Explore the Nano World
Wen's Research Group
Jiahui Hu (a postdoctoral research associate) and Santhos (a second year Master student) displayed the research about microwave catalytic air filtration system for air purification. The COVID-19 pandemic raised significant public health concerns about the transmission of airborne viruses. Current methods primarily capture pathogens without inactivating them, posing a risk of secondary pollution. To address this, Prof. Zhang’s research group developed a fabric filter coated with functional materials that can be locally heated under an electromagnetic field, enabling efficient viral removal. This research offers a sustainable, green technology for pathogen control, providing alternative solutions to prevent the transmission of airborne pathogens.
Jiahe Zhang, a second-year PhD student focused on the design of electrochemistry catalysts and reactors, showcased the research funded by TITA about pilot-scale electrocatalyzer for the efficient conversion of nitrate into ammonia at 2024 sustainability fair at NJIT. Through meticulously designed catalysts and reactors, this technology not only enhances the efficiency of ammonia production but also minimizes environmental impacts. The display detailed the basic concepts of the nitrogen cycle, key advancements in catalytic technology, and its prospective applications in environmental conservation.
Wen Zhang, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE
Principal Investigator
Professor
Phone: (973) 596-5520
Fax: (973) 596-5790
Email: wen.zhang@njit.edu
Office Location: Colton Hall 211
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Guangyu Zhu, a third-year PhD student, showcased his research funded by USBR on the integration of interfacial induction heating with omniphobic membrane engineering for optimizing the membrane distillation process. We employed a conductive Fe3O4 coated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane to achieve local interfacial heating under electromagnetic induction and promote the thermal efficiency of direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). In addition, to prevent surface scaling or wetting, low surface energy chemical was grafted to achieve a combination of omniphobic and interfacial heating functionality.
Yihan Zhang and Yajing Li demonstrated the nanobubble generation instrument and explained its working principles and application scenarios to everyone. Shan Xue's research was presented through a poster, demonstrating that nanobubbles can significantly promote plant growth. Oxygen-containing nanobubbles can increase seed germination rates by 10% and improve plant growth by 30%–50%.
2024 Sustainability fair
On 09/20/2024, Dr. Wen Zhang’s group members attended the first 2024 sustainability fair on campus and presented different research projects and demonstration devices that are undergoing translational research and commemoration. For example, Santhoshkumar Vuppala and Jiahui presented the microwave catalytic air filtration device at the Fair and demonstrated how microwave technology could be integrated into air filtration to effectively remove airborne contaminants and produce cleaner air.