Location: Presented in person in CPE 2.222 and via Zoom 828.685.7838.
Sponsor: Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) Materials for Water and Energy Systems (M-WET)
Title: Engineering Ion Transport in Polymer Membranes for Water Purification and Energy Applications
Abstract
Providing sustainable water and energy supplies requires efficient polymer membranes, and such materials dominate desalination and play a key role in emerging energy storage technologies. Designing next-generation materials requires a clear understanding of how polymer structure governs intrinsic transport properties. Engineering interactions between ions and the solvated polymer matrix is central to controlling ion transport in membranes for water purification and energy applications. This seminar reports ion sorption characterization and modeling to better understand these ion-hydrated polymer interactions. Microwave dielectric relaxation spectroscopy was used to provide unique insight into state of water and dielectric constant properties. This information was used to aid ion sorption property modeling, and a combination of dielectric and Donnan-Manning ion exclusion was required to effectively model ion sorption in several hydrated polymer materials. This seminar discusses structure property relationships, resulting from both experimental characterization and modeling efforts, to advance fundamental understanding of the interactions that govern ion transport in hydrated polymeric materials considered for desalination and electric potential field-driven membrane applications to help address global clean water and energy needs.
Bio
Geoffrey M. Geise is an associate professor at the University of Virginia in the Department of Chemical Engineering and in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering by courtesy. His research focuses on studying the fundamentals of chemically- and electrochemically-driven small molecule transport through polymeric materials to engineer membranes that will address global water shortages and need for clean energy. He recently led a University of Virginia based team to a runner-up win in the American-Made Geothermal Lithium Extraction Prize for developing technology related to the recovery of lithium from geothermal brine sources, and his research also focuses on selective ion separations, desalination membranes, and flow battery separators. Dr. Geise is presently an editor for the Journal of Membrane Science Letters, and he has received several professional and academic awards and honors including the 2026 Permeance Prize for Mid-Career Excellence from the North American Membrane Society (NAMS), the NSF CAREER Award, Best ES&T Engineering Paper Award for 2022, Best ES&T Letters Paper Award for 2019, I&ECR 2020 Class of Influential Researchers Recognition, 2018, 2021 & 2023 Robert A. Moore, Jr. Award in Chemical Engineering, Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Award, the NAMS Young Membrane Scientist Award, the New Professor Travel Award from Engineering Conferences International, and a University of Virginia Excellence in Diversity Fellowship.