Energy and environment

Experts in the Department of Mechanical Engineering are developing new materials and processes for efficient energy conversion and storage devices, exploring ways to minimize global climate change, and more.

Energy and environment

Advanced vehicle systems and technologies

Researchers investigate the economic, environment, and social implications of current and future vehicle technologies. How can we build better technologies—ones that are cleaner, more efficient, affordable, and sustainable?

Fuel cell, advanced lithium batteries, electric aviation, autonomous vehicles, and the policies surrounding these technologies, are some of the areas we are exploring.

Faculty involved: B. Reeja Jayan, Shawn Litster, Jeremy Michalek, Allen Robinson, Venkat Viswanathan, Katie Whitefoot, Ding Zhao

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How long until efficient fuel cells? Ask the experts, College of Engineering News

Why aren't there electric planes yet? The Conversation

The physics of why we don't have solar-powered cars, Quartz

Six common misconceptions about CAFE policies, Automotive News

Fuel regulations: lower costs, higher benefits, College of Engineering News
Materials for energy efficiency

Our researchers are engineering new materials to improve energy conversion and storage efficiency as well as dramatically reduce energy consumption of products like electronics, lighting, and other widely-used appliances. Some recent examples take advantage of 3D printing to produce ceramics and battery electrodes.

Faculty involved: Amir Barati Farimani, B. Reeja Jayan, Shawn Litster, Jonathan Malen, Alan McGaughey, Rahul Panat, Sheng Shen, Venkat Viswanathan

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A path to the future, paved with ceramics, College of Engineering News

3D-printed lithium-ion battery could power electric vehicles, drones, ASME.org

Taking down the heat, College of Engineering News

3D printing the next generation of batteries, College of Engineering News
Energy and air quality

Our experts investigate the air pollutants that are emitted by the production and use of energy and how these pollutants evolve in the atmosphere. They explore ways to minimize the impact on human health and global climate change.

Faculty involved: Jeremy Michalek, Albert Presto, Allen Robinson, Satbir Singh, Ryan Sullivan

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Eating out, breathing in, College of Engineering News

After the storm, Mechanical Engineering News

The great escape: super emitters, Mechanical Engineering News

Researchers find vehicle emissions to be deceptively clean, College of Engineering News

Life after tailpipe, College of Engineering News
Clean power systems

Faculty members explore how to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants through reliable, safe, and economic operation of electric power plants and other energy conversion systems. They examine how to best utilize renewable energy sources.

Faculty involved: Jeremy Michalek, Ed Rubin, Satbir Singh

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How reducing CO2 benefits water use, College of Engineering News
Renewable energy

Our faculty aim to provide clean, renewable sources of energy that serve to de-carbonize the environment, advance sustainable solar power, and develop bio-energy technologies from photosynthetic microorganisms like algae. Polymer solar cells and solar thermal energy conversion are two examples of research areas.

Faculty involved: Amir Barati Farimani, B. Reeja Jayan, Philip LeDuc, Jeremy Michalek, Sheng Shen
Natural gas engineering

Our experts seek to minimize environmental impact by exploring ways to design safer, more efficient drilling and extraction technologies, create a portable scale for liquid fuel conversion, and develop clean combustion technologies utilizing alternative fuel for transportation.

Faculty involved: Jeremy Michalek, Allen Robinson, Satbir Singh, Venkat Viswanathan