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Main Research Areas
Upgrading Petroleum Heavy Feedstocks to Carbon Materials and Distillate Fuels
  • Premium Needle Coke Production from FCC Slurry Oils - Delayed Coking
    • Molecular Composition/Carbonization Chemistry/Mesophase Development
    • Microscopic Characterization and Image Analysis of Coke Texture and Porosity
    • Feedstock Composition/ Coke Structure-Property Relationships/Graphite Electrodes
  • Hydrogenation and Hydrodesulfurization of Petroleum Heavy Residua in Supercritical Media
    • Conversion and Selectivity in Different Supercritical Media
    • Coking on Catalysts during Hydrogenation/Hydrocracking in Supercritical Media
Carbon Deposition on Metal and Carbon Surfaces in Combustion Engines
  • Surface effects on Thermal Stability of Jet Fuel in Advanced Aircraft
    • Metal Surface Catalysis of Solid Deposition in Aircraft Fuel System
    • Inhibition of Fuel Degradation and Solid Deposition in Aircraft Fuel System
  • Thermal Decomposition of Jet Fuel Hydrocarbons under Supercritical Conditions
    • Phase Effects on Mechanisms and Kinetics of Thermal Decomposition
    • Solid Formation and Deposition from Supercritical Hydrocarbon Pyrolysis
Preparation of Activated Carbons and Oxidation of Carbon Materials
  • One-step Pyrolysis/Steam Activation of Coals, Cokes, and Agricultural Waste Products
    • Activated Carbon Preparation for Removal of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants in Water and Air
    • Constitution and Structure of Lignocellulosic Materials and Activated Carbon Preparation
Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy Study of Carbon Gasification
  • Catalysis and Mechanisms of Carbon Oxidation and Gasification
 

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Research Group


Postdoctoral Associates
Current
Dr. Orhan Altin
    Ph.D. in ChE 
    Middle East Technical University, TURKEY
Dr. Richard Dutta
    Ph.D. in Fuel Science
    Penn State University, USA
Dr. Andrzej Piotrowski
    Ph.D. in Fuel Science
    Penn State University, USA
Past
Dr.  Bhabendra K. Pradhan 
              Ph.D. in Chemistry
              Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, INDIA
         Dr.  Ming-Gang Yang 
              Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry
              University of Tokyo, JAPAN
         Dr. Jian Yu
    Ph.D. in Fuel Science
    Penn State University, USA
Dr. Anandkrishnan Venkataraman
    Ph.D. in ChE
    University of Kansas, USA
Dr. Mark Badger
    Ph.D. in Chemistry
    Staffordshire University, ENGLAND
Dr. Yan Lai Liu, 1990-1994
    Ph.D. in ChE
    Petroleum University, CHINA
Dr. Shu-Ming Zeng, 1992-1995
    Ph.D. in ChE
    Kyushu University, JAPAN 
Dr. Katia Gergova, 1992-1995
    Ph.D. in Chemistry
    Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BULGARIA
Graduate Students Supervised
Ph.D. (Completed)
Jian Yu
    Thesis :  Thermal Decomposition of Hydrocarbons under Near-Critical and  Supercritical Conditions
    Year   :  1996 
Jun Li
    Thesis :  Effects of Metal Surfaces on Solid Deposition from Pyrolysis of  Hydrocarbons and Jet Fuel
    Year   :  1998
Gaolin Qiao
    Thesis : Digital Image Analysis of Texture and Porosity of Solid Carbons
    Year   :  1999
Ph. D. and M.S. (In progress)
Philip Chang (Ph. D.)
    Thesis : Effects of Carbon Surfaces on Pyrolysis of Hydrocarbons
    Anticipated Year of Completion : 2001
Guohua Wang (Ph. D.)
    Thesis : Relationships between Molecular Composition of Needle Coke Feedstocks and Mesophase  Development 
    Anticipated Year of Completion : 2002
Abraham J. Brandt (M. S.)
    Thesis : Inhibition of Solid Deposition on Metal Alloy Surfaces from Thermal Decomposition of Jet Fuel
    Anticipated Year of Completion : 2002
M.S. (Completed)
Günes Ucak
    Thesis  : Activated Carbon Preparation by One-Step Steam Pyrolysis/Activation of  Fruit Stones
    Year    : 1997
Rose Filley
    Thesis : Molecular Composition and Early Carbonization Chemistry of FCC Decant Oils
    Year    : 1997
Fan Zhang
    Thesis Topic : Effects of Metal Alloy Composition on Solid Deposition from Thermal Decompostion of Jet Fuel
    Year    : 2000

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Research Projects, Grants & Contracts



 

(*  Eser's share in multi investigator projects)
Completed 
Analysis of Coker Feedstocks by GC/MS and HPLC/PDAD and Characterization of Cokes by OpticalTexture
    CONOCO, Inc.
    January 1997 - January, 1998. 
    $70,000
Advanced Thermally Stable Jet Fuels
    DOE PETC/US Air Force
    August 1992 - January 1998. 
    $807,000*
Low-Cost Adsorbent for Recovering Metals from Waste Streams Containing Low-to Medium Levels of Metals
    USX Foundation
    July 1995 - June 1997. 
    $135,000*
Upgrading of Petroleum Heavy Residua
    USX Foundation
    July 1995 - June 1997. 
    $135,000*
Analysis of Coker Feedstocks by HPLC/PDAD
    CONOCO, Inc.
    July 1996 -  December 1996. 
    $35,000
Low-Cost Adsorbent for Recovering Metals from Waste Streams Containing Low-to Medium Levels of Metals
    US DOE
    October 1995-December 1996. 
    $22,000
Characterization and Coking of FCC Decant Oils
    CONOCO, Inc.
    January 1994 -  July 1996. 
    $175,000
Reliability of Laboratory Coking Tests and Feedstock Analysis in Predicting Commercial Coke Quality
    The Carbide/Graphite Group, Inc. 
    April 1995 - March 1996. 
    $65,000
Analysis of Petroleum Heavy Feedstocks by HPLC/PAD and HPLC/MS
    Cosmo Oil Co. Ltd., Japan  
    June 1994-December 1995. 
    $12,000
Carbonization of  Needle Coke Feedstocks
    The Carbon/Graphite Group
    August1990 - August 1994. 
    $220,000
A Study of Volatile Organic Compounds in Cold Mix Asphalts
    Ben Franklin Technology Center of Central & Northeastern Pennsylvania
    November 1990 - August 1992. 
    $70,000
Compositional Factors Affecting Thermal Stability of Jet Fuels 
    Sandia National Laboratory
    July 1989 - June 1992. 
    $275,000*
Low-Temperature Carbonization of High Sulfur Coals
    Coop Program in Coal Research
    September 1990-February 1991. 
    $3,000
Swelling Phenomena in Coal/Solvent Mixtures
    AMOCO Corp
    December 87-   August 1990. 
    $150,000
Thermal Stability of Jet Fuel 
    US DOE Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center
    September 1988 - December 1989. 
    $35,000*
In Progress 
Phase and Surface Effects in Fuel Degradation
    US Air Force
    November 1998 - December 1998. 
    $48,400*
Analysis of FCC Decant Oils by Open Column Chromatography, GC/MS, and HPLC
    The Carbide/Graphite Group
    January 1998 - December 1998. 
    $70,000
Advanced Thermally Stable Coal-Based Jet Fuels
    US Air Force
    November 1997 - December 1998. 
    $360,000*
Upgrading of Petroleum Heavy Residua 
    USX Foundation
    July 1997 - June 1998. 
    $90,000*
Optical Texture Characterization by Digital Image Analysis
    Carbon Research Center
    January 1993 - December 1998. 
    $115,000
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International Visitors & Collaboration
Dr. Eloisa González Serrano
    Department of Chemical Engineering
    University of Málaga, Málaga, SPAIN
    Duration of Visit : January 1, 1997 - December 31, 1997
Prof. Yusuke Nakayama
    College of Engineering,
    Ehime University, Matsuyama Ehime, JAPAN
    Duration of Visit : July 15, 1997 -September 16, 1997
Dr. Isabel Santos Silva
    Department of Chemistry, 
    FCT/Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Monte de Caparica, PORTUGAL
    Duration of Visit: July 24 -August 31, 1995; August 1-August 30, 1996,
    July 1 -July 30, 1997.
Prof. Lale Ersoy
    Department of Analytical Chemistry
    Istanbul University, TURKEY

    Duration of Visit: February 1, 1997- April 30, 1997.
Prof. Qing-Fang Zha 
    Institute of Coal Chemistry, 
    Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanxi, CHINA
    Duration of Visit: September 15, 1995 - September 16, 1996
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