Sunggyu Lee, "KB"
 

Dr. Lee earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Seoul National University, Seoul , KOREA , in 1974 and in 1976, respectively. For his Master's Degree, he was mentored by Dr. Chai-Sung Lee. After military duty in his home country, he came to the United States in August 1977 to join the Ph.D. program at Case Western Reserve University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1980 under the advisorship of Professor John C. Angus.

Dr. Lee joined The University of Akron as Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering in 1980. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1985, then to Full Professor in 1988. Since 1988, he had held the title of Robert Iredell Professor, an endowed chair-professorship. He also served as Department Head for 1988-1997. At Akron, he founded and led the Process Research Center (PRC), one of the state's Centers of Excellence. In 1997, he left Akron to join the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he held positions of Chairman and C. W. LaPierre Professor of Chemical Engineering from 1997 to 2005. For 2006-2010, he held the titles of Professor of Chemical & Biological Engineering and UTC Professor of Transportation Fuels, at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Since September 2010, he has held the position of Russ Ohio Research Scholar in Coal Syngas Utilization and Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Dr. Lee is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Outstanding Teacher Award in 1987, the Outstanding Researcher Award in 1993, and the first recipient of the Louis A. Hill Award for outstanding professional achievement in 1987. He is the only professor in the University (Akron) history who has received both teaching and research awards from the University Alumni Association. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Engineering, Seoul National University in 1994. He was also nominated for the Case Professor of the Year as well as the Edison Electric Institute Award. He was a finalist in 1989 and in 1992. He also received an Outstanding Teacher Award at Missouri S&T in 2009. He is a member (overseas) of National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK). He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). He is also a member of Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and Golden Key national Honors Society, and a distinguished member of the American Society of Patent Holders.

He has authored 11 books, edited a multi-volume encyclopedia, and published 9 major research monographs, over 140 refereed journal articles, and over 350 proceedings and conference papers. He received 34 U.S. patents, 7 more pending, and over 85 international patents, based on his creative research. He has received research grants and contracts for 105 projects totaling over $14.0M as Principal Investigator and an additional $9.0M as Co-PI. He has also designed and helped design twenty-one pilot plants and eight commercial and demonstration plants. Most of his inventions are being commercially utilized. Throughout his career, he has also taught a total of 28 different subjects in Chemical Engineering at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

He is the Editor of Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing (EChP), published in 2006 jointly by CRC Press and Taylor & Francis.This encyclopedia is the most comprehensive and up-to-date in the field of chemical process engineering. The Encyclopedia is available both as printed multiple volumes and as an online edition, which is being updated regularly. He is the series editor of the Green Chemistry and Chemical Engineering book series published by CRC Press. The series has more than 20 titles in print or under contract. Dr. Lee also serves as Member of the Editorial Board of Energy Sources and of the International Journal of Green Energy. He also serves on the International Advisory Board of the journal Energy Technology. He served as the Editor of Reviews in Process Chemistry and Engineering (RPCE) and is currently the U.S. Editor of Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering (KJChE). His research specialties are in the areas of transportation and alternative fuels, advanced coal technology, chemical process engineering, polymer synthesis and processing, polymer and blends composites. To be specific, they include C1 Chemistry, hydrogen generation, fuel reforming, carbon dioxide conversion, gas cleanup and purification, clean coal technology, methanol and DME synthesis, synthesis of gasoline and oxygenates, Fischer-Tropsch, biomass conversion, biofuels, C02-based oil shale extraction technology, green chemistry and technology, novel supercritical fluid technology, supercritical water oxidation, supercritical materials processing, supercritical polymerization, reactive polymer processing, biodegradable polymers, material compatibilization, nanocomposites and micro-composites, polymer blends, specialty films, scale-up and pilot plant studies, process troubleshooting, and high pressure and specialty reactor design.

Dr. Lee has been active in AIChE activities, having served for 12 years as Program Chair of Area 16-d, Solid Fuels and Alternate Energy, as well as Program Chair (for 2 years) for Fuels & Petrochemicals Division (F&PD). He has chaired or co-chaired over 50 symposium sessions at the AIChE Annual and National Meetings. He also served on the Advisory Board of the International Pittsburgh Coal Conference for eleven years.

Dr. Lee has established unique and strong relationships with many chemical industries in diverse capacities as a university research contractor, as a grantee, as a collaborator, as a consultant, and as an advisor. Such companies include Kimberly-Clark, Dow Chemical, Radian, DRS Technical Services, DRS Sustainment Systems, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, B.F. Goodrich, Atofina Chemicals, TotalFinaElf, PPG Industries, Monsanto, AMOCO, Water Technologies, Norton Chemical and Process Development, A. Schulman, Bausch & Lomb, Allied Signal, Alberee Automotive Products, Xytel, BASF, HVC, TRW, VSE, Midwest Ore Processing, American Plastics Corp., Bicron, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Western Research Institute (WRI), and Northern Technologies International Corporation (NTIC).  

Major Books

  1. S. Lee, Author, "Methanol Synthesis Technology", CRC Press, Boca Raton , FL , 1990.
  2. S. Lee, Author, "Oil Shale Technology", CRC Press, Boca Raton , FL , 1991.
  3. S. Lee, Author, "Methane and Its Derivatives", Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York , NY , 1997.
  4. S. Lee, Author, "Alternative Fuels", Taylor & Francis, Washington , D.C. , 1997.
  5. J. G. Speight and S. Lee, “Environmental Technology Handbook”, 2 nd Ed., Taylor & Francis, 2000.
  6. J. Yen and S. Lee, Co-editors, “Proceedings of Fifth International Topical Conference on Polymerization and Polymer Processing”, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, New York, N.Y., 2002.
  7. S. Lee, Editor, Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing (EChP), 5 volumes, 350 chapters, Taylor & Francis, 2006.
  8. S. Lee, J.G. Speight, and S. Loyalka, “Handbook of Alternative Fuel Technology”, CRC Press, 2007.
  9. S. Lee and Y.T. Shah, “Biofuels and Bioenergy: Processes and Technologies”, CRC Press, 2012.
  10. S. Lee and K. Henthorn, Co-editors, “Particle Technology and Applications”, CRC Press, 2012.
  11. S. Lee and D. Henthorn, “Materials in Biology and Medicine”, CRC Press, 2012.

Advanced Degree Students Advised

Guided and Advised 53 Masters, 38 Ph. D.’s, and 24 Postdoctoral Fellows.

Laboratory Facilities

The following equipment is fully functional and in good working order, and is available for full-time in Lee's laboratories. Most of the equipment is modern and state-of-the-art.

DMTA, GC’s, GC/MS, FTIR, HPLC/GPC, DSC, TGA, Rheometer, Instron, Texture Analyzer, Coulter Counter, BET, Surface Analyzer, Poresizer, S Analyzer, CHN Analyzer, Cl Analyzer, Ash Fusion Analyzer, Proximate Analyzer, Oxygen Bomb Calorimeter, TOC Analyzer, Optical Microscope, Brabender Mixers, Henschel Mixers, 2 Twin-screw Extruders, 3 Single-screw Extruders (2”, 1”, ½”), Injection Molding Machine, Ultracentrifuge, Refrigerated Centrifuge, Spectrophotometers, Autoclaves, Shakers, Flotation Cell, Cream Separator, Fermenters, Walk-in Incubator, Freeze dryer, Cryogenic grinder, Environmental Hood, Grinders and granulators, etc.

Reactor and systems in Lee's laboratories include 7 complete (self-peripheraled) supercritical fluid process minipilot/pilot systems, powder coating investigation system, 4 polymerization and graft-copolymerization reactor systems, supercritical polymerization reactor system, high shear mixing reactors, 3 autoclave based high-pressure catalytic reaction systems for transportation fuels research, 4 specialty high-pressure reactors (Inconel 625, Hastelloy C-276, Haynes 230, Haynes 282), mechanically agitated slurry reactor system for methanol and dimethylether synthesis, continuous bioreactor system, Processall reactor system for large-batch reactive modification of polymers, Buchi and Ace glass reactor systems, Ziegler-Natta Catalytic Reactor System, ClO2 generation systems, continuous fluidized bed reactor for ZSM-type catalysts, coal desulfurization process system, fixed bed and fluidized bed steam stripping systems, 2 PEM fuel cell systems (1.2 kW and 5.0 kW), etc.

List of U.S. Patents

  1. S. Lee and R. Joshi, "Enhanced Oil Recovery from Western United States Type Oil Shale Using Carbon Dioxide Retorting Technique", U.S. Patent 4,502,942, March 5, 1985.
  2. S. Lee, A. Sawant and C. J. Kulik, "Process for Methanol Catalyst Regeneration Using Crystallite Redispersion", U.S. Patent 5,004,717, April 2, 1991.
  3. S. Lee and V. Parameswaran, "Selective Extraction Process of Sulfur from U.S. Coals Using Supercritical Fluids", U.S. Patent 5,080,692, January 14, 1992.
  4. S. Lee and R. Rengarajan, "Catalytic Solid Phase Grafting of Polymers", U.S. Patent 5,079,302, January 7, 1992.
  5. S. Lee, M. Gencer, F. O. Azzam, and K. L. Fullerton, "Depolymerization Process", U. S. Patent 5,386,055, January 31, 1995.
  6. S. Lee and T. Cutright, "Bioremediation of PAH Contaminated Soil", U.S. Patent 5,427,944, June 27, 1995.
  7. S. Lee, M. R. Gogate and K. L. Fullerton, "Dimethyl Ether to Hydrocarbons/Gasoline Process", U.S. Patent 5,459,166, October 17, 1995.
  8. S. Lee and T. Cutright, "Nutrient Medium for the Bioremediation of PAH-Contaminated Soil", U.S. Patent 5,508,194, April 16, 1996.
  9. S. Lee and R. Sobocinski, "Polycarbonate-g-Polyacrylate by Graft Copolymerization", U. S. Patent 5,510,429, April 23, 1996.
  10. S. Lee and F. O. Azzam, "Oxidative Decoupling of Scrap Rubber", U.S. Patent 5,516,952, May 14, 1996.
  11. S. Lee and R. Rengarajan, "Flame-initiated Graft Copolymerization of Polymers", U.S. Patent 5,571,869, November 5, 1996.
  12. S. Lee, V. Parameswaran and C. J. Kulik, "Post-reduction Treatment of Alcohol Synthesis Catalysts with Carbon Dioxide", U.S. Patent 5,622,907, April 22 1997.
  13. S. Lee, S. Kwak and F. O. Azzam, "Graft Copolymerization in Supercritical Fluid Media", U.S. Patent 5,663,237, September 2, 1997.
  14. S. Lee, “Manufacturing Aqueous Chlorine Dioxide”, U.S. Patent 5,855,861, January 5, 1999 .
  15. S. Lee and H. B. Lanterman, “A Novel Chlorine Dioxide Manufacturing Process – Product delivery and Treatment System”, U.S. Patent 6,051,135, April 18, 2000.
  16. J. Wulff, M. Hulett, and S. Lee, “Internal Combustion System Using Acetylene Alternative Fuel”, U.S. Patent 6,076,487, June 20, 2000.
  17. J. Wulff and S. Lee, “ Dual fuel composition including acetylene for use with diesel and other internal combustion engines”, U.S. Patent 6,287,351, September 11, 2001.
  18. S. Lee, H. B. Lanterman, K. L. Fullerton, and P. Pettit, “Polymerization, Compatibilized Blending, and Particle Size Control of Powder Coatings in a Supercritical Fluid”, U.S. Patent 6,340,722, January 22, 2002.
  19. J. W. Wulff, S. Lee, and M. Hulett, “ Internal combustion system adapted for use of a dual fuel composition including acetylene, U. S. Patent 6,575,147, June 10, 2003.
  20. S. Lee, H. B. Lanterman, K. Fullerton, and P. Pettit, “Polymerization, Compatibilized Blending, and Particle Size Control of Powder Coatings in a Supercritical Fluid”, U.S. Patent 6,849,678, Feb. 1, 2005.
  21. D. Benko, R. Beer, S. Lee, and K. Clark, “Devulcanization of Cured Rubber”, U. S. Patent 6,992,116, January 31, 2006.
  22. S. Lee, H. B. Lanterman, A. Sardesai, J. Wenzel, B. Marshall, J. Yen, R. Amin-Sanayei, and M. Moucharik, “Polymerization of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) in a Supercritical Fluid Medium”, U.S. Patent No. 7,091,288, August 15, 2006.
  23. S. Lee, A. Garcia, and J. Wootton, “ Systems for Water Purification through Supercritical Oxidation “, U.S. Patent No. 7,186,345, Issued March 6, 2007.
  24. M. Gencer, S. Lee, A. Sardesai, and D. Kubik, “ Process for infusing an alkali metal nitrite into a synthetic resinous material “, U.S. Patent No. 7,217,749, Issued May 15, 2007.
  25. M. Gencer, S. Lee, A. Sardesai, and D. Kubik, “ Process for incorporating one or more materials into a polymer composition and products produced thereby “, U.S. Patent No. 7,217,750, Issued May 15, 2007.
  26. S. Lee and P. Roberts, “ Chlorine dioxide gel and associated methods “, U.S. Patent No. 7,229,647, Issued June 12, 2007.
  27. J. Wulff, M. Hulett, and S. Lee, "Dual fuel composition including acetylene", U.S. Patent No. 7,288,127, Issued October 30, 2007
  28. A. Garcia-Ortiz, S. Lee, and J. Wootton, "Systems and methods for air purification using supercritical water oxidation," U.S. Patent No. 7,722,823, Issued May 25, 2010
  29. A. Garcia-Ortiz, S. Lee, and J. Wootton, "Systems and methods for air purification using supercritical water oxidation," U.S. Patent No. 7,811,537, Issued October 12, 2010
  30. J. Wootton, S. Lee, and A. Garcia-Ortiz, "Methods for supercritical water reformation of fuels and generation of hydrogen using supercritical water," U.S. Patent No. 7,931,711, Issued April 26, 2011.
  31. J. Wootton, S. Lee, and A. Garcia-Ortiz, "Systems and methods for supercritical water reformation of fuels and generation of hydrogen using supercritical water," U.S. Patent No. 8,038,743, Issued October 18, 2011.
  32. S. Lee and P. Roberts, "Chlorine dioxide gel and associated methods," U.S. Patent No. 8,088,417, Issued January 3, 2012
  33. S. Lee and P. Roberts, "Chlorine dioxide gel and associated methods," U.S. Patent No. 8,202,546, Issued June 19, 2012.
  34. J. Wootton, S. Lee, and A. Garcia-Ortiz, "Systems and methods for supercritical water reformation of fuels and generation of hydrogen using supercritical water," U.S. Patent No. 8,404,008, Issued March 26, 2013.

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