Dr. William Phillip
Associate Professor
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering,
University of Notre Dame

2019 Mellichamp Lecture: Manufacturing Fit-for-Purpose Membranes from Nanostructured Polymers

Abstract: The use of non-traditional sources of water (e.g., seawater and wastewater) is essential to supporting human life on earth. While seawater desalination will remain an indispensable technology, its large energy demand necessitates the development of complementary wastewater treatment strategies. Fit-for-purpose water, one envisioned opportunity, utilizes distributed treatment systems to provide water for localized reuse at the potable or non-potable quality demanded by its intended application. Membranes fabricated from self-assembled block polymers provide a versatile platform that can help address the technical hurdles associated with this emerging paradigm. In this presentation, we will discuss how to produce block polymers membranes that contain a high density of well-defined nanoscale pores using facile and scalable techniques. Furthermore, we will describe how the performance profile of the membranes can be tailored to effect selective separations through affinity-based adsorption, electrostatic interactions, and catalytic conversion of target solutes.

Biography: William A. Phillip received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 2004. Based on a strong suggestion from his undergraduate research advisor, Dr. Arvind Varma, Dr. Phillip went to the University of Minnesota for graduate school. There, under the guidance of Dr. Ed Cussler, he completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 2009.  Following his Ph.D., Dr. Phillip completed a postdoctoral appointment with Dr. Menachem Elimelech at Yale University.  He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, where he heads the Water purification and Advanced Transport Engineering Research (WATER) laboratory. Dr. Phillip is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for ACS Applied Polymer Materials. 

The WATER lab examines how the structure and chemistry of polymeric membranes affect the transport of solutes and solvents across them. By understanding the connection between functionality and property, Professor Phillip and his group are able to design and fabricate next-generation membranes that provide more precise control over the transport of chemical species. These material advantages are then leveraged to design systems capable of enhancing chemical separations at the water-energy nexus. The WATER lab has been recognized with the 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award, the Army Research Office Young Investigator Program, the North American Membrane Society Young Membrane Scientist Award, the DuPont Young Professor Award, the Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and the FRI/John G. Kunesh Award.