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Miao Yu

Post Doctoral Associate

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Education:

• Postdoctoral training, Chemical Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 8/2004-current, Topic: synthesis and applications of vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes
• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 8/2004-4/2007 Thesis: Adsorption and Diffusion in Zeolites and Zeolite Membranes
• Ph. D Candidate in Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 1/2004- 5/2004
• M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, China, 9/1999-6/2002 Thesis: Experimental Studies on Removing Minor Content of H2S in Natural Gas by Chromatography Method
• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, China, 9/1994-7/1998 Thesis: Water Purification by Mesoporous Molecular Sieves with Functionalized Film

Awards:

• American Institute of Chemists Postdoctoral Award, University of Colorado ( 2008)

• American Institute of Chemists Graduate Award, University of Colorado (2007)

• North American Membrane Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting Student Travel Award (2007)

• GAANN fellowship, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2004-2007

• 3rd place award for Student Annual Research Symposium (StARS), 2006
• University fellowship, Graduate school, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 2004
• Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship, Tianjin University, 1999-2001
• Outstanding Undergraduate Student Scholarship, Tianjin University, 1997-1998 (1st in class)
• Hua-Chang Scholarship, Tianjin Scientific Community, 1997
• Tianjin University People’s Scholarship, Tianjin University, 1995-1996 (1st in class)

E-mail: Miao.Yu@colorado.edu

Reseach Area: Synthesis and applications of vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes

Research Summary:

Ph.D. Research:2004 to 2007

Current studies focus on the adsorption of liquid mixtures on zeolites and diffusion through zeolite membranes. This includes synthesizing and characterizing zeolite crystals using XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, measuring liquid mixture adsorption on zeolites by a volumetric/gravimetric method, gas/vapor permeation measurements through zeolite membranes, transient diffusion through zeolite membranes, in situ FTIR measurements for adsorbed species in zeolites, pervaporation separation with zeolite membranes, characterization of zeolite membrane microstructure. These studies not only deepened fundamental understanding of separation mechanisms with zeolite membranes by adsorption and diffusion, but also introduced originally new factors that influence zeolite membrane separation mechanisms, such as zeolite membrane microstructure, microstructure change upon adsorption and temperature, and strong molecular interactions in zeolite pores.

M.S. Research: 1999 to 2002

• Modifying porous materials by coating liquid films for removing minor amount H2S in natural gas.
• Feasibility studies on pressure swing sorption for removing H2S from natural gas by fixed bed dynamic adsorption and desorption, including H2S sorption and desorption study on modified porous material, stability study for modified porous material etc.
• Preliminary study for removing H2S in CH4 by PSA technique.

Publications:

Yu, M., Wyss, J.C., Falconer, J.L.*, Noble, R.D., “Transient Diffusion Behaviors of Acetone Mixtures through MFI-Type Zeolite Membranes”, in preparation

Yu, M., Funke, H.H., Falconer, J.L., Nobler, R.D., “High-Density, Vertically-Aligned Carbon Nanotube Membranes”, Nature Materials, submitted (2008) 

Yu, M., Falconer, J.L.*, Noble, R.D., “Characterizing Non-Zeolitic Pores in MFI Membranes”, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 47, 3943-3948 (2008) 

Yu, M., Falconer, J.L.*, Noble, R.D., “Characterizing Non-Zeolitic Pore Volume in Zeolite Membranes by Temperature-Programmed Desorption”, Microporous & Mesoporous Materials 113, 224-230 (2008)

Yu, M., Li, S.G., Falconer, J.L.*, Noble, R.D., “Reversible Hydrogen Storage Using A SAPO-34 Zeolite Layer”, Microporous & Mesoporous Materials 110, 579-582 (2008) 

Yu, M., Amundsen, T.J., Hong, M., Falconer, J.L.*, Noble, R.D., “A Controllable Nanometer-sized Valve”, Advanced Materials 19, 3032-3036 (2007) 

Yu, M., Falconer, J.L.*, Amundsen, T.J., Hong, M., Noble, R.D., “Flexible Nanostructure of MFI Zeolite Membranes”, Journal of Membrane Science, 298, 182-189 (2007) 

* Corresponding author