UMass Amherst

David M. Ford

Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering
209 Goessmann Lab, University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-9303
(413) 577-0134
ford@ecs.umass.edu
http://www.ecs.umass.edu/che/faculty/ford.html

Soft Materials Engineering at the Nanoscale

My research group is active in both modeling and experiment related to nanotechnology. On the modeling side, we use the modern tools of statistical thermodynamics and molecular simulation to probe matter at the nanoscale. Classical density functional theory is used to predict the self-assembled structures of colloidal particles near interfaces and to extract particle-surface energetics from a novel form of microscopy that employs nanoscale colloidal probes. We also perform direct molecular simulation of transport under pressure gradients to predict the separation of different species when permeating through synthetic membranes. On the experimental side, we synthesize, characterize, and evaluate organic-inorganic nanocomposite membranes for "solubility-based" separations such as the removal of volatile organic compounds from air or water streams. Our membranes frequently exhibit substantially improved separation performance as compared to traditional polymeric or inorganic porous materials.

Research Interest Potential Application
Reverse-Selective Nanocomposite Membranes Environmental remediation (VOC removal); hydrogen recovery from refinery waste gas
Classical Density Functional Theory of Colloids at Interfaces Improved design of colloidal assembly processes; new surface imaging techniques
Molecular Modeling of Permeation through Nanoporous Materials Improved materials for chemical and biochemical separations

Honors and Awards

  • Participant in the National Academy of Engineering's Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, 2004
  • Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), 1999
  • Department of Energy Defense Programs Early Career Scientist and Engineer Award, 1999

Publications

  1. Bahukudumbi, P. and Ford, D.M., "Molecular Modeling Study of the Permeability-Selectivity Trade-off in Polymeric and Microporous Membranes," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 45 , 5640-5648 (2006).
  2. Javaid, A., Gonzalez, S.O., Simanek, E.E., and Ford, D.M., "Nanocomposite membranes of chemisorbed and physisorbed molecules on porous alumina for environmentally important separations," J. Membrane Sci. 275 , 255-260 (2006).
  3. Lu, M., Bevan, M.A., and Ford, D.M., "Inverse density functional theory as an interpretive tool for measuring colloid-surface interactions in dense systems," J. Chem. Phys. 122 , 224710 (2005).
  4. Ford, D.M., Simanek, E.E., and Shantz, D.F., "Engineering Nanospaces: Ordered Mesoporous Silicas as Model Substrates for Building Complex Hybrid Materials," Nanotechnology 16 , S458-S475 (2005).
  5. Thompson, A.P., Ford, D.M., and Heffelfinger, G.S., "Direct Molecular Simulation of Gradient-Driven Diffusion," J. Chem. Phys. 109 , 6406 (1998).