Dr. Alberto Striolo

Cellulosic Bioenergy Research:  Chemical Conversion

Dr. Striolo's research goal is to understand how molecules behave at interfaces (solid-liquid, liquid-gas, and liquid-liquid). The molecules of interest include proteins, polymers, surfactants, solvents and, most importantly, water.

The research is exquisitely fundamental and will result in practical applications as diverse as nanofluidic devices, safe storage systems for nuclear waste, enhanced oil recovery and water desalination operations.

Current active projects investigate the following:

• Aqueous electrolyte solutions (towards enhancing ion-exchange processes)

• Lubrication in cartilage (to remediate osteoarthritis symptoms)

• Self-assembling colloidal systems (to design ‘molecular factories’)

• Heat transfer in nanocomposite materials (to engineer advanced lubricants for extreme conditions)

• The optimization of heterogeneous catalysts (the goal is 100 percent product selectivity)

Dr. Striolo and his co-researchers deploy an arsenal of inter-disciplinary approaches in which accurate experimental results are coupled to state-of-the-art computational and theoretical investigations. The Stirolo laboratory is equipped with one computational cluster, hotohke and with experimental machinery suitable for the study of interfacial phenomena. The rearchers have developed significant expertise in conducting classical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations.

The research team is extending their capabilities to include ab initio methods and integral equations. When the experiments required to validate their theoretical predictions cannot be performed within their facilities,  the researchers rely on experienced collaborators with whom they have established a fruitful intellectual exchange of ideas, problems and solutions.

The results of the Striolo lab's research have been featured in over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and 3 book chapters, and presented at over 100 invited or contributed seminars.

Pictured (above):  Simulation snapshots for SDS aggregates on two approaching SWNTs at low SDS surface coverage. The SWNTs are separated by 6.90 angstroms. Green, red, and yellow spheres represent methyl groups, oxygen, and sulphur atoms of SDS, respectively. Blue spheres represent sodium ions. Carbon atoms in nanotubes are connected with bold grey lines. Water is not shown for clarity. Courtesy: ACS Nano