2022 Volume 65 Pages 45-52
Particulate and surfactant systems are an integral part, either in processing or product lines, in essentially every major industry, including Energy and Minerals, Pharmaceutical, Agriculture & Food, Microelectronics, Healthcare, Cosmetics, Consumer Products, and Analytical Instrumentation & Services. In most applications, surface properties and suspension behavior govern the product and process specifications and depend on the synergistic or competitive interactions between the particles and reagent schemes. The primary goal of our research efforts has been to generate the knowledge and technology platforms for industry to develop innovative and greener and more sustainable products and processes. Control of the physicochemical/mechanical properties of surfaces, particles, and self-assembling surfactant systems is attempted to engineer or enhance their performance in industrial applications. Specifically, understanding and control of nano and atomic scale forces between particles, and synthesis of functionalized particles form the foundation for targeted contributions in biomedical, homeland security, defense, advanced materials, sensor, and coating technologies. A synopsis of select projects is presented in this brief review. Additional details can be found in the topic-specific references listed at the end of this manuscript.
