Richard D. Noble
Alfred T. and Betty E. Look Professor
NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Membrane Applied Science and Technology, Co-Director
ECCH 122
(303) 492-6100
nobler@colorado.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Education:
BE., ME., Stevens Institute of Technology (1968, 1969)
Ph.D, University of California, Davis (1976)
Awards:
• Clarence G. Gerhold Award, sponsored by UOP from the Separations Division of the AIChE (2011)
• Chemstations Lectureship Award (2011)
• AICHE Institute Award for Excellence in Industrial Gases Technology (2010)
• Robert L. Stearns Award, CU Boulder Alumni Association (2010)
• Fellow, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (2009-2012)
• Inventor of the Year, CU Boulder (2008)
• Barrer Lecture, Penn State University (2008)
• Alfred T. and Betty E. Look Professor of Chemical Engineering (2005-Present)
• Department Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award (2008, 2007, 2006, 2003)
• Elected Fellow of the ACS I&EC Division (2007)
• AIChE Institute Service to Society Award (2005)
• CU Residence Life Teaching Award (2004)
• UC Davis Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award (2003)
• Elected Fellow of AIChE (2001)
• Boulder Faculty Assembly Excellence in Research Award, 2001
Selected Publications:
• Smith, G.D.; Borodin, O.; Magda, J.J.; Boyd, R.H.; Wang, Y.S.; Bara, J.E.; Miller,
S.; Gin, D.L.; Noble, R.D., “A Comparison of Flouro-derivatized Imidizolium:
TFSI and Alkyl-derivatized Imidizolium: TFSI Ionic Liquids: A Case Study”,
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 12(26), 7064-7076 (2010).
• Carlisle, T.K.; Bara, J.E.; LaFrate, A.L.; Gin, D.L. Noble, R.D., “Main-Chain
Imidizolium Polymer Membranes for CO2 Separations: An Initial Study of New
Ionic Liquid-Inspired Platform”, Journal of Membrane Science, 359, 37-43
(2010).
• Hatakeyama, E.S.; Wiesenauer, B.R.; Gabriel, Noble, R.D.; Gin, D.L. "
Nanoporous, Bicontinuous Cubic Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Networks via
Polymerizable Gemini Ammonium Surfactants", Chemistry of Materials, 22,
4525-4527 (2010).
• Sorenson, S. G., Payzant, E. A., Noble, R. D., Falconer, J. L., "Influence of crystal
expansion/contraction on zeolite membrane permeation," Journal of Membrane
Science 357, 98-104 (2010).
• Yu, M.; Funke, H.H.; Noble, R.D. and Falconer, J.L., “Gated Ion Transport through
Dense Carbon Nanotube Membranes”, Journal of the American Chemistry
Society 132, 8285-8290 (2010).
• Gibbons, W.T.; Zhang, Y.; Falconer, J.L. and Noble, R.D., “Inhibiting Crystal
Swelling in MFI Zeolite Membranes”, Journal of Membrane Science, 357, 54-61
(2010).
• Hudiono, Y.C.; Carlisle, T.K.; Bara, J.E.; Zhang, Y.; Gin, D.L. and Noble, R.D., “A
Three-Component Mixed-Matrix Membrane with Enhanced CO2 Separation
Properties Based on Zeolites and Ionic Liquid Materials” Journal of Membrane
Science, 350(1) 117-123 (2010).
• Sorenson, S.G.; Smyth, J.R.; Noble, R.D. and Falconer, J.L., “Correlation of
Silicalite-1 Crystal Expansion and MFI Membrane Properties”, Industrial and
Engineering Chemistry Research, 48 (22) 10021-10024 (2009).
• Bara, J.E.; Camper, D.E..; Gin, D.L. and Noble, R.D., “Room-Temperature Ionic
Liquids and Composite Materials: Platform Technologies for CO2 Capture”,
Accounts of Chemical Research, in press.
• Voss, B.A.; Bara, J.E.; Gin, D.L. and Noble, R.D., “Physically Gelled Ionic Liquid Membranes with Enhanced CO2 Gas Transport”, Chemistry of Materials, 21(14) 3027-3029 (2009).
Research Interests:
Ionic Liquids
(click here for descriptive slide) We are studying the use of ionic liquids for gas separations. We plan to evaluate various ionic liquids and complexation chemistry so that we can tailor the material properties to the feed mixture being separated. Various configurations, including composite polymer/IL structures, as well as the incorporation of complexation chemistry and zeolites, are being studied. (click here for descriptive slide) We have also developed an apparatus to measure both solubility and diffusivity of gases in ionic liquids. This work is being done in collaboration with Professor Doug Gin.
Zeolite Membranes
(click here for descriptive slide) Professor John Falconer and I have a research group that synthesizes several different zeolite membranes on the interior of microporous alumina and stainless steel tubes. We use various characterization methods including a transient technique that we developed, to obtain qualitative and quantitative structural and property information. Gas, vapor, and pervaporation permeation studies are also being conducted to evaluate the performance of the membranes for various applications. We have obtained highly selective separations for carbon dioxide/methane, organic isomer vapor and organic/water liquid phase feed selections. Highly selective hydrogen separation for fuel cell applications is also being studied. In a related study, we are developing the transient permeation technique to obtain property information for polymer membranes used in pervaporation.
Use of External Fields for Selective Separations
The basic purpose of research in this area is to study the use of electric or light energy to aid in the selective separation process. The energy is normally used to change the binding affinity of the complexing agent but also can be used to drive the process. This research is a collaboration with Professor Carl Koval in the Chemistry Department. Currently, we have developed an electrochemical pump with no moving parts that can produce a pressure in excess of 20 atm. This system has applications for lab-on-a-chip, microspectroscopy, and other micro-scale devices. (click here for descriptive slide)
Liquid Crystals
Liquid crystals can be organized to form films with a nanostructured polymer network. (click here for descriptive slide) These structures can be cross-linked to produce stable films that can be used as membranes. These membranes are being evaluated for nanofiltration applications. We are also preparing film for use in the electrochemical pump as well as composite structures with ionic liquids. This research is a collaboration with Professor Doug Gin.
