on

22

challenging problems of sig-nificance to chemical engineer-ing science or its applications.In order to facilitate a student’sability to concentrate on re-search and preparation ofthe Ph.D. dissertation, courserequirements are modest.The program is typicallycompleted in four to fiveyears beyond the B.S. degree.

Ph.D. candidates usuallyreceive full financial supportin the form of tuition schol-arships plus a stipend (in theform of a research or teach-ing assistantship) to coverliving expenses. Outstandingstudents may receive financialsupport in the form of a pres-tigious Presidential or otherfellowship.

Course RequirementsStudents are required to com-plete four core curriculumcourses: CE 509 TransportPhenomena, CE 525 AdvancedChemical Engineering Ther-modynamics, CE 531 Chemi-cal Engineering Analysis I,and CE 561 Applied ChemicalKinetics. They may chooseelective courses that are clos-est to their research interests.A maximum of 30 credithours can be derived from acompleted M.S. degree, withno more than 6 credit hoursderived from an M.S. thesis.Students do not need to havean M.S. degree to be admittedto the Ph.D. program. Alldoctoral candidates are re-quired to actively participatein the Chemical EngineeringSeminar Series.

Part-Time StudyStudents registering for

fewer than 12 credit hours

per semester are considered

part-time students. Typically,

these students hold full-time

positions in local industry.

Part-time students may set

their own pace in satisfying

degree requirements pro-

vided that they register for

at least 1 credit hour per

semester until the degree is

awarded and complete the

program within four years

from the first registration

date in the graduate pro-

gram. The department may

grant a leave of absence

under special circumstances.

Costas TheodoropoulosPH.D. CANDIDATE

“When considering a graduate school, you want to know

whether your academic career will lead you where you

want to go. UB does that. The top consideration for me is

faculty—everything begins there. You want to work with

faculty who have experience in research and who know

how things are done. This department is very organized,

and has gotten the grants and equipment it needs to do

the work it does.

“The department has been highly ranked for a long

time, but it’s your personal work with faculty that’s impor-

tant, and I’ve found that very helpful. The people are good

to work with—faculty and everyone else. The department

offers a variety of research paths and works hard to sup-

port students financially and otherwise.”Costas Theodoropoulos works in chemical vapor deposition (CVD),a process to make compounds that make semiconductors. Thisprocess leads to faster electronic devices—lasers, transistors,microwave detectors, even CD players.

Ph.D. QualifyingExaminationStudents pursuing a Ph.D.degree must satisfactorilycomplete a written qualifyingexamination administeredby the department at theend of the first year. The ex-amination has three parts(taken on different days) andcovers the following areas:thermodynamics, kineticsand reaction engineering, andtransport phenomena andunit operations.

The examination is giveneach May at the end of thespring semester. For studentswho fail to pass the examina-tion, a second and finalchance is offered within ayear of the first attempt.

Research ProjectSoon after entering the pro-gram, the student selects aresearch project and startsworking on it under the su-pervision of a faculty advisor.As part of the degree require-ment, each Ph.D. candidatemust submit a detailed writ-ten proposal in his or herchosen area of research to bereviewed by a research com-mittee that includes thestudent’s research advisor

and two other faculty mem-bers; the student is expectedto give an oral presentation ofthe proposal to the commit-tee. The presentation musttake place within two semes-ters after passing the Ph.D.qualifying examination; itwill be followed by regularprogress reports to the com-mittee. All doctoral candi-dates are expected to publishtheir research results in peer-reviewed scientific journalsand to present them in nationaland international meetings.They must also present aresearch seminar on theirdissertation research as partof the regular seminar seriesof the department. The semi-nar is usually given in thefinal semester of study. ThePh.D. dissertation is the cul-mination of the student’sresearch project and mustbe defended in public in anoral examination.

23

FacultyFull-Time FacultyPASCHALIS ALEXANDRIDISASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, 1994

Amphiphilic polymers, struc-tured fluids, self-assembly, in-terfacial phenomena.

STELIOS T. ANDREADISASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Ph.D., University ofMichigan, 1996

Bioengineering, gene therapy,tissue engineering of geneti-cally modified skin for woundhealing.

For more detailed

information about

faculty members in

chemical engineering,

please visit the depart-

mental web page:

www.eng.buffalo.edu/

Departments/CE

Chemical Engineering

ASHISH GUPTAASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Ph.D., University ofCalifornia-Los Angeles, 1995

Process synthesis, simulationand optimization, pollutionprevention, separations.

VLADIMIR HLAVACEKC. C. FURNAS EMINENT PROFESSOR

Ph.D., Institute of ChemicalTechnology, Prague, 1965

Ceramic and reaction engi-neering, analysis of complexchemical plants, simulation ofseparation units, analysis ofindustrial reactors.

DAVID A. KOFKEPROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR OFUNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

Ph.D., University ofPennsylvania, 1988

Thermodynamics, statisticalphysics, molecular simulation.

CARL R. F. LUNDPROFESSOR AND CHAIR

Ph.D., University ofWisconsin, 1981

Heterogeneous catalysis,chemical kinetics, reaction en-gineering.

24

T. J. MOUNTZIARISASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANDDIRECTOR OF GRADUATE STUDIES

Ph.D., Princeton University, 1989

Electronic and photonic materi-als, biosensors, chemical kinetics,transport phenomena, reactordesign, multiphase flows.

SRIRAM NEELAMEGHAMASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Ph.D., Rice University, 1995

Biomedical engineering,cell biomechanics, vascularengineering.

JOHANNES M. NITSCHEASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANDDIRECTOR OF GRADUATEADMISSIONS

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, 1989

Fluid mechanics and transportphenomena, bioactivesurfaces, biological pores,thermodynamics.

ELI RUCKENSTEINDISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR,MEMBER OF THE NATIONALACADEMY OF ENGINEERING

Ph.D., Polytechnic Institute ofBucharest, 1966

Catalysis, surface phenomena,colloids, emulsions, biocom-patible surfaces and materials.

MICHAEL E. RYANPROFESSOR AND ASSOCIATE DEANOF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

Ph.D., McGill University,Quebec, 1978

Polymer and ceramics process-ing, rheology, non-Newtonianfluid mechanics.

MARK T. SWIHARTASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Ph.D., University ofMinnesota, 1997

Chemical kinetics, chemicalvapor deposition, reactormodeling, computationalchemistry, particle nucleationand growth.

THOMAS W. WEBERPROFESSOR

Ph.D., Cornell University, 1963

Process control, classical ther-modynamics, adsorption.

Adjunct FacultyCAREL J. VAN OSSADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF CHEMICALENGINEERING AND GEOLOGY,PROFESSOR OF MICROBIOLOGY

Ph.D., University of Paris,Sorbonne, 1955

Interfacial phenomena and cellinteractions, van der Waals andhydrogen-bonding forces, elec-trokinetic phenomena.

Emeritus Faculty, OnCampusROBERT J. GOODPROFESSOR EMERITUS

Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1950

Surface chemistry, intermo-lecular forces, surface tension,adhesion.

SOL W. WELLERC. C. FURNAS PROFESSOR EMERITUS

Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1941

Catalysis, catalytic processes,kinetics.

Emeritus Faculty, OffCampusDONALD R. BRUTVANPAUL EHRLICHKENNETH M. KISER

25

Facilities and LaboratoriesEngineeringBiotechnologyLaboratoryDirectors: Stelios T. Andreadisand Sriram NeelameghamThe recently establishedEngineering BiotechnologyLaboratory is a world-classfacility that supports high-priority research activities inbiochemical engineering,biomedical engineering, andbiomaterials. The researchprogram focuses upon theadvancement and implemen-tation of engineering applica-tions for recent discoveries inmolecular biology, proteinengineering, biomaterials en-gineering, biosensor design,and biosurface phenomena.The major thrust of thesecutting-edge developments isin the critical areas of thepharmaceutical, medical, andagricultural industries. TheEngineering BiotechnologyLaboratory offers state-of-the-art instrumentation fortissue culture, bioseparations,biomaterials research, fer-mentation technology, digitalimaging microscopy, andgenetic engineering. Educa-tional programs includetraining in bioreactor designand operation, bioseparations,protein processing technology,biosensors, diagnostics, appliedenzymology, and animal cellcultivation, as well as envi-ronmental biotechnology.

Research in the Engineer-ing Biotechnology Laboratoryis focused on the applicationof novel bioengineering tech-niques. Among the areas cur-rently under investigation:❖ The parameters and mecha-nisms that regulate blood celladhesion and migration.Projects include studies thatquantify the biophysical prop-erties of cell surface adhesionreceptors (on-rate, off-rate,molecular lifetime) and exam-ine their role in inflammatory

26

diseases; investigations on themechanism of neutrophil-platelet attachment in venousand arterial shear regimes,and how this process may ex-acerbate vascular thrombosis;and fundamental studies onleukocyte locomotion mecha-nism and kinetics.❖ Tissue engineering of theskin. A model system usingartificial skin to simulate thestructure and function ofhuman epidermis in vivo elu-cidates the processes of skinregeneration under normal

or pathological conditions(for example, injury due toburn or trauma), with the ul-timate goal of engineering ar-tificial skin that can potentiallyimprove the process of woundhealing in patients with burntraumas or injuries.❖ Retrovirus-mediated genetransfer for the purpose of genetherapy. The kinetics ofretroviral attachment to cel-lular receptors, entry into thecell cytoplasm, and intracel-lular events that follow inter-nalization of the virus intothe cell cytoplasm.

Catalysis andReaction EngineeringLaboratoryDirector: C. R. F. LundResearch in the Catalysis andReaction Engineering Labora-tory focuses on fundamentalstudies of catalysts and mem-brane reactors. Experimentaltechniques include steady-state and transient kinetics,isotopic labeling, thermaldesorption, adsorption, calo-rimetry, and membrane per-

meation. Experiments as wellas mathematical models andcomputational chemistrytechniques are employed inan effort to understand theunderlying mechanisms.

Ceramic and ReactionEngineeringLaboratoryDirector: Vladimir HlavacekResearch in the Ceramicand Reaction EngineeringLaboratory focuses on thesynthesis of advanced ce-ramic materials by chemicalvapor deposition, by self-propagating high-temperaturesynthesis and by combustionprocesses. Reactions involv-ing energetic materials arealso studied. A variety ofexperimental techniques areused in conjunction withmathematical models tostudy these processes.

Colloid and SurfaceScience LaboratoriesDirectors: PaschalisAlexandridis, Robert J. Good,and Eli RuckensteinColloids (systems containingparticles of nanometer tomicron length scale) includepolymer solutions, micelles

Eli RuckensteinDISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO

Ph.D., Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest

“I cooperate closely with my students to provide the neces-

sary guidance. But I also give them the freedom to develop

their own ideas. Often they make substantial contributions

to our common research.”Dr. Ruckenstein is an internationally renowned researcher in trans-port phenomena, catalysis, colloids, interfacial phenomena, andmaterials. He has received many awards, including, most recently,election to the National Academy of Engineering in 1990, theLangmuir Distinguished Lecturer Award in 1994, and the Ameri-can Chemical Society’s E. V. Murphree Award in Industrial andEngineering Chemistry in 1996. In 1997, Dr. Ruckenstein wasthe Thirteenth Berkeley Lecturer and the Robert A. WelchFoundation Lecturer.

Dr. Ruckenstein’s graduate students have become faculty mem-bers at the University of California-Santa Barbara, CarnegieMellon, Pennsylvania State, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,as well as members of industry with Mobil, Corning, Air Products,and Union Carbide.

27

Panagiotis (Peter) SmirniotisASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Ph.D.’94, University at Buffalo

“My time spent in Buffalo was very fruitful. I have lots

of very good friends who are still there. In fact, I’m

nostalgic sometimes. It was a very tough period for me—

my studies were very serious, very difficult—but overall,

I miss Buffalo a lot.

“The department has a very high-quality faculty and

has an excellent national reputation. I strongly recommend

the program.”Dr. Smirniotis was selected by the NSF for the prestigious CareerAward in June of 1997. He also is a recent recipient of a $200,000award from the Department of Energy, which awarded onlythirteen other projects nationally; he received the award for theproject “Development of Multi-Task Catalysts for Removal of NOx/Toxic Organic Compounds in Coal Combustion.”

and microemulsions (so-calledassociation colloids), emul-sions, and other dispersionsof solids. Important attributesof the colloids are their sizeand size distribution, as wellas their interactions with thesolvent. At the Colloid andSurface Science Laboratories,a state-of-the-art static anddynamic laser light scatteringfacility is providing suchinformation; viscometry andfluorescence spectrophotom-etry techniques are also usedin the study of colloidal

solutions. Surface tensionand contact angle measure-ments are carried out for thecharacterization of interfacesand surfaces, respectively.Extensive surface spectros-copy and microscopy char-acterization facilities areavailable on campus.

ComputationalFacilitiesA state-of-the-art computa-tional facility has been estab-lished in the department

through grants from theNational Science Foundation.It consists of several high-endSilicon Graphics workstationsand a four-processor, Origin-class Silicon Graphics mini-supercomputer. This moderndistributed computing envi-ronment combines very fastnumber crunching with ad-vanced scientific visualizationcapabilities. The facility isused for computationally in-tensive research in the fields ofadvanced materials process-ing, kinetics, molecular simu-

lation, reaction engineering,and transport phenomena.

A large number of net-worked workstations and PCsare also available for studentuse in research laboratoriesand public sites maintainedby the School of Engineeringand Applied Sciences. Allcomputers also access powerfulservers within the university(including a twelve-processorSun super-computer), as wellas ultra-fast remote super-computers located at the Na-tional Supercomputing Centers.

28

Matthew BurgerM.S. ’97, UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO

“Coming here was a good idea—it allowed me to explore

an area of chemical engineering we didn’t examine in

depth at the undergrad level. I have developed a lot of

skills as a graduate student, including leadership skills. My

advisor encouraged me to think innovatively, to do original

things. I liked this choice. As an undergraduate, you begin

to study things like zeolites—now I make them!

“Many cultures are represented in this department—this

has helped to open up my own ideas. I have enjoyed the

freedom involved in my work here. I’m doing something no

one has ever done. I’m ready for work in industry because

of the work I’ve done here as a grad student.”At UB, Matt Burger’s research involves using zeolites (molecularsieves) as catalysts for the selective production of parachlorotoluenefrom the chlorination of toluene. He would like to work in reactordesign and optimization. He plans to take the PE exam, andpossibly to do consulting work in the future.

Electronic andPhotonic MaterialsLaboratoryDirector: T. J. MountziarisThe focus of research in theElectronic and PhotonicMaterials Laboratory is onunderstanding transportphenomena and the chemicalkinetics (gas-phase and sur-face reactions) underlying thevapor phase processing (epit-axy and etching) of thin filmsand multilayer structuresof semiconductors, metals,and dielectrics used in themicroelectronics industry.Experimental facilities in-clude reactors for metalorganicvapor phase epitaxy of com-pound semiconductors andplasma-assisted chemicalvapor deposition of diamondfilms. Traditional hot-walltubular reactors and a novelcounterflow jet reactor areused to study the decomposi-tion chemistry of film pre-cursors by mass spectroscopyand gas chromatography.Thin-film characterizationinvolves a variety of tech-niques (e. g., Raman spec-troscopy, photoluminescence,X-ray diffraction, atomicforce microscopy, transmis-sion electron microscopy,secondary ion mass spectros-

copy) and is performed incollaboration with facultyfrom the Center for Ad-vanced Photonic and Elec-tronic Materials (CAPEM).

Kinetics and ReactionEngineering of VaporPhase MaterialsSynthesis LaboratoryDirector: Mark T. SwihartResearch in the Kinetics andReaction Engineering of Va-por Phase Materials SynthesisLaboratory focuses on devel-oping fundamental kineticand mechanistic understandingof the vapor phase synthesis(chemical vapor deposition)of thin films and nanoparticlesof inorganic materials. Thisunderstanding is importantfor the improvement of pro-cesses used in microelectronicsmanufacturing, and for com-mercialization of new tech-nologies, such as high-qualitydiamond CVD and siliconnanoparticle synthesis. Thekinetics of elementary reac-tions are investigated bothexperimentally and usingmodern computationalchemistry techniques. Thisinformation is used to con-struct detailed models of filmand particle nucleation and

growth. The long-term goalsof this work are the predictivemodeling of real reactor sys-tems and the ability to con-nect final product propertiesto reactor operating conditions.

Molecular SimulationLaboratoryDirector: David A. KofkeIn the Molecular SimulationLaboratory, computer experi-ments are performed onmodel molecules to betterunderstand how real materi-als behave. The model mol-ecules are described by howthey interact with each other.When many of them areplaced together—as theyare in the materials thatsurround us—they exhibitcomplex behaviors, such asboiling, melting, flowing, re-acting, and conducting heator electricity. By understand-ing these complex behaviorsin simple systems, engineerscan improve our ability tomanipulate these behaviorsin the real systems thatunderlie our modern tech-nologies. One focus of theresearch in this laboratory isphase equilibria; e. g., melt-ing, boiling. It is very difficultto describe these behaviors bymolecular simulation, but

such phenomena have greatimportance to chemical engi-neering applications.

Molecular simulation isnearing a stage where it canserve as a direct supplementto, and sometimes surrogatefor, real experiments. Whilemolecular simulation haslimitations and will neverreplace experimentation,nevertheless as simulationalgorithms continue to im-prove and advances in com-puting hardware continue toastonish us, simulation willtake on more of the dutiesof experiment. Additionally,with simulation comes an in-finitely powerful microscope,one which permits us to see,measure, and manipulate thesmallest detail in ways thatwill be forever beyond theabilities of experiment. Ad-vances in such leading-edgetechnologies as materialsor bioengineering are madeat this molecular scale.Simulation’s ability to probeevents at this level positions itas a major contributor togrowth of these and otherimportant industries.

29

Polymer Rheologyand ProcessingLaboratoryDirector: Michael E. RyanThe Polymer Rheology andProcessing Laboratory is con-cerned with the characteriza-tion of the flow behavior ofrheologically complex fluids,including polymer solutions,polymer melts, filled systems,suspensions, emulsions, andreactive systems. Variousinstruments are available forthe measurement of materialproperties relevant to thesesystems as a function of shearrate, time, and temperature.At this lab, instrumentedequipment for studying theprocessing behavior of mol-ten polymers includes injec-tion molding, blow molding,extrusion, and thermoformingequipment. Fundamentalstudies related to non-Newtonian fluid mechanicsand the behavior of bubbles,drops, and solid particles innon-Newtonian fluids arealso conducted here.

Process DesignLaboratoryDirector: Ashish GuptaResearch in the Process DesignLaboratory focuses on pro-cess synthesis and optimiza-tion, especially for pollutionprevention and waste mini-mization. The ultimate objec-tive is to establish a frame-work for systematic processand plant design. Such anapproach can greatly improvea variety of manufacturingprocesses by making themenvironmentally benign.Computational facilitiesinclude two Sun Ultra2workstations (with twoprocessors each), three SunSparcstations, and several

PCs, all connected to theethernet backbone of the uni-versity. Computational toolsinclude mathematical andoptimization software(MATLAB, MAPLE, MINOS,NPSOL), as well as dynamic(PROTISS) and steady-state(PRO/II, ASPEN PLUS,HYSIM) process simulators.

TransportPhenomenaLaboratoryDirector: Johannes M. NitscheTheoretical and experimentalresearch addresses basic prob-lems in the micromechanicalprocesses underlying equilib-rium distribution and trans-port of small molecules andions, macromolecules, and

colloidal particles inside pores,near surfaces, and withinflows. Special emphasis isplaced on detailed under-standing of the effects ofnonspherical molecularshapes, electrostatic forces,hydrodynamic phenomena,and molecular rotation andalignment. At the TransportPhenomena Laboratory, thesedevelopments are applied tothe engineering of separationsprocesses, immobilized pro-tein systems, and biosensors;the understanding of proteinbinding and bioadhesion pro-cesses; and physiological andbiomedical problems relatingto molecular transport be-tween living cells.

Organized ResearchUnitsThe Department of ChemicalEngineering is also involvedin research at the New YorkState Center for HazardousWaste Management, the Cen-ter for Advanced Photonicand Electronic Materials(CAPEM), the Center forBiomedical Engineering(CBE), and the Center forAdvanced Molecular Biologyand Immunology (CAMBI).

Nitin InglePROCESS DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER/WATKINS-JOHNSON COMPANY

Ph.D. ’95, University at Buffalo

“UB is a good place to be. The beautiful campus and its

diversity, combined with good resources, facilities, and

cross-disciplinary research centers, provide richness to edu-

cation at UB. A lot of interesting and cutting-edge research

is being done at UB; sometimes you don’t realize this until

after you leave the campus. My time spent at UB has easily

been the best period of my life. Some schools may be more

elite, some more fun, but I believe there are not many

facilities like UB that combine the two as successfully.”After completing post-doctoral work at the University of Minne-sota and at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Nitin Inglespecialized in dielectrics with the Watkins-Johnson Company ofScotts Valley, California, which develops and produces chemicalvapor deposition (CVD) equipment for high-volume integratedcircuit manufacturing.

30

CE 500 Special Topics inChemical Engineering (var.)Advanced topics in chemicalengineering to meet theneeds and interests of gradu-ate students.

CE 509 TransportPhenomena I (4)

Introduction to the principlesof transport phenomena, par-ticularly fluid mechanics.Fully developed laminarflows. Navier-Stokes equa-tions derived from the pointof view of momentum trans-port. Boundary layer con-cepts and assumptionsdiscussed and applied to spe-cific configurations. Creepingflows in relation to specific

Course Descriptionsapplications. Mathematicaltechniques, including or-thogonal function expansionsand similarity-type solutions.Buoyancy-driven flows. Ap-plications in reverse osmosis,crystallization, and chroma-tography. Asymptotic solu-tions valid for high Prandtland Schmidt numbers. Phe-nomenological theories ofturbulence. Free surface andconduit flows.

CE 510 TransportPhenomena II(Continuation of CE 509.)Emphasis on heat and masstransfer. Convection. Energyand convective diffusionequations. Formulation of

proper boundary conditionsfor various physical situations.Combined modes of transfer.Steady and unsteady stateconduction and diffusion.Moving boundary problems.

CE 515 Phase Equilibriumand Staged OperationsTheoretical and computa-tional methods necessary tocharacterize systems by theirvapor-liquid phase relation-ships. Behavior in ideal binaryto multicomponent real sys-tems. State calculations fromsingle ideal cases to multi-component fractionationmethods. Equipment param-eters and design methods.

ChemicalEngineering (CE)Courses

All courses are 3 credits

unless otherwise noted.

Graduate students

should consult the

department’s manual

to ascertain which

semester a course is

offered and whether

the course is a lecture,

laboratory, or tutorial.

In addition to the

following courses,

credits are earned for

independent study

projects, and for

thesis or dissertation

research.

31

CE 525 Advanced ChemicalEngineeringThermodynamics (4)Brief review of classical equi-librium thermodynamicsbased on the second law. Sta-tistical concepts helpful incalculating properties of mix-tures. Calculations of phaseequilibria in binary and multi-component systems usingmodern approaches based onmolecular thermodynamics.

CE 526 Statistical Mechanics

A first approach to statisticalmechanics and its methods.Ensembles and the statisticalformulation of the laws ofthermodynamics. Mono-and poly-atomic ideal gases.Imperfect gases and graphtheory. Dense liquids, distri-bution functions, computersimulation techniques. Latticemodels, renormalization groupmethods. Microscopic dynam-ics and transport properties.Inhomogeneous fluids.

CE 527 Colloid and SurfacePhenomenaIntermolecular and surfaceforces. Solid-liquid and liquid-liquid interfaces: thermody-namics, condensation, capillaryaction, contact angles,adsorption from solution,monolayers. Self-assemblyin solution: micelles, bilayers,microemulsions, phase be-havior. Colloidal dispersions:detergency, emulsions, foams,colloidal stability.

CE 529 Application andAdvanced Topics of Colloidand Surface Phenomena

Applications of principles ofsurface chemistry. Chemi-sorption and catalysis. Deter-gency. Emulsion. Flotation.Kinetics of coagulation pro-cesses. Colloidal methods ofstudying the molecular weightand shape of polymer mol-ecules and other particles.Polymer adsorption. Cell mem-brane structure. Adhesion.Environmental applications.

CE 531 ChemicalEngineering Analysis I (4)Development and applica-tion of mathematical tech-niques of particular interestto chemical engineers.Process of formulatingmathematical models forsimple chemical processes.Differential equations, ordi-nary and partial. Analytical(exact and approximate)methods of solving equations.

CE 532 ChemicalEngineering Analysis II

Computational methodsfor solving differential equa-tions that model physicalphenomena in chemicalengineering.

CE 533 Introduction toFinite Element Methods

Finite element methods willbe developed in the generalframework of the weightedresidual methods. Basisfunction (Lagrange, Hermite,Spline) will be developed in

Johannes M. NitscheASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“The chemical engineering department is exciting in its

diversity. You can find yourself doing almost anything as

a student in this department—forestry, environmental

engineering, biomedical, polymers. There’s a great spirit of

collaboration among faculty, and that has a scientific

benefit, as well as an advantage for the student. Students

can work together with several faculty members and put

together their own interdisciplinary project that draws on

the group’s expertise and creates something greater than

the sum of its parts.

“There is a tradition of excellence in teaching in this

department. We take it seriously. We have a small class

size, with a lot of interaction between students and faculty.

Chemical Engineering is a strong department, with top-

notch facilities, and our students here are very successful

in moving directly into industry or landing post-docs.”Dr. Nitsche’s research focuses on transport phenomena, immobi-lized enzymes, chromatographic separations, phase equilibria, andapplied mathematics. He has won numerous awards, including theNSF Young Investigator Award. He is a gifted teacher: He receivedthe SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1995;the 1997 Tau Beta Pi Teacher of the Year Award; and the Professorof the Year Award from AIChE Student Chapter in 1996.

one, two, and three dimen-sions. Programming withFEM will be discussed forlinear and nonlinear prob-lems as well as for movingboundary problems. Iterativesolution schemes will becompared and employed.Physical problems will besolved from the areas of fluidflow, transport phenomena,and reaction engineering.

CE 534 Materials Scienceand Corrosion (4)Intermolecular and inter-atomic forces; molecularorbitals and chemical bonds,crystal geometry and defects;metals and alloys; diffusion,nucleation, and microstruc-ture; phase diagrams andphase transformations;mechanical properties ofmaterials; polymers; semi-conductors; superconductors;corrosion and electrochemis-try. Includes a lab.

32

CE 535 Polymer Science andEngineering IIntroduction to polymers/macromolecules. Classifica-tion of polymers with respectto structure and mechanismsof polymerization reaction.Relations between chemicalstructure and physical prop-erties. Polymer solutions andblends. Mechanical behaviorand engineering propertiesof polymers.

CE 536 Polymer Science andEngineering II (PolymerSynthesis)

Types of polymers and poly-merizations. Step polymeriza-tion (kinetics, crosslinking).Radical chain and emulsionpolymerization. Ionic chainpolymerization (cationic,anionic). Chain copolymer-ization. Ring-openingpolymerization. Reactionsof polymers.

CE 537 PolymerThermodynamics

Chain-like nature of poly-mers and techniques for thecharacterization of polymermolecular weight and size.Statistical thermodynamicsof polymer solutions, phaseequilibria in polymer sys-tems. Polymers in the amor-phous, crystalline, or rubberstate. Cross-linked polymersand rubber elasticity.

CE 538 Polymer Rheology

Inelastic and viscoelasticfluids. Structure and flowphenomena associated withpolymeric liquids. Detailedtreatment of material func-tions and rheometry. Differ-ential integral and rate-type constitutive equations.Introduction to the molecu-lar treatment of rheology.Several problems in appliednon-Newtonian fluidmechanics.

CE 539 Fundamentals ofPolymer ProcessingTheory and practice of poly-mer processing operations.Review of continuum me-chanics and conservationprinciples for mass, momen-tum, and energy. Viscometryand rheological equations ofstate. Industrially importantpolymer processes, includingsingle and twin screw extru-sion, wire coating, film blow-ing, fiber spinning, blowmolding, injection molding,and rotational molding. Mix-ing, lubrication theory, andstability of flows.

CE 547 BiochemicalEngineering

Advanced treatment ofmetabolic pathways inprokaryotes and eukaryotes;fermentor and bioreactordesign and operation strate-gies; bioseparations; geneticengineering techniques; andmodels of cellular function.

CE 561 Applied ChemicalKinetics (4)

Applications of chemicalkinetics, thermodynamics,and transport phenomenato the design of chemicalreactors. More practicalthan theoretical.

CE 563 HeterogeneousCatalysisCatalyst preparation. Newertechniques for surface analy-sis (ESCA, AES, SEMEDAX,EXAFS, SIMS). Treatment ofmass and heat transfer effectsin catalytic kinetics.

CE 564 AdvancedBiochemical Engineering

Introduction to biochemicalengineering. Analysis of mi-crobial kinetics, mass andenergy transport in microbialsystems, batch and continu-ous culture analysis, processscale-up system stabilityanalysis, enzyme kinetics, im-mobilized enzymes, and clas-sical fermentation processes.

CE 571 Frontiers ofChemical Technology

Students are exposed to abroad range of industrialproblems and will solvethe problems in a project-oriented approach.

CE 580 Nonlinear Analysis

Autonomous and nonau-tonomous systems; nonlinearODEs; phase plane analysis;linear stability theory;Lyapunov’s direct method;bifurcation theory; cusps,isolas, and limit cycles;

periodic solutions and Hopfbifurcation and stabilityanalysis; nonlinear PDEs;pattern formation in chemi-cal systems; transition tochaos; hydrodynamic stabil-ity. Examples focus on reac-tion and transport processes.

CE 611–612 ChemicalEngineering Seminar (0)Graduate students are re-quired to attend weeklyseminars presented bydistinguished speakersfrom academia and industry.