Presentation Title: Development of Micro- and Nano-Based Chemical Products: From Conceptualization to Market

Abstract: This presentation provides an overview of the different design problems and needs in micro- and nano-based chemical product development. Specifically, three issues will be considered in detail. One is what to make - the design of products with the functionalities and attributes to meet the needs and wants of the consumer. While it is obvious that the final outcome is decided by market demand, one has to have a firm grasp of the technical details and market trends of the specific product type to be effective. Another is how to make. At present, many products have been designed primarily by experimental trial and error. It is highly advantageous to delve deeper into molecular design and material properties on the one hand and microstructures and macroscopic geometrical features on the other to create the relevant models, databases and predictive capabilities. These tools are expected to help deliver a product with the desired attributes in a timely fashion. In addition, many opportunities exist for research on unconventional unit operations such as granulation, milling, emulsification, coating, etching, physical vapor deposition, which are often used in product-centered processing. The third issue is workflow. Systematic approaches will make some of the steps faster and more efficient by learning from the past, avoiding unnecessary steps, reducing the search space, etc. Also, with considerable demand on interdisciplinary collaboration in micro- and nano-based product design and manufacturing processes, it is highly desirable to clarify the role of the chemical engineer, and that of the collaborators, in the various product value chains. Thus, products can be brought to market faster, at a reduced cost and most importantly, there is a better chance of developing a better product. Various examples will be provided to illustrate our approach. These include nanotechnology-enabled textile products, a multicomponent transdermal patch, nanoparticles for personal care products, among others.

Biography: Prof Ka M. Ng is CEO of Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Ltd, Chair Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Director of the Consortium of Chemical Products and Processes at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He obtained his B.S. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1976 and his Ph.D. from the University of Houston in 1980. From 1980-2000, he served as Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He joined the faculty in Hong Kong in 2000 and served as Head of Department from 2002-2005. He held visiting positions at DuPont, MIT, and the National University of Singapore. His research interests center on product conceptualization, process design and business development involving water, biochemicals, natural herbs, polymers, pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials and advanced materials.

He serves as a consultant, technical advisor and independent non-executive director for various companies and government bodies around the world, and is at present the Corporate Science and Technology Advisor of Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. He was a team member in the development of a novel 50,000 tonne monomer plant that won the Japan Petroleum Institute Award for Technological Progress in 2004. A computer program on the design of crystallization processes has been commercialized by his research collaborators in 2003. He is a member of the editorial board of the Korean J. Chem. Eng., Chinese J. Chem. Eng., Comp. & Chem. Eng. and Chem. Eng. Res. Des.

Professor Ng is the recipient of the General Electric Outstanding Teaching Award in 1992. He is a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers where he received the Excellence in Process Development Research Award in 2002.