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Sibani Biswal headshot

Sibani Lisa Biswal

William M. McCardell Professor, Associate Department Chair, Director of Graduate Studies, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

CONTACT

biswal@rice.edu

WEBSITE(S)| https://chbe.rice.edu/content/sibani-lisa-biswal

SURF Mentoring

Potential projects/topics: Droplets and foams play essential roles across chemical engineering, materials science, and energy applications—from enhanced oil recovery and carbon sequestration to emulsification, drug delivery, and advanced manufacturing. Yet, the fundamental physics governing their behavior in confined, porous-like environments remains only partially understood. Microfluidic platforms provide a powerful experimental approach to visualize and quantify these complex multiphase flow phenomena with high spatial and temporal resolution.

In this undergraduate research project, the student will design and conduct experiments using microfluidic devices to study the formation, stability, and transport of droplets and foams under controlled flow conditions.

Required qualifications: Engineering disciplines are well-suited. Interest in fluids and microfabrication is highly encouraged.

Direct mentor: Faculty/P.I., Graduate Student

Mentored presenters may have participated in these courses

HONS 471

Student Project Titles List

Naphthenic Acid Adsorption at the Water-Calcite Interface via Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

Application of Nanoparticles to Mitigate Asphaltene Deposition in Crude Oil Reservoirs

Structure Formation of Paramagnetic Colloids in Time-Varying Fields

Research Areas

Dr. Biswal’s research program focuses on using chemical, biological, and engineering approaches to study soft materials such as colloids, polymers, lipids, and surfactants. One of her main research area has been in developing new materials using colloidal particles. These synthetic materials are chains of patterned magnetic colloids that have rigidity and length specificity, and are able to demonstrate capability for folding, self-assembly, and specific chemical and biorecognition. Another area of interest is the use of microcantilever beams to investigate the lipid-dependent mechanisms responsible for vesicle rupture and bilayer fusion to form supported lipid bilayers and monolayers. These supported lipid bilayers have been widely studied as model systems for elucidating the properties of lipids, membranes and membrane proteins. Multiphase flow systems in microfluidic systems are used to study foam stability and polymer gelation. A new area of research our group has moved into is use new assembly methods to develop novel materials for batteries and solar technology.