About

Rohini Bala Chandran is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, obtained in 2015 and 2010 respectively, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BITS-Pilani in 2008. Her research interests encompass thermal and fluid sciences, multiscale computational model development, radiative heat transfer, optics, chemical kinetics of heterogeneous reactions, electrochemical engineering, and semiconductor physics. Her work focuses on advancing understanding and modeling of energy systems, including sunlight-driven hydrogen production, radiative transport in flow and reactive media, and solar thermal energy applications. Dr. Chandran has been recognized for her potential to make significant contributions to heat transfer, receiving the 2023 ASME Bergles-Rohsenow Young Investigator Award. She was also awarded an NSF Career Award for her study of radiative transport, aiming to develop predictive models integrated with experimental measurements to better understand flow-radiation-reaction interactions in thermal and solar energy systems. Her research has led to innovative projects such as improving heat-trapping materials for solar thermal energy, solar-powered wastewater treatment with energy and nutrient recovery, and modeling frameworks for photocatalytic hydrogen production. Dr. Chandran's work is characterized by a combination of fundamental materials-scale catalysis, physics-based modeling, and experimental investigations, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy technologies.

Research topics

• Chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Optics
• Physics
• Chemical physics
• Materials science
• Nanotechnology
• Chromatography
• Photochemistry
• Environmental science
• Optoelectronics
• Physical chemistry
• Condensed matter physics
• Environmental engineering

Selected publications

• Effectiveness of Hybrid and Flipped Course Structure on Improving Undergraduate Student Experience: A Case Study on Introduction to Thermodynamics

  Computer Applications in Engineering Education · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT In the current work, a hybrid and flipped (hybrid+flipped) course structure integrating open‐access pre‐recorded videos and in‐person class sessions was piloted with the objective of improving student experiences in a core undergraduate thermodynamics class in mechanical engineering. To minimize the barrier to instructor adoption, the course structure leveraged open‐access videos on the fundamentals of thermodynamics for the flipped portion of the class. The hybrid+flipped format allowed increased use of engaged‐learning tools during classroom sessions; methods known to improve learning outcomes (e.g., in‐class demonstrations, “think‐pair‐share” activities, and content and activities leveraging open‐access thermodynamics property data). Survey data from over 200 student participants from 2022 to 2023 document the student concerns at the start and exit of participation in the hybrid+flipped course sections. While the academic outcomes were unchanged compared with standard course delivery, student perceptions were dramatically affected. The survey data show significant positive shift in student concerns regarding online learning (44.2% were negative at the start of the course to 28.2% at the end of the class), and a large fraction of the students (45.6%) felt the hybrid+flipped format improved their learning outcomes. While the case study provides a valuable detailed example of how to successfully implement a hybrid+flipped class structure using open‐access tools, the results also show such efforts must correspondingly maintain high standards for organization and supplement the digital materials with community building and student and instructor engagement.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Effective Precipitate Cleaning with ReversibleFlow Cell Sustains Stable Energy Intensity forOceanic CO2 Removal

  ChemRxiv · 2026-01-06

  articleSenior author

  Our study focuses on an experimental demonstration of a novel method for CO2 removal from ocean water that combines H2 and redox salt looping to induce pH swings in electrochemical flow cells. Model-driven design optimization guides 3-D printed electrolyte flow channel designs to alleviate mass-transfer limitations. A ridged flow channel with 1 mm thick fins protruding at an angle of 30◦ from the base reduces ferri-/ferro-cyanide redox salt diffusion boundary layer thickness by up to 41% while restricting pressure drop to less than 138 Pa. A notable feature of this work is the experimental validation of the intrinsic in-situ cleaning capabilities enabled by the reversible looping process, eliminating what would otherwise be process down time. Over 4 acidification/basification cycles, 86% removal of fouling from electrode surfaces is demonstrated, while distinctly maintaining a constant electrochemical energy intensity. The lab-scale, proof-of-concept experimental demonstration show promising results, which are interpreted to provide insights and guidelines towards further enhancing scalability and efficiency of oceanic carbon removal and utilization processes.

  PublisherDOI

• Impact of scaling and design on salt hydrate thermochemical energy storage performance

  Applied Thermal Engineering · 2025-03-20 · 4 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Modeling and Experimental Validation of Fouling Removal through Mass Transport Enhancement in a pH-Shifting Electrochemical Device for Oceanic CO ₂ Removal

  ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2025-11-24

  articleSenior author

  Carbon dioxide capture and removal technologies are critical to limit global warming to 2 °C. In this regard, ocean water CO2 capture can complement Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies. In addition to the atmosphere, the oceans are huge sinks for carbon and have to-date captured about 25% of all anthropogenically released carbon. Previously, we have presented the performance of a new, reversible, electrochemical device that combines hydrogen and ferrocyanide redox salt looping to capture CO2 from ocean water via pH-shifting [1]. This process provides benefits including the potential to load shift the electricity demand of the electrochemical device and intermittent cleaning of the electrode surface. Cleaning is needed at ocean water fouls electrode surface when a locally high pH is present near the electrode surface. Results in a flow cell with custom manufactured flow plates were designed to reduce these limitations. This limitation was reduced through a computational design study to identify design/operational strategies to increase the operating current densities by lowering concentration/diffusion boundary layer thickness. Specifically, our experimental tests on flow cells demonstrate enhanced mass transport with up to 40% increase in the limiting current densities for a flow rate of 10 mL/min with the use of ridges as compared to the base case without ridges. Additionally, the energy intensities of carbon removal in alignment with the state of the art. However, due to ohmic resistance limitations, the current densities tested in the flow cell are inherently limited. Therefore, to probe a wider range of current densities a new H-cell architecture is created to enable viewing of the electrode during the pH shifting reactions. Different mechanisms to remove fouling seem to occur at different current densities. FTIR analysis is used to analyze the type of fouling observed at different current densities. Counterintuitively, low current densities may result in the least extreme local pH, they also result in the largest amount of fouling. To explain this phenomenon, boundary layer theory between concentration and momentum conditions is compared. This work seeks to identify the optimal current density to reduce the fouling constraint when operating a pH-shifting oceanic carbon removal electrochemical cell. Preliminary results indicate current densities above 5 mA/cm2 outperform low current densities, which aligns with the goal of achieving commercially viable (>100 mA/cm^2) current densities for electrochemical pH-shifting methods of oceanic CO2 removal. [1] Rachel Silcox, Rohini Bala Chandran, Demand-side flexibility enables cost savings in a reversible pH-swing electrochemical process for oceanic CO2 removal, Cell Reports Physical Science, Volume 5, Issue 3, 2024, 101884, ISSN 2666-3864, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2024.101884.

  PublisherDOI

• Models and Measurements Quantify Photon Recycling, Charge-Carrier Diffusion and Photon Scattering Contributions to Photoluminescence in InP Nanowire Arrays

  The Journal of Physical Chemistry C · 2025-04-19 · 1 citations

  articleCorresponding

  Nanowire arrays present many unique advantages for solar-to-chemical energy conversion. One possible advantage is that photon recycling between neighboring nanowires has the potential to increase solar energy conversion efficiencies. Here, we explore three underlying mechanisms of optical and electronic coupling between neighboring nanowires─incident photon scattering, photon recycling, and charge-carrier transport from the photoexcited nanowire to the neighboring nanowire via the underlying substrate─using single nanowire-level microscopy and spectroscopy measurements. We present a comprehensive analysis of light absorption and emission of a single nanowire at open circuit, and subsequent re-absorption and re-emission by a neighboring nanowire. We developed a novel correlated single nanowire microspectroscopy and widefield imaging methodology to spatially resolve photon communication pathways between neighboring nanowires and selectively image re-emitted and reflected photons. We developed unique multiphysics models to couple wave optics and semiconductor photophysics to especially isolate contributions from photon recycling and electronic transport to photon emission from neighboring nanowires. By systematically varying the morphologies of the nanowires modeled, we identified pathways to maximize photon recycling between neighboring nanowires. We concluded that the measured photoluminescence is more strongly influenced by the diffusion of charge carriers as compared to photon recycling in materials with moderate-to-large charge-carrier mobilities (>10 cm2 V–1 s–1), and that photon recycling dictates photoluminescence intensity only when the charge-carrier mobility is low (<1 cm2 V–1 s–1). The experimental and simulation platforms developed herein for photon management strategies can be leveraged by the semiconductor photocatalysis community to enhance solar-to-chemical conversion efficiencies in semiconductor nanowire arrays.

  PublisherDOI

• Assessing the value of coupling thermal energy storage with air source heat pumps for residential space heating in US cities

  Cell Reports Sustainability · 2025-08-12

  articleOpen access

  <h2>Summary</h2> Widespread air source heat pump (ASHP) adoption faces several challenges that thermochemical salt hydrate energy storage can mitigate. We quantify the space heating value of four salts—<mml:math><mml:mrow>MgS<mml:mi>O</mml:mi><mml:mn>4</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math>, <mml:math><mml:mrow>MgC<mml:mi>l</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math>, <mml:math><mml:mi>K</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn><mml:mi>C</mml:mi><mml:mi>O</mml:mi><mml:mn>3</mml:mn></mml:math>, and <mml:math>SrB<mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:math>—coupled with ASHPs across 4,800 households in 12 US cities by embedding salt-hydrate-specific Ragone plots into a techno-economic model of coupled ASHP-thermal energy storage (TES) operations. In Detroit, salt hydrate TES can reduce household annual electricity costs by 5%–8%. Cost savings from TES vary widely between households, salts, and climates. We identify the most promising salt in this study, <mml:math><mml:mrow>SrB<mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math>, due to its high energy density and low humidification parasitic load. Breakeven capital costs of <mml:math><mml:mrow>SrB<mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math>-based TES can reach $17/kWh, making it the only salt studied to reach and exceed the US Department of Energy's $15/kWh TES cost target. Sensitivities highlight the importance of variable TES sizing and efficiency losses in the value of TES.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Levelized cost and carbon intensity of solar hydrogen production <i>via</i> water splitting using a scalable and intrinsically safe photocatalytic Z-scheme raceway system

  Energy & Environmental Science · 2025-01-01 · 13 citations

  articleOpen access

  Schematic of photocatalytic type 2 Z-scheme raceway design with hydrogen reactor cylinders floating on an oxygen reactor raceway pool. The raceway concept enables a scalable, low-cost, and low-carbon intensity method of hydrogen production.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Author response for "Levelized cost and carbon intensity of solar hydrogen production from water electrolysis using a scalable and intrinsically safe photocatalytic Z-scheme electrochemical raceway system"

  2025-04-26

  peer-review
  PublisherDOI

• Comparative Assessments on Effects of Pulsed Electrolysis and Flow Techniques on Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction with Low-Concentration Electrolytes

  ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2025-11-24

  articleSenior author

  Production of nitrogen fertilizers has contaminated many sources of wastewater with nitrogen species (NO3-, NO2-, HN3, NH4+, N2) that harm aquatic and plant life, introducing a need for a method to treat this water for re-use [1]. Electrochemical reduction of these species is a low-energy method of combined wastewater treatment and recovery of nitrogen species as value-added products, such as ammonia. Mass transport impedes reaction rates of nitrate reduction in divided parallel-plate flow reactors as the reactant concentration at the electrode surface is insufficient. This limitation is especially exacerbated in low concentration electrolyte sources, such as polluted groundwater with predominantly nitrate contaminants at concentrations less than 10 mM [2]. Our work aims to compare the influences of pulsed electrolyte flow to specifically control the boundary layer thickness near electrodes to alleviate mass-transfer limitations; and pulsed electrolysis, which can impact selectivity. To explore the effects of pulsed flow, early experimental datasets are obtained in an analogous system, but with reversible ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple (Fe(CN)₆³⁻/Fe(CN)₆⁴⁻) instead of nitrate reduction, and paired with water reduction, to remove the influence of reaction kinetics and isolate the effect of mass transport. As compared to constant flow conditions, optimized pulsed electrolyte flow achieved up to a 25% reduction in reactant boundary layer, resulting in mass-transfer-limited current densities increasing from 25.0 to 29.3 mA/cm^2. At an average flow rate of 10 mL/min, the best performing pulsing conditions were a 50% duty cycle with electrolyte flow ranging from 0 to 20 mL/min over a 2-second pulse duration. Further improvements may be achieved by investigating the duty cycle or wave-form (triangular, saw-tooth etc.) of the pulses, coupling pulsed flow with pulsed potential, and monitoring local changes in pH within the cell. Additional experiments are being performed with nitrate salts to more directly probe and compare activity and selectivity performance under pulsed flow and electrolysis conditions. Moreover, the added energy requirements associated with pulsing potentials and flow conditions were quantified and evaluated against corresponding electrochemical performance enhancements. The advancements in this work demonstrate that pulsed flow is a valuable strategy to overcome mass transport limitations, and supports the feasibility of electrochemical nitrate reduction as a valid method for combined wastewater treatment and ammonia production. [1] L. Barrera and R. Bala Chandran, “Harnessing photoelectrochemistry for wastewater nitrate treatment coupled with resource recovery,” ACS Sustainable Chemistry &amp;amp; Engineering , vol. 9, no. 10, pp. 3688–3701, Jan. 2021. doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c07935 [2] Y. Huang et al. , “Pulsed electroreduction of low-concentration nitrate to ammonia,” Nature Communications , vol. 14, no. 1, Nov. 2023. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-43179-1

  PublisherDOI

• Operando Neutron Imaging of Reaction Extent and Particle Swelling Informs Limiting Factors for Salt Hydrate Thermochemical Energy Storage

  ACS Materials Letters · 2025-11-07

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Salt hydrates are a promising thermochemical energy storage medium that stores heat through the reversible uptake (hydration) and release (dehydration) of water vapor. Our study deploys operando neutron imaging to investigate salt hydrate performance with high spatial resolution (42 μm pixels). For flow over a packed bed with diffusion-driven transport, measurements reveal the formation of a solid diffusion layer due to particle swelling for the pure SrBr2 salt. In contrast, the SrBr2–vermiculite composite exhibits significantly less swelling and more than a 2-fold increase in the apparent water vapor diffusivity. For axial flow through a packed bed, neutron imaging confirms theoretically predicted transitions from a moving reaction front to a homogeneous profile with an increase in humid air flow rate. Our study establishes neutron imaging as a powerful technique to advance fundamental understanding of thermochemical systems and help guide composite material design.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Career: Understanding Radiative Transport in Flowing and Reactive Participating Media with Integrated Models and Measurements

  NSF · $533k · 2022–2027

Frequent coauthors

• Shane Ardo

  City University of New York

  37 shared

• Luisa Barrera

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  33 shared

• Daniel V. Esposito

  Columbia University

  17 shared

• Akihiko Kudo

  Tokyo University of Science

  12 shared

• Jane H. Davidson

  12 shared

• Zejie Chen

  University of California, Irvine

  11 shared

• Bryan Kinzer

  10 shared

• Adam Z. Weber

  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  10 shared

Labs

• TREE LabPI

Education

• PhD, Mechanical Engineering

  University of Minnesota Twin Cities

  2015

• M.S., Mechanical Engineering

  University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

  2010

• B.E.(Hons), Mechanical Engineering

  Birla Institute of Technology and Science

  2008

Awards & honors

• 2023 ASME Bergles-Rohsenow Young Investigator Award in Heat…
• NSF Career Award for study of radiative transport (2022)