Polymer Membrane Research at UVA
The Geise research group seeks to develop structure/property/processing relationships to guide polymeric materials design for membrane-based liquid separation and energy applications by understanding the influence of nano- and molecular-scale interactions and phenomena on mass transfer and system-level performance.
We are based in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia.
Geise Group Research:
Water-Energy Nexus
Our research focuses on experimental studies aimed at solving fundamental and practical problems related to water and ion transport through polymers that could be used as membranes in a variety of water and energy applications. Providing sustainable and economic supplies of purified water and clean energy solutions is a critical global challenge for the future, and polymer membranes will play a key role in these efforts.
We seek to rationally tailor and design polymers at the molecular level and process those polymers to engineer advanced membrane materials that will expand access to clean water and enhance the use of renewable energy sources.
Water Purification for a Thirsty World
Within the next 10 years, the United Nations predicts that nearly two-thirds of the world’s population may find themselves living in a water stressed area.
Today, the vast majority of desalination processes are performed using polymer-based membranes. Improved membranes are needed to meet the challenges of economically and sustainably purifying increasingly saline and contaminated water sources around the globe.
Clean and Renewable Energy
to Light our Future
Energy demand around the globe is projected to increase by more than 50% over the next 35 years, and sustainable, low-carbon footprint energy resources are needed to meet this increasing energy demand.
Technologies such as large-scale flow batteries, reverse electrodialysis, and capacitive mixing rely on polymer membranes to regulate ion transport. Improved membrane selectivity will enable advances in renewable energy storage and generation technologies.
Publications
Join the Geise Research Group
Prospective graduate students interested in joining the group should indicate their interest when applying for admission to the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia.
Undergraduate students interested in research opportunities should express interest by contacting Prof. Geise directly. Please be prepared to provide copies of your most recent resume and unofficial transcript.
Latest News from the Geise Group
April 2024
Graduate research assistant Sean Bannon has published Application of the Born Model to Describe Salt Partitioning in Hydrated Polymers in ACS Macro Letters. This paper reports an application of the Born model where polymer structural factors resolve discrepancies between calculated and measured salt sorption properties.
April 2024
Congratulations to Bea Tremblay, Geise Research Group undergraduate researcher, on winning a NSF GRFP award! Bea will take her NSF fellowship to UC Santa Barbara in Fall 2024 to continue her studies as a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
April 2024
Graduate student Charlie Leroux won a VSGC Graduate Research Fellowship to conduct research on Polymer Separators for High Temperature Lithium Sulfur Batteries.
March 2024
Graduate research assistant Charlie Leroux (co-advised by Prof. Gary Koenig) has published Transport properties of ethylene glycol functionalized membranes exposed to nonaqueous electrolytes in Polymer along with Geise Research Group co-authors Dr. Patrick McCormack and Shruti Elango.
March 2024
Congratulations to undergraduate Amelia Preble who was selected to receive a UVA Engineering Dean's Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship to continue her research on Evaluating mixed electrolyte performance of ion exchange membranes for lithium recovery!
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