Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 

This category covers:

  • Advanced Chemical Processes
  • Biological Chemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Chiral & Pharmaceutical Engineering
  • Green Chemistry
  • Inorganic chemistry
  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Molecular Modeling
  • Natural Product Synthesis
  • Organic Synthesis
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Process Systems Engineering/Process Control
  • Statistical Thermodynamics
  • Stereochemistry
  • Theoretical / Computational / Physical Chemistry
  • Theoretical Chemistry
  • Spectroscopy

 
Process System and Multi-Scale Modeling
The group focuses on the research subjects of four principles spanning from quantum/statistical mechanics to macroscopic systems; first-principle and ab-initio calculations, molecular modeling and simulation, hydrodynamics, and control and optimization of chemical processes. In our group, while individual subjects are of great importance to pose potential impacts on scientific recognitions, any parallel and series of combination of the specified principles can be autonomously engineered to yield theoretical generality by undertaking inductive and deductive approaches. While our paradigm is based on bridging characteristics of researches, our group takes on the following individual projects as initiatives:

First-Principle and Ab-Initio Calculations
By quantum mechanics and density functional calculations, we study heterogeneous catalytic reactions, surface sciences phenomena, as well as surface thermodynamics and kinetics studies to bridge between surface science’s experiments and real industrial scale reactions.

Molecular Modeling and Simulation
Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation methodology are applied for studying defects in crystals, confined fluids, phase equilibria, and fluids in catalytic membrane. Current modules are built upon basis of simple potentials such as hard sphere and square well, and more realistically, Lennard-Jones and Morse potentials. While abstract understandings of the real systems are possible through those models, our intention is to extend the projects by adopting semi-empirical/empirical potentials or by developing one, hence to incarnate real systems.

Hydrodynamics
We develop simplified minimal molecular dynamics model for applications such as microflows, turbulence, and multiphase flows. The ultimate goal is to create the so called minimal molecular Dynamics, which constitutes small but realistic model of fluid flows. In such modeling approaches, one tries to create molecular dynamics stripped to its bare essentials. The basic idea is to create a simple molecular dynamics with smallest possible number of degree of freedoms. The advantage of such an approach is becoming increasingly recognized as for an example: lattice Boltzmann models are now routinely used for computer simulations of fluid flows and for hydrodynamics of complex fluids.

Control and Optimization of Chemical Processes
We develop dynamic models of chemical systems including catalytic reactors, crystallizers, solid oxide fuel cells and bioreactors to better understand their behaviors, optimize their performance in the face of uncertainty and design control structures. In addition, data based methods to detect and diagnose faults in industrial processes and analyze underlying phenomenon in biomedical processes using multivariate statistics are being explored. Chemometric techniques are also being developed to improve the calibration of spectroscopic sensors that forms the basis of on-line process optimization and control.

Related Links:
Centre for Chiral & Pharmaceutical Engineering
Division of Chemistry & Biological Chemistry, School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences

 NameResearch Interests
Asst Prof Arvind RajendranArvind's research interests are in adsorption and chromatography. His focus is on using supercritical fluids as eluents for large scale chromatographic separations, such as the simulated moving bed (SMB) and preparative chromatography, applied to the separation of pharmaceutically active enantiomers. His interests and specializations include adsorption of supercritical fluids, swelling of polymers in supercritical media and gas separation using rapid pressure swing adsorption (PSA) processes.
Assoc Prof Cai WenjianProf Cai's areas of expertise are system modelling, control and optimization, multivariable system identification and control, sensor and instrumentation, mechanical system simulation and design, and intelligent systems. His current research works focus on industry applications in building HVAC processes, renewable energy processes and environmental processes.
Assoc Prof Chan Bee Eng, MaryDr Chan-Park has interest and expertise in nanoimprint, micro- and nano-patterning, biomaterials, tissue engineering and carbon nanotubes. She has published more than 80 hournal papers and holds more than 15 patents/patent applications in these areas. She has supervised more than 12 PhD students and 15 postdoctoral fellows.
Assoc Prof Chan VincentUnderstanding the biophysical properties of cells on biomaterials is essential for designing new tissue regeneration processes and for developing new biomedical devices. Our main objective is to reveal the synergistic interplay between biochemical, physical and mechanical signals in the regulation of cell adhesion, regenerations and recovery on biomaterials or extracellular matrix (ECM). Integrative bio-analytics are critical to our research. Using functional microscopy, optical tweezers and atomic force microscopy, we examine the biophysical dynamics of cell regeneration, biomechanics of membrane and dynamic adhesion of bacteria. We will devise important design principles for engineered tissue equivalents, bio-inspirational materials and anti-microbial devices. I have been working in the following research topics during the last 9 years at Nanyang Technological University: i) Biophysical Dynamics of Cell Regenerations ii) Biophysical Mechanics of Membrane iii) Development of Integrative Biophysical Instrumentation
Asst Prof Chang Wook, MatthewProf. Chang's areas of expertise are systems biology, metabolic engineering, and engineering biology. His current research works focus on elucidating genetic regulatory networks and relevant cellular mechanisms in bacteria. The research group website: http://www.changlab.com/
Asst Prof (Adj) Charles William JohannesMy research is focused on employing enantioselective methodologies and synthetic natural product strategies in the development of a Diversity Oriented Synthesis (DOS) approach to generate innovative chemical matter for novel therapeutic medicines.
Asst Prof Chen HongyuAsst. Prof. Chen Hongyu' research mainly evolves around polymer-coated gold nanoparticles. A main goal is to use the nano-sized hydrophobic shells on nanoparticles to separate the reducing equivalents from photo-induced charge-separation, as a model for the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy by the photosynthetic apparatus in green plants. His research also involves the controlled organization of nanoparticles and the development of nanoparticles as surface-enhance Raman scattering probes.
Asst Prof Chen TaoDr Chen Tao's areas of expertise are chemometrics, i.e. statistical modeling and analysis of chemical and analytical data. His current research focuses on data-based process fault detection and diagnosis, experimental design and optimization, adaptive filtering and data reconciliation, model identification and parameter estimation, and multivariate calibration of analytical sensors.
Asst Prof Chen XiaodongCurrently, Prof. Chen's research focuses on three directions: (1) Nanobioelectronics: to develop integrated nanostructure-biomaterial hybrid systems for bioelectronics and probe biological processes at the nanoscale; (2) Bioinspired assembly: to mimic methods used by nature for interfacing organic and non-organic material and building hierarchical structures with advanced functions, and (3) Nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage: to explore nanoscale modules for light harvesting, charge separation, solar energy conversion, and storage.
Asst Prof (Adj) Chen Yu-Kai DavidCurrent research activities focus on the total synthesis of architecturally complex natural products possessing interesting biological properties. A strong emphasis will be placed on the development of novel synthetic strategies and methodologies in these synthetic campaigns, particularly in carbon-carbon bond forming reactions, asymmetric transformations and catalysis. With chemical biology and structural-activity-relationship investigations in mind, analogue design, synthesis and biological evaluation are taking place concurrently. Research efforts directed towards library design, with application of novel synthetic methodology in the construction of privileged bioactive molecular scaffolds are also being actively pursued.