SEAS student receives AIChE graduate student research award

Erda Deng.

By Elizabeth Egan 

Published July 11, 2024

Erda Deng, a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has received a 2024 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Separations Division Graduate Student Research Award, recognizing his outstanding achievements in the area of membrane-based separation. 

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“Erda is a great problem solver and has been instrumental in managing several projects funded by the Department of Energy and ensuring that we met the milestones and provided deliverables. I am very grateful to work with such an energetic student of great caliber.”
Haiqing Lin, professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Current graduate students who have served as the primary author on a paper that has contributed to separations fundamentals or applications can be nominated for the award by members of the AIChE.

"I am honored to receive this award because it recognizes the hard work and dedication that has gone into our research on water purification,” said Deng. “It motivates me to continue striving for excellence and making a positive impact in the membrane field.”

Deng joined the lab of Haiqing Lin, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, in 2019, while working towards his master’s degree in chemical and biological engineering. He received his master’s degree in 2020 and is now a PhD student in Lin’s lab.

“Erda is a great problem solver and has been instrumental in managing several projects funded by the Department of Energy and ensuring that we met the milestones and provided deliverables,” said Lin. “I am very grateful to work with such an energetic student of great caliber.”

Deng’s graduate thesis is primarily focused on designing advanced membranes for water purification.

“My work is on graphene oxide (GO) membranes with tunable interlayer spacing, which are important in removing dyes from saline textile wastewater,” said Deng. “We demonstrate that reduced GO (rGO) membranes can be modified in situ using peracetic acid (PAA) in a facile modification process, significantly increasing water permeability while retaining dye barrier properties."

He has also been involved with surface-modified membranes for microalgae harvesting. Deng authored a review article about various strategies for improving microalgae separation efficiency and an article published about zwitterionic modification for enhancing membrane antifouling property in separation and purification technology. Deng has also served as a co-author on multiple papers regarding 2D material membranes.

Deng will receive the award at the Separations Division’s Awards Banquet in October.