Vijay K. Ramani

Hyosung S. R. Cho Endowed Chair in Engineering
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering

Office: Room 235 Perlstein Hall

Phone: 312.567.3064
Fax: 312.567.8874
Email: ramani@iit.edu
Web: Research Group Webpage

Expertise

Electrochemical engineering
Energy conversion and storage
Multi-functional materials
Electrocatalysis
Ion containing polymers
Electrochemical and spectroscopic diagnostics

Education

B. E. from Annamalai University, India (Chemical Engineering, 2000)
Ph.D. from University of Connecticut (Chemical Engineering, 2004)

Research

Multi-functional electrode and electrolyte materials for electrochemical systems (Acidic and Alkaline Fuel Cells, Batteries, Electrolyzers)
Component degradation and degradation mitigation in electrochemical systems, including accelerated testing methods
Electrocatalysis of liquid fuels and oxidants
Monopolar and bipolar ion containing polymers for energy conversion and separations
Kinetics and transport in porous electrodes
In-situ and ex-situ diagnostics to probe electrochemical systems/components (Fluorescence spectroscopy, 2D NMR spectroscopy)

Projects (Currently funded)

"ONR DURIP: Acquisition of Equipment to support ONR funded research" (2012-2013)
"Anion Exchange and Bipolar Membranes for Electrochemical Energy Conversion" (ONR - Young Investigator Program Grant (2010 – 2013)
"CAREER: Multi-functional materials for electrochemical energy conversion"; (NSF; CAREER grant; 2009-2014)
"Advanced membranes and electrochemical diagnostics for DMFCs" (DOE; Collaboration with Arkema (Lead) 2010-2013)
"Non-Carbon Electrocatalyst Supports" (DOE; collaboration with Nissan Motor Company; 2010-2013)
"Diagnostics and Modeling of Degradation Processes in PEM Fuel Cells" (DOE, collaboration with DuPont (Lead) and Nissan; 2010-2012)
"Electrocatalysts and Anion Exchange Membranes for Alkaline electrolyzers" (DOE/SBIR; collaboration with ProtonOnsite (Lead); 2012-2015)

Current Projects

Awards/Honors

2012 - Hyosung S. R. Cho Endowed Chair in Engineering - Illinois Institute of Technology
2012 - Supramaniam Srinivasan Young Investigator Award of the Energy Technology Division of the Electrochemical Society
2010-2013 - ONR Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award
2010 - 3M Non-tenured Faculty Award
2009-2014 - NSF CAREER Award
2008 and 2009 - ONR Summer Faculty Fellowship
2010-2012 - Elected Chair, Industrial Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering Division, Electrochemical Society (ECS) Inc.; Member, ECS Board of Directors.
2011 - Elected Vice-Chair of Area 1E - Electrochemical Fundamentals – of AIChE
2005 - H. H. Dow Memorial Student Award of the IEEE Division of ECS
2002 - Fuel Cell Gordon Research Conference Student Award

Patents

Books

Selected Publications

"2-D NMR spectroscopy reveals cation-triggered backbone degradation in polysulfonebased anion exchange membranes", C. G. Arges*, and Vijay Ramani,Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 110 (7) ( 2013) 2490-2495. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1217215110

"RuO2-SiO2 mixed oxides as corrosion-resistant catalyst supports for polymer electrolyte fuel cells", A. Kumar* and V. Ramani, Applied Catalysis B. (2013). DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2013.02.015

"Assessing the influence of different cation chemistries on the ionic conductivity and alkaline stability of anion exchange membranes", C. Arges*, J.Parrondo+, G. Johnson**, A. Nathan***, Vijay Ramani, J. Mater. Chem, 22 (9) (2012) 3733-3744. DOI: 10.1039/C2JM14898F

"Investigation of PEM chemical degradation and degradation mitigation using in-situ fluorescence spectroscopy", V. Prabhakaran*, C. Arges* and Vijay Ramani, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 109 (4) (2012) 1029-1034. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1114672109

"SiO2-RuO2: A Stable Electrocatalyst Support", Chih-Ping Lo+, and Vijay Ramani, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 4(11) (2012) 6109-6116. DOI: 10.1021/am3017416

"CeO2 surface oxygen vacancy concentration governs in-situ free radical scavenging efficacy in polymer electrolytes", P. Trogadas*, J. Parrondo+, and V. Ramani, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 4 (10) (2012) 5098-5102. DOI: 10.1021/am3016069

"Degradation mitigation in polymer electrolyte membranes using metal nanoparticle additives", P. Trogadas*, J. Parrondo+ and Vijay Ramani J. Mater. Chem, 21 (48) (2011) 19381-19388. DOI:10.1039/C1JM14077A

"Platinum supported on CeO2 effectively scavenges free radicals within the electrolyte of an operating fuel cell" P. Trogadas*, J. Parrondo+, Vijay Ramani, Chem. Comm., 47 (41) (2011) 11549-11551. DOI:10.1039/C1CC15155J

"Influence of binder properties on kinetic and transport processes in polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrodes", S. Sambandam* and Vijay Ramani, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 12 (2010) 6140-6149. DOI:10.1039/B921916A

"Degradation mitigation in PEMs using Cerium Oxide as a regenerative free radical scavenger", Panagiotis Trogadas*, Javier Parrondo+ and Vijay Ramani, Electrochemical and Solid State Letters; 11 (2008) B113-B116. DOI: 10.1149/1.2916443