Experience

Materials Synthesis

The chosen method for material synthesis can significantly impact the material properties, such as surface area, pore size distribution, crystalline phase(s), and hydrothermal stability. |i²| Systems has extensive experience in the utilization of different synthesis methods, such as precipitation, impregnation, ion-exchange, micro-emulsion, combustion, and hydrothermal, to design, modify and optimize the properties of materials, including:

• Ceramic membrane precursors
• Zeolites
• Unsupported nanoparticles and nanoparticle alloys
• Multicomponent metal oxides
• Supported metal catalysts

Materials Characterization

In most laboratories, tight budgets require the selective use of proper characterization techniques in order to concomitantly measure important material properties while minimizing the analysis cost and level-of-effort expenditures. |i²| Systems has extensive experience in the selective application of analytical methods to characterize materials, including:

• Adsorption (H₂, CO, O₂, N₂ and CO₂)
• Thermal Analysis (TPO, TPD, TGA)
• X-ray Diffraction
• Microscopy (Transmission Election and Scanning Electron)
• Spectroscopy (DRIFTS and MAS NMR)

Heterogeneous Catalysis

|i²| Systems has extensive experience in the design, development and testing of catalytic materials to facilitate numerous reactions, such as natural gas conversion, carbon monoxide conversion, aromatics conversion, olefin partial oxidation, gasification, and combustion:

• O₂ / CO₂ / H₂O Reforming of C₄H₁₀
• CO₂ / H₂O Reforming of CH₄
• Two-Step CH₄ Homologation to C_nH_2n+2
• Selective CH₄ Conversion to Olefins, Alkynes and Dienes
• CH₄/C₂H₆ Dehydroaromatization
• Natural Gas Decomposition to Coke and H₂
• Methanol Synthesis
• Fischer Tropsch Synthesis
• Water Gas Shift
• Benzene and Toluene Methylation
• Toluene Disproportionation
• Ethylene Epoxidation
• Propylene Conversion to Propionic Acid
• Coal / Biomass Gasification
• Soot / Coal Combustion
• Toluene Combustion
• CO Combustion

Reaction Kinetics

The development of a descriptive and predictive kinetic model that can be integrated with heat and mass transfer and hydrodynamics if necessary is a critical step in the design and development of a catalytic reactor. |i²| Systems has experience in the identification and development of elementary reaction mechanisms, and has developed descriptive and predictive kinetic models based on first principles or power rate laws for several catalyzed reactions.

Catalytic Membrane Reactors

Catalytic membrane reactors have the potential to intensify numerous processes in the chemical and energy industries through the integration of unit operations. For example, there is interest in the combination of catalytic reactions with in-situ separation to either selectively add a reactant to, or withdraw a product from, the reaction zone as it is depleted, or formed, respectively. |i²| Systems has developed descriptive and predictive models to facilitate the design, construction and performance optimization of prototype catalytic membrane reactors in several areas, including:

• Fischer Tropsch Synthesis
• Hydrocarbon Partial Oxidation
• Water Gas Shift

Process Engineering

The ultimate commercial value of a new catalyst and/or reactor design must be addressed in the context of an integrated process design. |i²| Systems has worked closely with industry experts to develop innovative process designs for new catalyst and reactor technology (see Emerging Technologies for more information).

MEMS Packaging

Through his tenure as Director of Packaging at Lilliputian Systems, Inc., Dr. Bradford has developed strong competencies in the areas of LPCVD LSN deposition, low- and high-temperature glass and paste manufacture and processing, screen printing, wet and dry etch of silicon, silicon nitride, and silicon dioxide, eutectic solder attach, wire attach, thin film metallization, die-die attach, and vacuum packaging.

Program Management

Dr. Michael C.J. Bradford, the Founder and Principal of |i²| Systems, has served as a Principal Investigator and Group Leader for over ten applied research and development programs in the areas of materials development, heterogeneous catalysis, reaction engineering, and process design. He has effectively managed budgets of over $1,000,000 per year, and has extensive experience in all aspects of R&D program and personnel management.

Fund Solicitation

Dr. Bradford has extensive writing experience and has since 1999 succeeded in soliciting and securing about $4,000,000 from the U.S. National Science Foundation and Department of Energy (see Grants for more information).

Consultation

Dr. Bradford has served on numerous review panels since 1998, including the 2004 DOE Vision 2020 Committee and the 2007 NSF SBIR Phase II Fuel Cells and Catalysis panel, and has consulted for various private organizations.

Publications

Dr. Bradford has authored or co-authored numerous publications and patents, as well as over thirty government reports, in several areas of catalysis and reaction engineering (see Publications for more information).

Presentations

Dr. Bradford has presented throughout North America in several areas of catalysis and reaction engineering (see Presentations for more information).