SSE Talk | 下周讲座预告

Dear all,

You are cordially invited to two academic seminars. Please find the details as follows.

Seminar 1

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Topic: Advancements in Reaction Engineering: Innovations for Sustainable Solutions

Time & Date: 2:00-3:00 PM, March 11 (Monday)

Venue: Room 112, Teaching C

Speaker: Prof. Antonio Exposito, University of Bath

Host: Prof. Zhongxin CHEN, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 

Language: English

Abstract：

Reaction engineering offers solutions to some of the most challenging issues that society is facing. My group applies reaction engineering concepts to solve environmental and industrial challenges. In this presentation, I will showcase some of our recent investigations on catalyst design, testing and evaluation and reactor engineering developments.

I will discuss our results in the design of catalysts for wastewater treatment, focusing on using Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) to remove persistent contaminants from water. We demonstrated the effect of various catalysts, activation methods (such as UV or ultrasound), and reactions to efficiently degrade pharmaceuticals like carbamazepine or antipyrine, evaluating kinetics, operational costs, and long-term efficiency. Additionally, I will highlight our innovative utilisation of piezoelectric materials in pollutant degradation and our strides in treating wastewater plastic. Moreover, I will also discuss the use of catalytic CO2 electroreduction for ethanol production, emphasising the profitability through simulations, optimising plant components, and identifying feasible conditions for its industrial implementation.

In the area of reactor engineering, I will discuss our investigations on the use of various photocatalytic reactors for wastewater treatment. Furthermore, I will talk about our breakthroughs using microreactors for flow chemistry. I will present our work on a novel method for swiftly synthesising ceria nanoparticles at moderate conditions using deep eutectic solvents and microreactors. This pioneering approach leads to rapid synthesis, high yields, and potential for large-scale sustainable nanoparticle production. Our focus on continuous-flow processes will also showcase the hydrogenation reaction selectivity improvement and control mechanisms advancements. These innovations aim to enhance efficiency and sustainability in chemical reactions, paving the way for transformative progress.

Bios：

Dr. Antonio Exposito is a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath (United Kingdom). His research spans advanced oxidation processes for wastewater treatment, microplastics' environmental impact and remediation or innovative reactions using novel reaction configurations. Antonio's research has been published in 21 peer review journals such as ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental or Chemical Engineering Journal. Before Bath, Antonio worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Universities of Cambridge and Warwick (United Kingdom) and as a Ph.D. student at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). Antonio also worked as an R&D Engineer at Stoli Chem Ltd. 

Seminar 2

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Topic: On Nodal Domains & Nodal Deficiency

Time & Date: 4:00-5:00 PM, March 12 (Tuesday)

Venue: Room 107, Teaching D

Speaker: Prof. Mikael P. Sundqvist, Lund University

Host: Prof. Ayman KACHMAR, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 

Language: English

Abstract：

The French mathematician J.C.F.\ Sturm proved in the 19th century that for certain one-dimensional operators the number of nodal domains (components of the domain where the eigenfunction does not change sign) equals the label of the eigenvalue. In higher dimensions, similar questions were studied in the first half of the 20th century, and R.\ Courant proved that the number of nodal domains is bounded from above by the label of the eigenvalue. Further work has been done, in particular in recent years.  

In this talk we give a brief overview of the topic and discuss a few particular examples, where calculations can be done explicitly. We also show how one can calculate the so-called nodal deficiency (the label of an eigenvalue minus the number of nodal domains of the corresponding eigenfunction) as the number of negative eigenvalues of a certain Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator, via a spectral flow. The talk shall be accessible for non-experts.

Bios：

Professor Mikael Sundqvist obtained a Ph.D. degree in mathematics from Lund University, afterwards, he held a postdoctoral position at Aarhus University, and currently, he holds a tenured senior position at Lund University. Professor Sundqvist is interested in spectral theory of differential operators. He has mainly worked on the magnetic Schrodinger operator. Lately, he has studied the problem of counting nodal domains.  

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