Science and Engineering of Ion Concentration Polarization and Enhanced Electrokinetic Flow

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(Public Law 111-5)资助的。这项由化学和生物分离项目授予的NSF奖项支持麻省理工学院韩钟云教授利用微/纳米流体模型系统研究渗透选择膜附近的离子浓度极化现象。这一现象与电池、燃料电池电解液等许多化学膜系统有很大的相关性，但由于缺乏可控的实验平台，科学认识一直受到限制。使用微纳米流体系统，韩教授的团队将仔细描述离子浓度极化区周围的场、流动和浓度分布，这将有助于更好地理解和优化化学膜。同时，还将探索离子浓度极化的新应用，如海水淡化和生物分子浓缩。在这样做的过程中，韩教授的团队将让早期本科生参与进来，以扩大本科生对现实世界工程研究的参与。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This NSF award by the Chemical and Biological Separations program supports work by Professor Jongyoon Han at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study the ion concentration polarization phenomenon near perm-selective membrane using micro/nanofluidic model system. This phenomenon has much relevance to many chemical membrane systems, such as battery and fuel cell electrolytes, but the scientific understanding has been limited due to the lack of controlled experimental platform. Using micro-nanofluidic systems Professor Han's group will carefully characterize field, flow, and concentration distribution around the ion concentration polarization zone, which could lead to better understanding and optimization of chemical membranes. At the same time, novel applications of ion concentration polarization, such as desalination and biomolecule concentration, will be explored. In doing so, Professor Han's group will engage and involve early undergraduate students, in order to broaden the participation of undergraduate students in real-world engineering research.