Subject Matter Expertise

Upgrading gaseous waste streams via bioreactors

• Methane is converted to organic acids (i.e. lactic, succinic, etc.) via methanotrophic bacteria.
• 3D-printed scaffolds are used to house a microbe-hydrogel suspension, forming a solid-state bioreactor.
• Maximizes gas-to-liquid mass transfer to enhance gas feedstock conversion.

Silicone aging and degradation studies

• Explore various degradation mechanisms that may cause changes in bulk material properties.
• Monitor compression set and load retention to evaluate aging behavior.
• Evaluate environment (temperature, humidity, oxygen) effects on silicone aging behavior.

Current Position

Zone Lead for Materials Aging and Compatibility in the Modification Program.

M.S. in Polymer Chemistry from University of Oregon, 2018

B.S. in Chemistry from University of California, Irvine, 2017

Xiao, M.; Sarma, M.; Nguyen, D.; Ruelas, S.; Yang, L.; Bhatnagar, S.; Jorgensen, T.; Abad, K.; Liu, K; Thompson, J. (2023). “Efficient carbon capture using sub-textured polymer packing surfaces via 3D printing.” Chemical Engineering Science. 267: 118320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2022.118320

Xiao, M.; Sarma, M.; Thompson, J.; Nguyen, D.; Ruelas, S.; Liu, K. (2022). “CO₂ absorption intensification using three-dimensional printed dynamic polarity packing in a bench-scale integrated CO₂ capture system.” AIChE Journal.: e17570. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.17570

Sarma, M.; Abad, K.; Nguyen, D.; Ruelas, S.; Liu, K.; Thompson, J. (2021). “Investigation of chemical stabilities and contact angle of 3D printed polymers with CO2 capture solvents to enhance absorber performance.” International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 111: 103478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2021.103478

Rodriguez, N.; Ruelas, S.; Forien, J. B.; Dudukovic, N.; DeOtte, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Moran, B.; Lewicki, J. P.; Duoss, E. B.; Oakdale, J. S. (2021). "3D Printing of High Viscosity Reinforced Silicone Elastomers." Polymers 13(14): 2239. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13142239

Sawvel, A. M.; Crowhurst, J. C.; Mason, H. E.; Oakdale, J. S.; Ruelas, S.; Eshelman, H. V.; Maxwell, R. S. (2021). "Spectroscopic Signatures of MQ-Resins in Silicone Elastomers." Macromolecules 54(9): 4300-4312. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00086

Troksa, A. L.; Eshelman, H. V.; Chandrasekaran, S.; Rodriguez, N.; Ruelas, S.; Duoss, E. B; Kelly, J. P.; Ceron, M. R.; Campbell, P. G. (2021). "3D-printed nanoporous ceramics: Tunable feedstock for direct ink write and projection microstereolithography." Materials & Design 198: 109337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2020.109337

Qian, F.; Zhu, C.; Knipe, J. M.; Ruelas, S.; Stolaroff, J. K.; DeOtte, J. R.; Duoss, E. B.; Spadaccini, C. M.; Henard, C. A.; Guarnieri, M. T.; Baker, S. E. (2019). "Direct Writing of Tunable Living Inks for Bioprocess Intensification." Nano Letters 19(9): 5829-5835. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b00066

 

Patents

DeOtte, J. Lattice Microfluidics Patent. US 11,130,131 B2.

 

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2624-7541