Our research
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One of our students likes to say that Team Weimer does energy, but in many ways. Our group is focused on energy research in three key areas: surface functionalization by atomic layer deposition (ALD), energy materials discovery, and solar thermal chemical processing. In addition to having outstanding Graduate Research Assistants (i.e. Ph.D. students) and undergraduate engineering students to support them, the Weimer research laboratory has over 5000 ft2Ìıof space in the College of Engineering and Applied Science housed on the Boulder campus. The lab owns four particle ALD fluidized bed reactor systems with integrated mass spectrometers, a 60 kWelectric,Ìı10 cm ID x 42 cm long, uniformly heated, graphite furnace that can be used for chemical processing up to 2400oC, and five 1725oC CM high-temperature furnaces. The lab owns a 45 kWelectricÌı(12 kWthermal) high flux solar simulator and associated hybrid solar/electric receiver. The lab also owns and operates a Netzsch thermogravimetric analyzer that can analyze up to 1550oC (STA 449 F1 Jupiter Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer, TGA/DSC/DTA) with an integrated mass spectrometer. Additionally, a NetzschÌıDIL 402 C/7/G 2000oC Dilatometer is used for thermomechanical analysis.ÌıParticle size, chemisorption/physisorption, fixed LECO carbon and LECO oxygen/nitrogen/hydrogen analyzers, ICP/OES with microwave digester, 2200oC Red Devil Sintering Furnace, mercury porosimeter, and surface area analyses are also available in the Weimer research laboratory. The Weimer lab also owns a 3D printer with gantry robot and a vacuum planetary mill for preparing colloidal gels for robocasting.Ìı In addition to equipment and instrumentation, the group licenses full versions of ANSYS Fluent and FACTSAGE. An additional resource available within the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is a fully staffed machine and electronics shop with a full-time machinist/ instrument craftsman and electrician.