Thermodynamics of Gas Mixtures for Industry and Environment
This grant researches the thermodynamic properties of gas mixtures using both theoretical calculations and experimental measurements to improve industrial applications.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $82,764 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship researching thermodynamic properties of gas mixtures through theoretical quantum-mechanical calculations and experimental density measurements to support industrial and environmental applications.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree earned within the last 5 years; research conducted onsite at NIST Boulder, CO; requires prior contact with research advisers.
Description
This fellowship opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado, focuses on the thermodynamics of gaseous mixtures relevant to industry and environmental applications. The research aims to improve understanding and data on virial coefficients, which describe deviations from ideal gas behavior in unlike molecular pairs, critical for designing advanced reduced-carbon power generation systems and other technologies.
The project combines two complementary approaches:
- Theoretical: Use of quantum-mechanical methods to derive accurate potential energy surfaces between molecules of industrial importance, enabling calculation of virial coefficients at various temperatures via statistical mechanics.
- Experimental: Precise density measurements at temperatures up to 773 K to validate and calibrate theoretical calculations.
Applications of this research include humidity standards, turbine design, carbon dioxide sequestration, and computational chemistry related to thermophysical properties.
