Descriptions of transport of momentum, energy, and species, often accompanied by chemical reaction – i.e. fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mass transfer, and reaction engineering – are one of the central and most successful paradigms of modern chemical engineering.  Modern research in transport processes addresses problems through combinations of theory, computation, and experiment. Research into transport processes at Northwestern includes fundamental studies of the dynamics of complex multiphase materials such as three-phase fluid systems and granular materials; exploration of problems involving the mixing and blending of multiphase polymers and polymer-inorganic nanocomposites; novel solid-state pulverization technology as an innovative solution to problems in traditional polymer processing; non-Newtonian flow properties of ‘complex fluids’ (polymers, blends, emulsions, suspensions, surfactants, etc.). Mass transport research at Northwestern also focuses on problems where the structural complexity of the materials of interest directly impact transport behavior, such as diffusion in nanoporous materials and diffusion in polymer systems.

Faculty working in Transport Processes:
Wesley Burghardt
Justin Notestein
Julio Ottino
Randall Snurr
John Torkelson

Collaborating Faculty, Departments, and Research Centers:
Richard Lueptow, Mechanical Engineering
Materials Research Center (Monica Olvera de la Cruz, Director)
DuPont-Northwestern-Dow
Institute for Nanotechnology
Joseph Hupp, Chemistry
SonBinh Nguyen, Chemistry
Center for Catalysis and Surface Science
Institute for Environmental Catalysis