Dr. Chai received his Ph.D. in Process Analytical Chemistry at Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, in 1996. He joined the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (IPST) in end of 1996, and has held a Senior Research Scientist position for IPST at Georgia Tech since 2002. Dr. Chai has a strong background in polymer fiber processing and electroanalytcial chemistry. His research focuses mainly on pulp and paper related new analytical methodology and chemical sensor technology development, chemical process and environmental studies. His scientific contribution has been in the area of developing innovative and practical analytical and diagnostic capabilities for probing chemical process streams that have complex matrices, corrosive in nature and harsh environmental conditions, a major challenge in many chemical engineering related research and applications. Dr. Chai has successfully developed more than two dozens of new analytical methods and sensor techniques that can rapidly determine the key components in the different pulp and paper manufacturing process streams and pulp samples, as well as volatile organic compounds and their vapor liquid equilibration parameters in environmental research. Recently, Dr. Chai involved in the analytical method development for crystallization and emulsion polymerization study.  He has extensive knowledge on the attenuated total reflection UV/vis spectroscopy and headspace GC technology.

Research Summary

Dr. Chai’s research focuses mainly on new analytical methodology and chemical sensor technology development, chemical process and environmental studies. His scientific contribution has been in the area of developing innovative and practical analytical and diagnostic capabilities for probing chemical process streams that have complex matrices, corrosive in nature and harsh environmental conditions, a major challenge in many chemical engineering related research and applications. Dr. Chai has successfully developed more than a dozen new analytical methods and sensor techniques that can rapidly determine the key components in the different pulp and paper manufacturing process streams and pulp samples, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their vapor liquid equilibration parameters in environmental research.