Vilas Pol receives AIChE’s 2021 Excellence in Process Research Development Award
Vilas Pol, professor in the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, has received the 2021 Excellence in Process Research Development Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Sponsored by Pfizer Inc., this award acknowledges individuals who have made significant technical contributions to the advancement of process development within the categories of teaching, research or regulatory activities.
The award is in collaboration with Pol’s research team at the Vilas Pol Energy Research Group (ViPER), as they developed and patented an ultrafast (one minute) microwave process to upcycle waste polyethylene terephthalate into disodium terephthalate for energy (lithium, sodium and potassium) storage application. The details of their breakthroughs are cited in their published manuscripts titled, “Rapid Upcycling of Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate to Energy Storing Disodium Terephthalate Flowers” and “Dipotassium terephthalate as promising potassium storing anode”.
In addition to accepting a plaque and a $1000 cash prize, Pol is invited to deliver an address at the Process Development Division Dinner at the AIChE Annual Meeting.
Pol was named a Purdue Faculty Scholar in 2018.
Learn more about the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering
Writer: Ashvini Malshe, malshea@purdue.edu
Source: Dr. Vilas Pol, vpol@purdue.edu