People/Faculty/Neimark

	Alexander V. Neimark Professor II & Director of Graduate Program M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Moscow State University, 1973 Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Industry, 1977 D.Sc. Physical Chemistry, Moscow State University, 1988 Tel: (732) 445-0834 email: aneimark@rci.rutgers.edu Personal Web Page

Porous and nanostructured materials. Statistical mechanics and molecular modeling of nanophases. Interactions of fluids with nanomaterials. Interfacial thermodynamics and hydrodynamics. Adsorption in micro- and mesoporous solids. Wetting and fluid flow. Thin liquid films and foams. Characterization of porous solids and rough surfaces. Micro- and nanofluidcs of biological fluids.

Description of Research

Modeling and Characterization of Nanophases and Nanostructured Materials: from Molecular to Macroscopic Scales.

My research interests cover a broad spectrum of topics in statistical mechanics, thermodynamics and molecular simulation of nanoscale systems, characterization of porous materials, adsorption, interfacial flow and wetting, and other processes, which involve interactions of fluids and biomolecules with nanoporous material

Nanoporous materials, which contain micro- and mesopores, have numerous applications in biotechnology and medicine, electronics, fuel cells, gas and energy storage, catalysis, separations, environmental protection, emission control, and other modern nanotechnologies. They include active carbons, nanotubes and zeolites, mesoporous molecular sieves, silica and other inorganic oxides, nanostructured substrates and chips for biorecognition, polymeric permselective membranes, various fibrous materials, nanocomposites, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Recent revolutionary advances in synthesis of advanced materials provide new pathways to engineer unique nanostructures with ordered and hierarchical pore networks. However, molecular mechanisms of nanostructure formation and behavior of fluids confined to nanopores are still poorly understood. Nanophases differ significantly from their bulk counterparts. Currently available methods for pore structure characterization are primarily based on macroscopic thermodynamics, and, thus, are not applicable at the nanoscale level.

We apply modern methods of statistical mechanics and interfacial thermo- and hydrodynamics to study interactions of fluids with nanostructured materials over a wide range of scales, fruitfully combining multiscale modeling and simulations with high-resolution experimental studies. The program stands out for its versatility and prolific mixture of fundamental and industry-oriented projects. For example, the producers of adsorption equipment have commercialized our density functional theory methods for pore structure analysis.

We study adsorption and phase transformations in nanoscale pores of adsorbents and catalysts, nucleation in nanophases, nanosegregation and transport in polyelectrolyte membranes for fuel cells and protective clothing, equilibrium, stability and dynamics of thin films and contact lines on nanostructured surfaces, wetting, capillary flows, and micro- and nanofluidics of polymer solutions and biofluids with various biomedical, human protection, and environmental applications. Recently, I initiated several projects on novel nanofibrous materials made of carbon nanotubes and polymer nanofibers. We explore applicability of these materials as conduits in nanofluidics machinery, supports for biomedical sensors, and interfaces with neural tissue.