News
EARTH Members Partner to Commercialize Breakthrough Refrigerant Separation Technology
The National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH) proudly congratulates EARTH industry members Icorium and Hudson Technologies on announcing a preliminary agreement to commercialize Icorium's patented extractive distillation technology for refrigerant reclamation. The partnership marks an important step in bringing innovative, sustainable HVACR technologies...
Dr. Mark Shiflett Reaches 12,000 Career Citations
WISE Researcher Contributes to New Book Advancing Sustainable Carbon Capture Technologies
Graduate Research Advances Sustainable Refrigerant Separation Through Machine Learning and Molecular Simulation
As industries around the world work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, researchers are searching for innovative ways to replace or recycle compounds that contribute to the atmospheric impact of emissions. One recent doctoral thesis has helped advance that effort by combining machine learning, optimization, and molecular simulation to improve the...
EARTH Researchers Publish New Review on Sustainable Cooling
A Dual Approach to Heat Resistance: New NSF Study Reshapes Home Defense via PCM Walls and Natural Ventilation
Extreme heat can trigger health concerns for many people. Dangerous and prolonged heat waves often induce area-wide power outages as energy use soars from the significant demands for relief using traditional air conditioning systems. Recently published research in Science and Technology for the Built Environment studied how the make-up of...
Transforming Inks to Solid-State Coolers: High-Performance Silver Selenide and the Future of Thermoelectric Cooling
Today’s refrigerants come with a host of issues including leakage, emissions concerns, flammability, limited reclamation of used refrigerants, and many more challenges. However, a recent study published in Materials Horizons found promising options for next-generation cooling using thermoelectric technology, which has no moving parts, no gaseous refrigerants, and thus zero...
Engineering professor charts unexpected career path from thermodynamics to whiskey barrels
School of Engineering faculty member earns NSF CAREER Award for advancing sustainable plastics solutions
Separation of Azeotropic Refrigerant Mixtures Using Ionic Liquids
Lawrence, KS — April 30, 2026 — Clarice “Claire” Sabolay, a graduate student in the Wonderful Institute for Sustainable Engineering (WISE), successfully passed her preliminary examination yesterday at the University of Kansas. Her presentation, titled “Separation of Azeotropic Refrigerant Mixtures Using Ionic Liquids,” showcased impactful research addressing critical challenges in...