"Radical" technology being developed by Purdue Chemical Engineering researchers that enables a glass-like polymer to conduct electricity for transparent and flexible electronics has been nominated for 2018 Molecule of the Year, one of only eight, by Chemical and Engineering News. Dr. Bryan Boudouris, the Robert and Sally Weist Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, led the research team which included ChE Assistant Professor Dr. Brett Savoie.

Davidson School of Chemical Engineering Assistant Professor Brett Savoie is part of a team of researchers at Purdue University creating electronics that withstand extreme heat. The new plastic materials blends two organic materials together, and could reliably conduct electricity in up to 220 degrees Celsius (428 F), according to a paper published on December 6, 2018 in the journal Science.

The chemical element that makes up most of today's batteries, lithium, may soon be challenged by its polar opposite on the periodic table: fluoride. The two elements would be in competition for helping electronics last longer on a charge, such as electric cars that need to travel more miles than is possible with lithium-ion batteries on the market. Davidson School of Chemical Engineering Assistant Professor Dr. Brett Savoie and a team of researchers are closer to equipping fluoride-based batteries for battle with improvements that allow the technology to operate at room temperature. Up until this point, fluoride had been limited to building high-temperature batteries that are impractical for our electronic devices.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing is a major industry in the U.S., with more than 4 billion prescriptions filled annually. Purdue University researchers including Chemical Engineering faculty Dr. Zoltan Nagy and Dr. Gintaras Reklaitis are utilizing the Continuous Solids Processing Plant to bring the latest smart technology advancements to the tablet-making process.

Two Davidson School of Chemical Engineering faculty will be honored for their contributions at the 2018 AIChE Annual Meeting on October 29 and October 30 in Pittsburgh. Dr. Doraiswami Ramakrishna, Harry Creighton Peffer Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Dr. Gintaras Reklaitis, Burton and Kathryn Gedge Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, will be honored at special sessions.