Publications by authors named "Rajan Bhawnani"

Electrochemical CO reduction reaction (CO-RR) in non-aqueous electrolytes offers significant advantages over aqueous systems, as it boosts CO solubility and limits the formation of HCO and CO anions. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in non-aqueous CO-RR makes an attractive system for CO capture and conversion. However, the predominantly organic composition of MOFs limits their electrical conductivity and stability in electrocatalysis, where they suffer from electrolytic decomposition.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent research highlights that traditional direct air capture and storage (DACS) methods face challenges due to high costs and energy consumption, prompting the exploration of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as a more efficient alternative.
  • The study investigates the molecular interactions in a DES made of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and ethylene glycol (EG), utilizing advanced techniques like FT-IR and quantum calculations to understand their thermal stability and selectivity for CO capture.
  • Findings reveal key insights into the noncovalent interactions and structural changes in EG when mixed with KOH, which could guide the optimization of DES components for improved CO absorption and desorption processes.
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Microtiter plate assay is a conventional and standard tool for high-throughput (HT) screening that allows the synthesis, harvesting, and analysis of crystals. The microtiter plate screening assays require a small amount of solute in each experiment, which is adequate for a solid-state crystal analysis such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) or Raman spectroscopy. Despite the advantages of these high-throughput assays, their batch operational nature results in a continuous decrease in supersaturation due to crystal nucleation and growth.

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Opportunities for process intensification have made continuous biomanufacturing an area of active research. While tangential flow filtration (TFF) is typically employed within the biologics purification train to increase drug substance concentration, single-pass TFF (SPTFF) modifies its format by enabling continuity of this process and achieving a multifold concentration factor through a single-pass over the filtration membranes. In continuous processes feed concentration and flow rate are determined by the preceding unit operations.

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The chemical pathway for synthesizing covalent organic frameworks (COFs) involves a complex medley of reaction sequences over a rippling energy landscape that cannot be adequately described using existing theories. Even with the development of state-of-the-art experimental and computational tools, identifying primary mechanisms of nucleation and growth of COFs remains elusive. Other than empirically, little is known about how the catalyst composition and water activity affect the kinetics of the reaction pathway.

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Synthesis of porous, covalent crystals such as zeolites and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) cannot be described adequately using existing crystallization theories. Even with the development of state-of-the-art experimental and computational tools, the identification of primary mechanisms of nucleation and growth of MOFs remains elusive. Here, using time-resolved in-situ X-ray scattering coupled with a six-parameter microkinetic model consisting of ∼1 billion reactions and up to ∼100 000 metal nodes, we identify autocatalysis and oriented attachment as previously unrecognized mechanisms of nucleation and growth of the MOF UiO-66.

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Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline structures that are composed of coordinated metal ligands and organic linkers. Due to their high porosity, ultra-high surface-to-volume ratio, and chemical and structural flexibility, MOFs have numerous applications. MOFs are primarily synthesized in batch reactors under harsh conditions and long synthesis times.

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