Henry Chu with the Department of Mechanical Engineering has received $83,117 from American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund.
Thermal and salt gradients are promising heat and mass transport mechanisms in applications spanning energy, sustainability, and health, including enhanced oil recovery, nanoparticle-based drug delivery, CO₂ sequestration, and rare-earth extraction. In this project, we will integrate theoretical and computational modeling with experiments to quantitatively characterize how these gradients drive the transport of energy, fluids, and microscale particles and emulsions in porous media. A central thrust of the work is the development of a predictive theoretical framework for thermophoresis and diffusiophoresis in concentrated electrolytes, a regime that remains poorly understood yet is highly relevant to real-world systems. The knowledge gained from this research will enable new strategies for enhancing nanoparticle delivery and improving oil recovery efficiency. Outcomes from this project will provide compelling preliminary results to support the pursuit of continuation funding from federal agencies and industrial partners.