UB - University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Chemical and Biological Engineering

News and Highlights

  • Dennis Prieve delivers fourth annual Ruckenstein Lecture

    Monday, April 23, 2012 11:45a.m.
    UB Center for the Arts Screening Room
    Reception immediately following lecture

    Dr. Prieve is Gulf Professor of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and President of the International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientists.

    The Effect of Severe Wall Hindrance on Brownian Motion and Mobility: Is the Ratio Still kT as Predicted by Einstein?

    [view lecture brochure]

    In his classic 1905 paper on Brownian motion, Einstein realized that by separately measuring mobility m and diffusion coefficient D of the same particle, one could obtain the value of Avogadro's number from RTm/D, where R is the universal gas constant and T is temperature. In 1920 Perrin performed such experiments and obtained a good value for Avogadro's number. This success laid to rest any remaining doubts about the molecular theory of matter. Today we write Einstein's relation as D = mkT (k is Boltzmann's constant) and substitute m obtained from Stokes equation. As a rigid sphere approaches a rigid wall, Brenner (1961) showed that wall hindrance causes m to approach zero. Does Einstein's equation still hold such that D approaches zero also? In this talk I will show direct measurements of D and m obtained using Total Internal Reflection Microscopy. Both quantities are found to be a few percent of their bulk values when the gap between the spherical particle and the wall is a few percent of its radius.


  • CBE presents the 2011 Graduate Student Research Symposium (rsvp)

    Keynote Speaker - Dr. Woodrow K. Shiflett, Chevron Products Company
    Poster Contest, Free Reception
    Friday, October 7, UB Center for the Arts


    2011 CBE Graduate Student Symposium

    Please join us for lectures, a poster session, and reception in the UB Center for the Arts:
    -1-2pm Graduate Students Lecture-Screening Room, Biswajit Sarkar - Alexander Buffone
    -2pm Keynote Lecture by Dr. Woodrow K. Shiflett, Chevron Products Company
    -3-5:30pm Poster Session, Judging, and Reception in the Atrium

    Dr. Shiflett will discuss, "Moving Innovation into the Marketplace: Harvesting R&D Value in the Global Hydroprocessing Catalyst Arena"

    For more info. or to RSVP & obtain parking information:
    call Joan Wilson at 645-1174 or send e-mail