Why Interfaces?

It turns out that interfaces are interesting. Many of the basic chemistry concepts we often learn break down at interfaces, where two phases contact one another. In many cases, we still don’t know why. It also turns out that interfaces play critical roles in environmental systems. Interfaces exist when minerals come in contact with water, when water contacts selective membranes, and when electrodes drive electrochemical reactions at the solid-water interface.

Our research group studies interfaces with a broader focus on improving the critical thinking and analytical abilities of students and scholars by promoting deep, critical thought. To achieve this, we maintain a small, select group to enable regular, in-depth meetings. Additionally, students are provided opportunities to showcase their work at both national and international conferences. Researchers from this group primarily go on to pursue academic careers.

Specific projects were are currently working on include:

• Electrochemical water desalination and selective element recovery
• Olivine carbonation for in-situ carbon dioxide sequestration
• Relationships between mineral redox properties to their reactivities
• The roles ChatGPT plays and will play in research

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Principal Investigator

Christopher Gorski is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and an affiliate of the Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE) and the Materials Research Institute (MRI). His research CV is available here. A complete list of the group's publications is also avaiable on Google Scholar. If you are interested in joining our group or collaborating, please email Dr. Gorski.

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Current Funding

• Thermodynamics and Redox Reactivity of Birnessite. National Science Foundation: Environmental Chemistry. $425,346. PI: Gorski, Co-PI: Peter Heaney.
• Integrated electrode-membrane assemblies for energy efficient MCDI across the salinity spectrum. Office of Naval Research. $570,000. PI: Gorski.
• CAREER: Battery-inspired electrodes for efficiently desalinating water or harvesting salinity gradient energy. National Science Foundation: Environmental Engineering. $500,000. PI: Gorski.
• Electrochemical Oxygen Production by Deep-Sea Nodules. Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment. $15,000. PI: Gorski. Co-PI: Peter Heaney.
• Membrane-based lithium recovery. Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment. $40,000. PI: Enrique Gomez, Co-PIs: Gorski, Hall, Elacqua.
• Constraining Olivine Carbonation Rates in Igneous Mafic Formations. Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment. $30,000. PI: Matthew Fantle, Co-PI: Gorski.

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