Leading-Edge Research and Development > Research Profiles > Profiles Archive > CNSE professor leads groundbreaking emission reduction project

A research project led by CNSE Assistant Professor of Nanoengineering Dr. Michael Carpenter will make strides toward a cleaner environment by addressing concerns related to global warming.

Dr. Michael Carpenter stands in his lab where he works toward enabling technologies for near-zero emission power plants.

Dr. Carpenter has been awarded a $300,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to continue his work toward enabling new technologies for near-zero emission power plants. He and his team of students are working to develop nanotechnology-enabled controls and sensors that will detect, and aid in reducing, emission levels from fossil fuel-burning power plants.

Dr. Carpenter was selected as part of a highly competitive process to receive a grant that is awarded through DOE's University Coal Research Program -- its longest-running student-teacher research grant initiative - designed to advance new ideas to support near-zero emission power plants, and to train a new generation of scientists and engineers in the investigation of long-term solutions for clean and efficient use of the nation's abundant coal resources.

The DOE's investment in Dr. Carpenter's program speaks to the importance of developing new technologies to reduce emissions. "With this new technology, we are specifically looking at the optical properties of nanocomposite materials and how these properties change as a function of the environment," says Dr. Carpenter. "When monitoring and controlling the emissions, it is essential that we create sensors that are extremely sensitive, but also harsh-environment compatible."

A dual target physical vapor deposition tool in Dr. Carpenter's lab.

Dr. Carpenter's program is plasmonics-based. Plasmonics is the science and application of plasmons, which carry light energy as a packet of free electron oscillations. The properties of plasmons are being developed for a range of technology areas, including communications, sensors and cloaking. In this work, the plasmonic properties of gold nanoparticles are being probed remotely for the development of a harsh environment compatible sensor and can be considered a form of wireless technology.

"This is a very exciting technology," says Dr. Carpenter. "We are essentially learning a new science that has a direct application, which is to aid in the reduction of emissions from fossil fuels. Furthermore, this has great potential to be applied to other technology areas and other combustion sources."

CNSE was one of just six universities selected nationwide to receive grants under DOE's University Coal Research Program.