Download Research-Area

http://www.chbe.gatech.edu/faculty/deng
Research Area:
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Nanomaterial synthesis and self-assembling
Biofuel and biomass materials
Sustainable energy – fuel cell and solar cell
Polymer
Papermaking and paper recycling
http://www.chbe.gatech.edu/research/faculty-awards
Yulin Deng, Andrew Chase Division Award in Chemical Engineering from the AIChE Forest
Bioproducts Division
http://deng.chbe.gatech.edu/about
About Dr. Deng
Education
B.S. 1982, Northeast Normal University, China
Ph.D. 1992, Manchester University, United Kingdom
Research Interests
Dr. Deng’s research interests are nanomaterial synthesis and self-assembling, biofuel
and biomass materials, green and sustainable energy (fuel cell
and solar cell), polymer synthesis, and papermaking and paper
recycling.
One-dimensional nanomaterials, including ZnO, TiO2,
Mg(OH)2, Au, conductive polymer, and twodimensional nanomaterials with ordered patterns are
Yulin Deng’s research interesting areas. The unique
applications of one- and two-dimensional
nanomaterials in sensor and solar cell have been
focused. The one-dimensional nanomaterials synthesized in our lab have also been used
as reinforcement materials in polymer nanocomposite. Biodegradable cellulose
nanowhiskers and nanofibrils have been used as reinforcement nanomaterials and also
soft electronic devices in our research. Shape-memory aerogels based on cellulose
nanofibrils have been discovered and paper-based diode have been reported by our
research group recently.
Nanocomposites such as polymer/nanoclay hybrids are engineering materials that have
great potential in many industries. Recent research in Dr. Deng’s group indicated that
exfoliated nanoclay could be encapsulated in polymer latexes. The water-based polymernanoclay suspension is a great candidate for painting and paper coating.
Biofuel is another interested research area of Dr. Deng’s research group. Novel
pretreatment of lignoncellulose for biofuel production was one of Dr. Deng’s research
areas. Low temperature catalytic depolymerization of lignin for fuel applications has
been an actively research area.
Biomass based fuel cell without using noble metal catalyst was first reported by Dr.
Yulin Deng’s group. This novel approach opens a new research area to directly convert
biomass, including grass, wood, protein waste materials, agriculture residues etc. to
electricity without complicated chemical treatment.
Polymer adsorption kinetics, polymer configuration, flocculation, emulsion and
micellization have also been focused in Dr. Deng’s research group. The new polymer
additives and novel fillers that may be used as flocculants, papermaking agents,
adhesives and drug delivery polymers are being designed and investigated.
Pulp and paper science and engineering have been a long research area in Dr. Deng’s
research career.
Dr. Deng is a Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science, a member of ACS,
AIChE and TAPPI. He received AIChE’s Andrew Chase Division Award for Chemical
Engineering in 2013. He is also editorial board member for five journals.