Biographical Sketch

Daniel De Kee, a fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada, obtained his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Montreal. He is currently Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and director of the Tulane Institute for Macromolecular Engineering and Science (TIMES) at Tulane University in New Orleans.

His research interests are in the general area of rheology. In particular, he is engaged in research concerning the development of constitutive equations, bubble dynamics, yield stress measurements and diffusion in polymers. He published over 200 papers in the area of non-Newtonian fluid mechanics and is the co-author of  five textbooks and eight edited books.

Dr. De Kee was the recipient of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering ERCO AWARD for distinguished contributions in chemical engineering, before the age of forty. He also received the Chemical Institute of Canada PROTECTIVE COATINGS AWARD, and the Tulane School of Engineering OUTSTANDING RESEARCHER AWARD. He was Chair of the XIIth International Congress on Rheology.

Research Interests

Rheology of synthetic and natural materials, constitutive equations, transport phenomena and applied mathematics.

In the area of mass transport, we are studying the non-Fickian diffusion of organic materials and gases through nanocomposite polymeric membranes. In particular, we are interested in the effect of mechanical deformation on the diffusion process. In recent Ph.D. dissertations, students considered the effects of imposed deformations on the barrier properties of polymers used in the protective clothing, geomembrane and packaging industries. This work involved designing the apparatus shown in Figure 1, developing mathematical models relating mass flux to time via mesoscopic as well as continuum mechanics theories, performing tests using representative organic chemicals and mixtures thereof and successfully comparing the data with the model predictions.

Figure 1. Apparatus forelongatingpolymeric membranes. 1: Mobile heads, 2: Fixed heads, 3: Screw system, 4: Inlet and outlet ports of the permeation cell, 5: Bottom hemisphere of the permeation cell, 6: Membrane sample location.

Our work on rheometry recently resulted in a major contribution in the area of yield stress measurements in suspensions. This work involved the construction of a slotted plate device, shown in Figure 2, to measure the static yield stress of suspensions. A finite element analysis justified the assumptions upon which the measurements are based. We are now in a position to determine yield stress values as low as 10^-4 Pa, a ten thousand fold improvement over the nearest competing technique.

Figure 2 . Apparatus for measuring suspension yield stress using a slotted plate. The experimental setup involves an analytical balance, a step motor, a linear motion stage and acustomized data acquisition system.

Polymer – clay nanocomposites are being studied in the polymer processing laboratory. Such materials are lightweight and exhibit excellent mechanical as well as barrier properties.

TEM picture of exfoliated Cloisite^©20A / MB100D nanocomposite (5 wt.% clay), prepared in the polymer processing laboratory, via a twin-screw extruder at 190 ^oC and 200 rpm. MB100D is maleic anhydride grafted high density polyethylene

TEM picture of intercalated Cloisite^©30 B /Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) nanocomposite (5 wt.% clay).

Teaching

1. Transport Phenomena
2. Polymer rheology
3. Advanced engineering mathematics

Publications

1. M. Hetzer and D. De Kee, “Wood/Polymer/nanoclay composites, environmentally friendly sustainable technology: A review”, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH AND DESIGN, 86, 1083-1093 (2008).
2. P. Puri, Q. Liu and D. De Kee, “Diffusion through swelling membranes with a Robin boundary condition”, JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, 108, 47-51 (2008).
3. H. Zhu and D. De Kee, “Double concentric cylinder geometry with slotted rotor to measure the yield stress of complex systems: a numerical study”, JOURNAL OF RHEOLOGY, 52, 913-922 (2008).
4. Y. Kim and D. De Kee, “Measuring static yield stress of electrorheological fluids using the slotted plate device”, RHEOLOGICA ACTA, 47, 105-110 (2008).
5. J. Sun, B. Lyles, K. Yu, J. Weddell, J. Pople, M. Hetzer, D. De Kee and P. Russo, “Diffusion of dextran probes in a self-assembled fibrous gel composed of two-dimensional arborols”, JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B, 112, 29-35 (2008).
6. Q. Liu, D. De Kee and R. Gupta, “Models of moisture diffusion through vinylester/clay nanocomposites”, AICHE JOURNAL, 54, 364-371 (2008).
7. D. De Kee, Y. Kim and D. Nguyen, “Measuring rheological properties using a slotted plate device“, KOREA-AUSTRALIA RHEOLOGY JOURNAL, 19, 75-80 (2007).
8. M. Hetzer, K. Frederic, C. Abadie and D. De Kee, “Yield stress determination of asphalt emulsions“, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS, 194, 1421- 1429 (2007).
9. Y. Zhong, D. Janes, Y. Zheng, M. Hetzer and D. De Kee, “Mechanical and oxygen barrier properties of organoclay-polyethylene nanocomposite films“, POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, 47, 1101-1107 (2007).
10. Y. Zhong, T. Poloso, M. Hetzer and D. De Kee, “Enhancement of wood/polyethylene composites via compatibilization and incorporation of organoclay particles”, POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, 47, 797-803 (2007).
11. H. Zhu and D. De Kee, “A numerical study for the cessation of Couette flow of non-Newtonian fluids with a yield stress“, JOURNAL OF NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID MECHANICS, 143, 64-70 (2007).
12. Q. Liu and D. De Kee, “Mass transport through PDMS/clay nanocomposite membranes“, CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, 85, 36-44 (2007).
13. G. J. Doucet, D. Dorman, R. Cueto, D. Neau, P. S. Russo, D. DeKee and J. Pople, “Matrix Fluorescence Photobleaching Recovery for Polymer Molecular Weight Distributions and Other Applications“, MACROMOLECULES, 39(26), 9446 – 9455 (2006).
14. H. Zhu and D. De Kee, “Slotted-plate device to measure the yield behavior of powders: FEM analysis“, INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH, 45, 5375-5383 (2006).
15. Y. Kim and D. De Kee, “Hysteresis and its model predictions of electrorheological fluids“, AICHE JOURNAL, 52, 2350-2355 (2006).
16. D. Nguyen, T. Akroyd, D. De Kee and L. Zhu, “Yield stress measurements in suspensions: an inter-laboratory study“, KOREA – AUSTRALIA RHEOLOGY JOURNAL, 18, 15-24 (2006).
17. Q. Liu, S. Xiao, D. De Kee and C. Moresoli, “Diffusion in elongated membranes”, JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, 99, 2746-2751 (2006).
18. N. Sahiner, M. Singh, D. De Kee, V. John and G. McPherson, “Rheological characterization of a charged cationic hydrogel network across the gelation boundary“, POLYMER, 47, 1124-1131 (2006).
19. D. De Kee, Q. Liu and J. Hinestroza, “Viscoelastic (non-Fickian) diffusion“,CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, 83, 913-929 (2005).
20. Q. Liu, X. Wang and D. De Kee, “Mass transport through swelling membranes“, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE, 43, 1464-1470 (2005).
21. Q. Liu and D. De Kee, “Modeling of diffusion through nanocomposite membranes”, JOURNAL OF NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID MECHANICS, 131, 32-43 (2005).
22. Y. Zhong and D. De Kee, “Morphology and properties of layered silicate-polyethylene nanocomposite blown films“, POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, 469-477 (2005).
23. H. Zhu, Y. Kim and D. De Kee, “Non-Newtonian fluids with a yield stress“, JOURNAL OF NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID MECHANICS, 129, 177-181 (2005).
24. P. Puri, J. Hinestroza and D. De Kee, “Transport of small molecules through mechanically elongated polymeric membranes“, JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, 96, 1200-1203 (2005).
25. Q. Liu and D. De Kee, “Modeling of diffusion through polymeric membranes”, RHEOLOGICA ACTA, 44, 287-294 (2005).
26. N. Sahiner, M. Singh, D. De Kee and V. John, “Rheological characterization of a novel cationic hydrogel: gelation kinetics and equilibrium elastic response“, POLYMER MATERIAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, 90, 452-453 (2004).
27. J. Hinestroza and D. De Kee, “Permeation of organics through linear low density polyethylene geomembranes under mechanical deformation”, JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, 130, 1468-1474 (2004).
28. M. Singh, V. Agarwal, D. De Kee, G. McPherson, V. John and A. Bose, “Shear-induced orientation of a rigid surfactant mesophase“, LANGMUIR, 20, 5693-5702 (2004).
29. L. Zhu, K. Papadopoulos and D. De Kee, "Slotted-plate apparatus to measure yield stress of suspensions", REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS, 75, 737-740 (2004).

Books

1. J. Stastna and D. De Kee, "Transport Properties in Polymers," Technomic Publishing Co. Inc., Lancaster (1995).
2. P.J. Carreau, D. De Kee and R.P. Chhabra, "Rheology of Polymeric Systems - Principles and Applications," Hanser, München (1997).
3. C.F. Chan Man Fong, D. De Kee and P.N. Kaloni, "Advanced Mathematics for Pure and Applied Sciences," Gordon and Breach, Newark (1997).
4. C.F. Chan Man Fong and D. De Kee,  " Perturbation Methods, Instability, Catastrophe and Chaos" World Scientific Publishing, London ( 1999 ).
5. C.F. Chan Man Fong, D. De Kee and P.N. Kaloni, " Advanced Mathematics for Engineering and Science ", World Scientific Publishing, London (2003).

Edited

1. D. De Kee and P.N. Kaloni, "Recent Developments in Structured Continua," Longman Scientific and Technical, Harlow, United Kingdom (1986).
2. D. De Kee and P.N. Kaloni, "Recent Developments in Structured Continua II," Longman Scientific and Technical, Harlow, United Kingdom (1990).
3. R.P. Chhabra and D. De Kee, "Transport Processes in Bubbles, Drops and Particles," Hemisphere, New York (1992).
4. D. Siginer and D. De Kee, " Rheology and Fluid Mechanics of Nonlinear Materials," American Society of Mechanical Engineers, FED Vol. 246, New York (1998).
5. D. Siginer, D. De Kee and R.P. Chhabra, "Advances in the Flow and Rheology of non-Newtonian Fluids," Volume 8 part A, 636 pages, Elsevier, New York (1999).
6. D. Siginer, D. De Kee and R. P. Chhabra, " Advances in the Flow and Rheology of non- Newtonian Fluids," Volume 8 part B, 879 pages, Elsevier, New York (1999).
7. D. Siginer and D. De Kee , " Rheology and Fluid Mechanics of Nonlinear Materials ", American Society of Mechanical Engineers , FED Vol.252 , New York (2000).
8. D. De Kee and R.P. Chhabra, "Transport Processes in Bubbles, Drops and Particles", 2nd Edition, Taylor & Francis, New York (2002).

Books

1. J. Stastna and D. De Kee, "Transport Properties in Polymers," Technomic Publishing Co. Inc., Lancaster (1995).
2. P.J. Carreau, D. De Kee and R.P. Chhabra, "Rheology of Polymeric Systems - Principles and Applications," Hanser, München (1997).
3. C.F. Chan Man Fong, D. De Kee and P.N. Kaloni, "Advanced Mathematics for Pure and Applied Sciences," Gordon and Breach, Newark (1997).
4. C.F. Chan Man Fong and D. De Kee,  " Perturbation Methods, Instability, Catastrophe and Chaos" World Scientific Publishing, London ( 1999 ).
5. C.F. Chan Man Fong, D. De Kee and P.N. Kaloni, " Advanced Mathematics for Engineering and Science ", World Scientific Publishing, London (2003).

Edited

1. D. De Kee and P.N. Kaloni, "Recent Developments in Structured Continua," Longman Scientific and Technical, Harlow, United Kingdom (1986).
2. D. De Kee and P.N. Kaloni, "Recent Developments in Structured Continua II," Longman Scientific and Technical, Harlow, United Kingdom (1990).
3. R.P. Chhabra and D. De Kee, "Transport Processes in Bubbles, Drops and Particles," Hemisphere, New York (1992).
4. D. Siginer and D. De Kee, " Rheology and Fluid Mechanics of Nonlinear Materials," American Society of Mechanical Engineers, FED Vol. 246, New York (1998).
5. D. Siginer, D. De Kee and R.P. Chhabra, "Advances in the Flow and Rheology of non-Newtonian Fluids," Volume 8 part A, 636 pages, Elsevier, New York (1999).
6. D. Siginer, D. De Kee and R. P. Chhabra, " Advances in the Flow and Rheology of non- Newtonian Fluids," Volume 8 part B, 879 pages, Elsevier, New York (1999).
7. D. Siginer and D. De Kee , " Rheology and Fluid Mechanics of Nonlinear Materials ", American Society of Mechanical Engineers , FED Vol.252 , New York (2000).
8. D. De Kee and R.P. Chhabra, "Transport Processes in Bubbles, Drops and Particles", 2nd Edition, Taylor & Francis, New York (2002).