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Energy and Environmental Applications

Solar Thermal Reactor Faculty: Davis, Falconer, George, Gin, Hrenya, Jayaraman, Medlin, Musgrave, Noble, Saunders, Weimer, Yu

The increasing national focus on energy and environmental research is reflected in the department. There is a significant focus on the production of hydrogen, its purification, and its use for production of energy in fuel cells. There is also a significant focus on the development of catalysts and membranes for removal of environmental toxins. Specific research areas include:
    •Solar-thermal reactors for economical production of     hydrogen in a water splitting cycle.
    •Mechanistic studies of reactions on fuel cell catalysts
    •Zeolite and metal membranes for hydrogen purification
    •Photocatalysts for destruction of volatile organic compounds