Introducing WISE researchers

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Currently holding a position as a professor in fluid mechanics at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Shervin leads the research group of Fluid and Surfaces. The group’s research focuses on understanding fundamental mechanisms of transport processes in flowing fluids and materials.

Why did you choose to join WISE?

It is an exciting initiative that brings together scientists from different fields with a clear focus on materials and sustainability. I study materials from the perspective of transport phenomena, so for me it is a great opportunity to interact with scientists that approach and model materials from a different perspective. In addition, WISE provides funding of high-risk but relevant research, that can be difficult to get by.

Briefly describe your WISE research project

A couple of years ago, we introduced periodic materials that can trap several thousand of liquid droplets in a very controlled way. In the WISE project, we want to explore the potential of using these so-called liquid-infused materials for capturing CO₂. As a gas flows through the material, there will be a transfer of CO₂ from the gas to the droplets in the material. We believe that liquid-infused materials have several interesting properties that make them an attractive alternative to other CO₂-capturing techniques.

What are the benefits of your research for society in the future?

It is estimated from the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2019 that up to 99.7 % CO₂ emissions from existing coal-fired power plants can be reduced. The technology for CO₂ capture exists, but commercial technology has low reaction efficiency and requires a significant amount of energy for operation. The concrete outcome of this project will be to benchmark the carbon-capture capacity of Liquid-Infused Materials with existing techniques. This project can potentially advance material science for carbon capture and for flow continuous heterogeneous catalysis in general.

Learn more about Shervin Bagheri’s WISE project at: https://wise-materials.org/project/self-organized-liquid-infused-materials-for-co2-capture/