November 6, 2024

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Speaker: Matthew Powell-Palm, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University

Host: Brandon Jones

Title: Chaos & Confinement: Mastering Water Thermodynamics at Low Temperature

Abstract: The thermodynamics of aqueous systems dominate life on Earth, from industry to agriculture to the machinations of life itself. Surprisingly however, these thermodynamics remain largely unexplored outside of the relatively narrow parameter space centered around terrestrial temperatures, atmospheric pressures, and minimally complex solutions (2-3 components). In this talk, I will discuss recent explorations of aqueous thermodynamics that diverge from this comfort zone, toward ever colder waters. First, with an eye towards establishing thermodynamic limits on the depths of liquid oceans on the icy worlds of our solar system, I will discuss recent efforts to define and measure the “cenotectic” of various aqueous brines, or the low-temperature limit of liquid stability under arbitrary values of pressure and concentration. Second, I will discuss simple new methods by which to predict the phase equilibria of arbitrarily complex organic solutions, and emergent phenomena in new classes of many-component high-entropy solutions. Finally, I will discuss the broad promise of mastering the low-temperature thermodynamics of water–  both for our search for life amongst the stars and for pressing applications in organ transplantation, global food systems, and beyond. 

Biography: Dr. Matthew J. Powell-Palm is an Assistant Professor in the TAMU Depts. of Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, and the CEO of BioChoric Inc., an early-stage deep-tech startup aiming to transform organ and tissue preservation via novel thermodynamic interventions. Matt’s work is grounded in materials thermodynamics, but interfaces with topics across the thermal, biological, and planetary sciences. His current research interests include high-dimensional thermodynamics and phase diagrams; the development of new theoretical and experimental tools to describe the equilibria and phase-change kinetics of materials under minimally explored thermodynamic conditions; the unique physical behaviors and myriad practical applications of low-temperature aqueous isochoric systems; and the application of advances in aqueous thermodynamics to pressing problems in medicine, agricultural, sustainability, and beyond.