Research Projects

Selective Separation

  • Process development of integrated separation and conversion processes involving gaseous substrates

    Biotechnological conversion processes involving gases (derived from residues) are often limited by challenges such as (i) poor mass transfer characteristics (rate-limiting) particularly due to low solubility of relevant gases (ii) safety issues with certain gases (iii) presence of impurities in the gas streams (iv) a limited understanding of the design and scale-up of gas-based systems….

    Primary Investigator

    Prof Eoin Casey (UCD)
    Prof Patrick Guiry (UCD)
    Prof Yuriii Gun’ko (TCD)

    Funded Investigator

    Prof JJ Leahy (UL)

    Staff

    Postdoctorate Researchers:
    Dr Sorcha Daly (UCD)

    Postgraduate Researchers:
    Tomislav Horvat (UCD)
    Burcu Akkoyunlu (UCD)

    Funding Source
  • Novel membrane fabrication for the upgrading of gasification products

    The main goal of this project is to develop new membranes which are based on 2D nanomaterials for nanofiltration (NF) and the upgrading of gasification products. The technical objectives include: Preparation and testing of membranes based on oxidised BN (BNOx). Preparation and testing of BNOx – LDH (layered double hydroxide) based hybrid membranes. Preparation and…

    Primary Investigator

    Prof Yurii Gun’ko (TCD, Project Lead)

    Funded Investigator

    Prof Ramesh Babu (TCD)

    Staff

    Postdoctorate Researchers:
    Dr Sarah McCarthy (Q4 2017 only)
    Dr Finn Purcell-Milton (from 2018)

    Postgraduate Researchers:
    Natalia Garcia Domenech (October 2017 – December 2021)

    Funding Source
  • Electrospun membranes

    The main goal of this project is to develop new membranes which are based on 2D nanomaterials for nanofiltration (NF) and the upgrading of gasification products. The technical objectives include: Preparation and testing of membranes based on oxidised BN (BNOx). Preparation and testing of BNOx – LDH (layered double hydroxide) based hybrid membranes. Preparation and…

    Primary Investigator

    Prof Yurii Gun’ko (TCD, Project Lead)

    Funded Investigator

    Prof Ramesh Babu (TCD)

    Staff

    Postdoctorate Researchers: Dr Sarah McCarthy (Q4 2017 only) Dr Finn Purcell-Milton (from 2018) Postgraduate Researchers: Natalia Garcia Domenech (October 2017 – December 2021)

    Funding Source
  • Development of novel biopolymer membrane systems for separation of proteins and peptides

    Development of novel polymer membranes via phase inversion on a purpose-built casting rig. Preparation of novel hybrid materials such as chitosan-PMMA composites etc. Functionalisation of polymer membranes with silanes and potentially chiral moieties such as biomolecules. This is to allow phase separation by chemical affinity as well as size. Optimisation of pore structure and size…

    Primary Investigator

    Prof Yurii Gun’ko (TCD)

    Funded Investigator

    Prof Mick Morris (TCD, Project Lead)
    Prof Ramesh Babu (TCD)

    Staff

    Postdoctorate Researchers:
    Dr Tandra Ghoshal 0.5 FTE (June 2018 – December 2020)

    Postgraduate Researchers:
    Nadezda Prochukhan (from September 2019)

    Funding Source
  • Frontier technology for biomass pre-treatment to increase substrate availability for bioconversion processes

    The main goal of the project is to assess the potential for individual or sequential pre-treatments combinations of high voltage pulse electric fields to induce cell/biosolid lysis leading to an enhanced substrate for bioconversion. The work has been divided in five different work tasks (WT): WT1. Literature review, method development, and design future experiments; WT2….

    Funded Investigator

    Prof James Lyng (UCD, Project lead)

    Staff

    Postdoctorate Researchers: Dr Ajay Menon (from April 2019)

    Funding Source