Society relies on chemical processes to turn raw materials into useful products.The Chemical Process Systems (CPS) programinvests infundamental research on chemical and biochemical processesto make them moreefficient, sustainable, and resilient.NewCPStechnologiesformanufacturing,biotechnology, critical minerals, energy, food, and othernational prioritieswill help make the U.S. more competitive and secure.
Research supported by the CPS programcoversthe full breadth of chemical and biochemical process innovation.Itspans reaction engineeringandmolecular thermodynamics;reactor design;catalysis;electrochemical systems;separations;and processdesign.The program encourages proposalsthatconnect the molecular scale to process and plant scales.
The CPS program explores active-site structure and function, reaction mechanisms,in situandoperandocharacterization, durability, and device-level integration.Microreactors, membrane and catalytic reactors, atmospheric plasmas, and other novel configurations are of interest.
The program supports research in catalysis and electrochemical systems to produce, use, and store energy, to reduce waste, to process polymers, and to synthesize fuels and chemicals. This includes process and materials innovation to support thenuclear fuel cycle.
TheCPSprogramalsotargets chemical and biological separationsthat are efficient and scalable.Researchincludes the design of membranes, sorbents, andspecializedinterfaces. Advancescanbeusedin gas separations,therecovery ofcritical minerals,bioprocessing, andprotein andwater purification.
The program supports research in process design and optimization that usestools such asartificial intelligence, machine learning, and uncertainty quantification. CPS research also explores quantum information science and engineering;quantum simulation and sensing, for example, mayaccelerate the discovery of materials and improve process models.
Partnerships:To speed discovery and innovation, NSF partners with federal agencies, industry, international groups, and others. Current opportunities are atNSF ENG Partnerships.