Our Research


Our lab is dedicated to revolutionizing engineering systems by developing innovative ways to control the movement and heat transfer of fluids. We do this by using advanced 3D printing techniques to create highly precise porous materials or otherwise complex structures. This allows us achieve the desired transport properties at a macro-scale level.

This innovative approach enables us to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in engineering, and drive advancements that have the potential to benefit a wide range of industries.

What we do.

We contribute scientifically rooted innovations that enable high-efficiency, low-emission, and robust thermal management and energy conversion technologies.


How we do it.

Using non-invasive diagnostics, multi-fidelity computational models, and topology optimization, our research group pursues a synergetic experimental and computational paradigm to:

    1. Conduct basic science for the fundamental understanding of the coupling between micro-scale geometry, material property, and macro-scale transport and flow features.

    2. Develop affordable predictive tools for gaining system-level insights and enable design optimization.

    3. Design, optimize and fabricate tailored structures using advanced additive manufacturing technologies.


Why we do it.

We aim to develop solutions to the global energy crisis and towards reducing carbon emissions, particularly in combustion, electrochemistry, and other complex flow systems.

Targeted applications include novel energy conversion and thermal management systems:

Thermal protection systems

Heat shields for atmospheric entry of space vehicles

Electrochemical cells

Gas diffusion electrodes for CO2 reduction

Advanced combustion technologies

Enabling reliable utilization of low-calorific biofuels

Our lab is located at 182 Grumman Hall on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, NY

Consisting of approximately 850 sq. ft. of laboratory space, the Sobhani Lab currently focuses on: ceramic additive manufacturing, experimentation and computation of combustion and other thermofluid flows, non-intrusive diagnostic methods including X-ray radiography and tomography.

Sobhani Lab virtual lab tour:

SobhaniLabWalkthrough.mp4

Summer REU (3D printing for CO2 Reduction Reactors):