Darsh T. Wasan

Before retiring in 2022, Darsh Wasan led the university's international initiative, serving as Illinois Institute of Technology's chief ambassador. Wasan is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and the Indian National Academy of Engineering. Since joining the Illinois Tech faculty in 1964, he has made wide-ranging contributions: In 1988, he secured a gift of a five-building campus from CPC International, Inc., and, with an initial grant of $3.7 million from the U.S. Food Drug Administration, founded an innovative national center for research and education in food safety (now called the Institute for Food Safety and Health), which became a model for cooperation among academe, industry, and government. In 1997, he initiated the delivery of cutting-edge master’s programs to India via distance learning. He established global centers in India, Europe, China, and Korea; forged relationships with universities around the world; and increased international enrollment from 15 percent to 50 percent of Illinois Tech’s total enrollment in the fall of 2015. In his 51 years at Illinois Tech, he has also held nearly every leadership post, including department chair, dean of engineering, vice president for research and technology, provost, and senior vice president for academic affairs.

Wasan came to the U.S. from India as an undergraduate. He earned his B.S. at the University of Illinois (1960) and his Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley (1965). He has coauthored more than 400 publications, including a textbook Interfacial Transport Processes and Rheology with David Edwards (Ph.D. 1987) and Howard Brenner, and holds 10 patents.

Wasan has supervised and mentored more than 60 doctoral students, 65 M.S. students, and 15 postdoctoral fellows. His numerous awards include the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner’s Special Citation, the American Chemical Society National Award in Colloid and Surface Chemistry, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Alpha Chi Sigma Award for Fundamental and Applied Research, the American Society for Engineering Education Chemical Engineering Division Lectureship Award, the Western Electric Fund Award for excellence in instruction of engineering students, and the Illinois Tech Excellence in Teaching Award. He served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science for over 20 years.

Education

Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley (Chemical Engineering, 1965)
B.S. from University of Illinois, Urbana (Chemical Engineering, 1960)

Research Interests

Darsh Wasan's has research interests in the areas of interfacial and colloidal phenomena, foams, emulsions and dispersions, and food and environmental technologies. His research activities included:

Thin Liquid Films, Foams, Emulsions and Nano-particle Suspensions

Stability of thin liquid films containing surfactants, proteins, polymer latexes, or nano-particles is being investigated using reflected light microinterferometric techniques. These experiments have revealed for the first time the formation of "ordered" microstructures inside the film over distances of the order of one thousand Angstroms. This microstructure within the film is shown to provide a new mechanism for stabilizing dispersed phase systems. Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamic simulations are conducted to verify the experimental observations. Important technological factors affecting the ordered microstructure formation and stability of colloidal dispersions such as foam, and emulsion and colloidal suspensions using nanoparticles are being investigated. The National Science Foundation, which funded his research, awarded Wasan a special creativity award for this work and he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, the highest professional honor for engineers, for his research accomplishments.

Wetting, Spreading and Adhesion of Nanofluids on Solid Surfaces

Mechanisms of wetting, spreading and adhesion of fluids containing nanoparticles such as surfactant micelles, proteins and macromolecules are found to be different than those from wetting of normal fluids. A new mechanism of detergency involving nanoparticles structuring phenomena is being investigated. This research has applications in cleaning of hard surfaces such as silicon wafers and soil remediation as well as in adhesion of living cells on solid surfaces and fabrication of nanostructured materials such as photonic crystals. This research was highlighted in his paper published in the journal Nature in 2003.

Film Rheology and its Applications

This research program involved the development and use of a novel experimental technique called film rheometry to measure both the dynamic film tension and film elasticity of surfactant, proteins and polymeric systems. Applications of these properties can be used to control dispersed phase systems such as polymer emulsion stabilization, coalescence of water-in-oil emulsions, foam stability, antifoaming, and thinning of films between bubbles or drops.

Environmental Technologies

Wasan conducted environmental research on the remediation of high-level and low-level nuclear wastes, which were be immobilized into glass. Major inorganic and organic chemicals in these wastes can cause foaming and gas entrainment problems that ultimately result in excessive shutdown and loss of attainment. The specific aim of this research, which was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, was to develop a fundamental understanding of the physicochemical mechanisms that produce foaming and air-entrainment in the radioactive waste separation as immobilization process and to develop and test advanced antifoam/defoamimg rheology modifier agents.

Food Colloids

Many food formulations including beverages such as beer, cappuccino, and milk coffee employ protein-stabilized foams and emulsions. Wasan's research in food colloids was directed towards using experimental techniques already available in our laboratory to study the foam and emulsion quality and stability under various conditions in a variety of food dispersions. This work was supported by a number of industrial organizations.

Awards

• 2007 - Foreign fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering
• 2004 - Elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, the highest honor for engineers
• 2005 - Recipient of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Alpha Chi Sigma Award for Fundamental and Applied Research in Chemical Engineering

Publications

"Spreading of Nanofluids on Solid" D.T. Wasan and A.D. Nikolov, Nature, 423: 156-159 (2003).

"New Vistas in Dispersion Science and Engineering" D.T. Wasan, A.D. Nikolov and D. Henderson, AIChE Journal, 49(3): 550-556(2003).

"Texture and Stability of Emulsions and Suspensions: Role of Oscillatory Structural Forces" D.T. Wasan, A.D. Nikolov and F. Aimetti, Adv. in Colloid and Interface Sci., 108-109, 187-195 (2004).

"Structural Transitions in Two-Dimensional Hard-Sphere Systems," S.C., Wu, D.T. Wasan and A.D. Nikolov Physical Review E, 71, 056112 [1-8] (2005).

“Shear-Induced Fat Particle Structure Variation and the Stability of Food Emulsions: I. Effects of Shear History, Shear Rate and Temperature” W. Xu, A. Nikolov, D.T. Wasan, J Food Eng, 66, 97-105 (2005).

“Shear-Induced Fat Particle Structure Variation and the Stability of Food Emulsions: II. Effects of Surfactants, Protein and Fat Substitute” W. Xu, A. Nikolov, D.T. Wasan, J Food Eng, 66, 107-116 (2005).

“Prediction of Bubble Size Distribution During Aeration of Food Products,” W. Jang, A. Nikolov, D.T. Wasan, K. Chen and B. Campbell, Ind. & Eng. Chem. Res. 44 (5) 1296-1308 (2005).

“In-Layer Structuring of Like-Charged Macroions in a Thin Film,” D. Henderson, A. Trokhymchuk, A., Nikolov, D. Wasan, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 44 (5), 1175-1180 (2005).

“Foaming and Antifoaming in a Gas-Liquid Finely Divided Particulate System” K. Vijayaraghavan, A. Nikolov, D. Wasan, B. Calloway, M. Stone, D. Lambert, J. Chin. Inst. Chem. Engrs. 26 (1) 37-41 (2005).

“Structural Transitions in Two-Dimensional Hard-Sphere Systems,” S.C. Wu, D.T. Wasan, A.D. Nikolov, Physical Review E, 71, 056112 [1-8] (2005).

“Colloidal Dispersions: Structure, Stability and Geometric Confinement,” D. Wasan, A. Nikolov, B. Moudgil, Powder Technology 153, 135-141 (2005).

“Effect of Protein on Texture of Food Emulsion under Steady Flow,” W. Jang, A. Nikolov, D.T. Wasan, K. Chen and B. Campbell, Ind & Eng Chem. Res, 44, 4855-4862 (2005).

“Computer Simulation of Macroion Layering in a Wedge Film,” A. Trokhymchuk, D. Henderson, A. Nikolov, D.T. Wasan, Langmuir 21 (22) 10240-10250 (2005).

“The Destabilization of Aerated Food Products,” W. Jang, A. Nikolov and D.T. Wasan, J. Food Eng.76, 256-260 (2006).

“Ring Formation and Emulsion Texture and Stability in a Food-Beverage System,” Kong, Y. Nikolov, A., Wasan, D., Ogawa, A., J Disp Sci Tech. 27, 579-585 (2006).

“Radioactive Waste Foams: Formation and Mitigation,” K. Vijayaraghavan, A. Nikolov, D. Wasan, B. Calloway, M. L. Crowder, M. Stone, Z.H. Quershi, J. Environ. Eng. 132, 7, 716-724 (2006).

“Foam Formation and Mitigation in a Three-Phase Gas-Liquid-Particulate System,” K. Vijayaraghavan, A. Nikolov, D.T. Wasan, Advances in Colloid Interface Science 123-126 p 49-61 (2006).

“Confinement-Induced Structural Forces in Colloidal Systems,” Henderson, D.J., Nikolov, A.D., Trokhymchuk, A., and Wasan, D.T. Encyclopedia of Surface and Colloid Science, Second Edition, Somasundaran, P., Ed., Taylor and Francis: New York, pp 1485-1494 (2006).

“Spreading of Water Drop Triggered by Surface Tension Gradient Created by Localized Addition of Surfactant,” Chengara, A. Nikolov, A. D. and Wasan D.T., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 46, 10 2987-2995 (2007).

“Foams and Emulsions: The Importance of Structural Forces,” D. Wasan and A. Nikolov, Aust. J. Chem., 60, 633-637 (2007).

“Sedimentation in Nano-Colloidal Dispersions: Effects of Collective Interactions and Particle Charge,” Vesaratchanon, S., Nikolov, A.D. and Wasan, D.T. Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 134-135, 268-278 (2007).

“Role of Collective Interactions in Self-assembly of Charged Particles at Liquid Interfaces,” S. Wu, A. Nikolov and D.T. Wasan, Can. J Chem. Eng., 85, 5, 562-569 (2007).

“Vertical Spreading of Aqueous Trisiloxane Solution Driven by Spontaneously Developing Surface Tension Gradient,” Chengara, A. Nikolov, A.D. and Wasan D.T. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 47(10), 3639-3644 (2008).

“Sedimentation of Concentrated Monodisperse Colloidal Suspensions: Role of Collective Particle Interaction Forces”, Vesaratchanon, J.S., Nikolov, A.D. and Wasan, D.T., J. Coll. Interface Sci. 322, 180-189 (2008).

“Understanding the Effects of Dispersant Addition to Slurry Rheology using Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy,” White, T.L., Stone, M.E., Calloway, T.B., Brigmon, R.L., Eibling, R.E., Nikolov, A. and Wasan, D. Separation Sci and Tech. 43, 2859-2871 (2008).

“Thin Liquid Films Containing Micelles or Nanoparticles” Wasan, D.T. and Nikolov, A.D., Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science, 13, 128-133 (2008).

“Two-Dimensional Self-Assembly of Similarly Charged Granular Particles,” Wu, S.C., Wasan, D.T. and Nikolov, A.D., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. (Published on Web, 10-03-2007) 47,15, 5005-5015 (2008).

“Particles Driven Up the Wall by Bursting Bubbles,” Nikolov, A.D. and Wasan, D.T., Langmuir 24, 9933-9936 (2008).

“Emulsion Texture and Stability: Role of Surfactant Micellar Interactions in the Presence of Proteins,” Kong, Y. Nikolov, A.., Wasan, D., and Ogawa, A, I&EC Res 47 (23) 9108-9114 (2008).

“Collective Particle Interactions in the Sedimentation of Charged Colloidal Suspensions,” Vesaratchanon, J.S., Nikolov, A.D. and Wasan, D.T. I&EC Res. 48,(1) 80-84 (2009).

“Mechanisms of the Assembly of Nano- and Micro-Particle Two-Dimensional Structures in a Wedge Film,” Alex D. Nikolov and Darsh Wasan, I&EC Res. 48, 5, 2320-2326 (2009).

“The Importance of Oscillatory Structural Forces in the Sedimentation of a Binary Hard-Sphere Colloidal Suspension,” Vesaratchanon, J.S., Nikolov, A.D., Wasan, D.T., and Henderson. D. I&EC Res. 48, 14, 6641-6651 (2009).

“Foamability of Liquid Particle Suspensions: A Modeling Study,” Vijayaraghavan, K., Nikolov, A.D., Wasan, D.T. and Henderson, D. I&EC Res. 48 (17), 8180-8185 (2009).

“Particle-Laden Foams,” Wasan, D.T. and Nikolov, A.D. Chinese American Chemical Society Communications 3 (2) 33-36 (2009).

"Capillary Rise: Validity of the Dynamic Contact Angle Models," Wu, Pingkeng; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh; Langmuir, (Accepted 2017).

“Structural Disjoining Pressure Induced Solid Particle Removal from Solid Substrates Using Nanofluids,” Lim, Sangwook; and Wasan, Darsh; J. Coll. Interface Sci. 500, 96-104 (2017)

“Capillary Dynamics Driven by Molecular Self-layering,” Wu, Pingkeng; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 243,pp 114-120 (2017).

“Step-wise velocity of an air bubble rising in a vertical tube filled with Nanofluid,” Cho, Heon Ki; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; Langmuir,33, pp 2920-2928 (2017).

“Escherichia Coli Removal from Model Substrates: Underlying Mechanism Based on Nanofluid Structural Forces,” Shim, Ji-Young; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; J. Coll. Interface Sci. 498, 112-122 (2017)

“Stepwise thinning dynamics of a foam film formed from an anionic micellar solution - Formation of crown lenses,” Lee, Jongju; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; J. Coll. Interface Sci. 496, 60-65 (2017).

“Stepwise thinning dynamics of a foam film formed from an anionic micellar solution,” Lee, Jongju; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; J. Coll. Interface Sci. 487, 217-222 (2017).

“Oil Lenses on the Air-Water Surface and the Validity of Neumann’s Rule”, Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 244, pp 174-183 (2017).

”Experimental study of nanofluid for Enhanced Oil Recovery in Fractured porous media,” Zhang, Hua; Ramakrishnan, T.S.; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering.(Submitted 2016)

“The Dynamic Spreading of Nanofluids on Solid Surfaces--Role of the Nanofilm Structural Disjoining Pressure”, Lim, Sandwook; Wu, Pingkeng; Zhang, Hua; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; J. Coll. Interface Sci. 470, 22-30 (2016).

“Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Driven by Nanofilm Structural Disjoining Pressure: Flooding Experiments and Microvisualization”, Zhang, Hua; Ramakrisnan, T.S.; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh. Energy & Fuels.30 (14) pp 2771-2779 (2016).

“Stratification of a foam film formed from a nonionic micellar solution: Experiments and Modelling.” Jongju Lee; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh. Langmuir. 32 (19), pp 4837-4847 (2016).

“The Dynamics of the Annular Liquid Layer Inside a Capillary”, Zhang, Hua; Feng, Jianyuan; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; Physics of Fluids 28, 024107 (2016).

“Rise of the Main Meniscus in Rectangular Capillaries: Experiments and Modeling”, Wu, Pingkeng; Zhang, Hua; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh; J. Coll. Interface Sci. 461, 195-202 (2016).

“Nanofluids Alter the Surface Wettability of Solids" Lim, Sangwook; Horiuchi, Hiroki; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh. Langmuir. 31 (21), pp 5827-5835 (2015).

“Current Opinion in Superspreading Mechanisms” Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 222, pp 517-529 (2015).

“Effects of Micellar Structuring and Solubilized Oil on the Kinetic Stability of Aqueous Foams”, Lee, Jongju; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh; I&EC Res. 53 (49), 18891-18899 (2014).

“Surfactant Micelles Containing Solubilized Oil Decrease Foam Film Thickness Stability” Lee, Jongju; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh; J. Coll. Interface Sci. 415, 18-25 (2014).

“Dewetting Film Dynamics inside a Capillary Using a Nanofluid”, Zhang, Hua; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh. Langmuir. 30 (31), pp 9430-9435 (2014).

“Foam Stability: The Importance of Film Size and the Micellar Structuring Phenomenon”, Lee, Jongju; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering 92 (12), 2039-2045 (2014).

“EOR Using Nanoparticle Dispersions: Underlying Mechanism and Imbibition Experiments”, Zhang, Hua; Nikolov, Alex; and Wasan, Darsh. Energy & Fuels, 28 (5), pp 3002-3009 (2014)

“Wetting-Dewetting Films: The Role of Structural Forces”, Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 206, pp 207-221 (2014).

“Cleaning Dynamics of Oily Soil Using Nanofluids”, Wu, Stanley; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh. J. Coll. Interface Sci. 396, 293-306, (2013).

“Stability of Aqueous Foams Containing Dispersed Oil: Importance of Dispersed vs. Solubilized Oil”, Lee, Jongju; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh. I&EC Res. 52 (1), 66−72 (2013).

“Dynamic Spreading of Nanofluids on Solids Part II: Modeling”, Liu, Kuan-Liang, Kondiparty, Kirtiprakash, Nikolov, Alex D., and Wasan, Darsh. Langmuir, 28(47), 16274-16284, (2012).

“Dynamic Spreading of Nanofluids on Solids Part I: Experimental”, Kondiparty, Kirtiprakash, Nikolov, A.D.; Wasan, Darsh; and Liu, Kuan-Liang. Langmuir 28, 14618-14623, (2012).

“Calculation of the Surface Potential and Surface Charge Density by Measurement of the Three-Phase Contact Angle”, Horiuchi, Hiroki; Nikolov, Alex; Wasan, Darsh. J. Coll. Interface Sci. 385, 218-224 (2012).

Books

• “Interfacial Transport Processes and Rheology,” (textbook with D. Edwards and H. Brenner), Butterworth-Heinemann - publisher, 558 pages, Boston, MA (1991).

Patents

• Darsh Wasan's research has resulted in six U.S. patents.

Editorial Boards

Former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science

Expertise

Colloidal processing, including particle suspensions, foams and emulsions

Wetting, spreading and adhesion of liquids containing nanoparticles on solids

Thin liquid films

Interfacial and film rheology