Professor of Chemical Engineering
Prof. Mert Atilhan is an internationally recognized researcher in chemical engineering, specializing in applied and computational thermodynamics. He currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Paper Engineering at Western Michigan University. Prof. Atilhan earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Ege University, graduating as the top student in his class. He received both his M.S. (2004) and Ph.D. (2007) in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University.

With over two decades of research experience, Prof. Atilhan focuses on designing sustainable, high-impact technologies that address global energy and environmental challenges. His research spans a diverse range of application areas, including:

• • Carbon Capture & Storage: Development of advanced materials and scalable systems for capturing CO₂—both at the point of emission and directly from the atmosphere.
  • Advanced Solvent Systems: Design, synthesis and application of ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DES) for gas separation, sour gas treatment, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) delivery, and many other process applications.
  • Biomass Treatment & Delignification: Innovation in biomass valorization and industrial decarbonization through enzyme- and solvent-assisted delignification processes, particularly for the pulp and paper industry.
  • Gaseous Energy Storage: Utilization of covalent organic polymers (COPs) and porous materials for efficient storage of methane (CH₄) and hydrogen (H₂).
  • Water Treatment: Targeted removal of organic contaminants and PFAS using novel micro-filtration and solvent extraction techniques.
  • Next-Generation Batteries: Development of green liquid and solid-state electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries.
  • High-Accuracy Thermophysical Properties: Expertise in property measurements such as PVT, density, and viscosity of complex fluids; gas phase equations of state; and hydrate inhibition via IL-based additives.

Prof. Atilhan has published extensively, received numerous national and international awards.