Dr. Joseph J. Biernacki, PE
Professor and Resources Coordinator

Contact Info:
Tennessee Tech University
Department of Chemical Engineering
Prescott Hall-Room 312
1020 Stadium Drive
Box 5013
Cookeville, TN 38505-0001
Phone: (931) 372.3667
Fax (931) 372.6352
E-mail:JBiernacki@tntech.edu
Personal webpage>

Cementitious Materials • Micro-fluidics • Electronic and Structural Materials

Education

Honors and Awards

2008 TTU Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award
2007 American Concrete Institute ( ACI), Fellow
2007 ACerS (American Ceramic Society)
2006 QEP Award for Innovative Instruction, for integration of laboratory and lecture
2007 TTU College of Engineering Brown-Henderson Award, for outstanding Engineering faculty
2006 ASEE Corcoran Award, best paper, J. J. Biernacki, A Course-level Strategy for Continuous Improvement, Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(3) 186-193 (2005)
2006 ASEE, Southeast Section, Thomas C. Evans Award, best paper, J. J. Biernacki, A Course-level Strategy for Continuous Improvement, Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(3) 186-193 (2005)
Annals of Research in Engineering Education, Winter 2006, Vol. 2, No. 1 - J. J. Biernacki, A Course-level Strategy for Continuous Improvement, Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(3) 186-193 (2005)
2005 Dean’s Advisory Board (DAB) Award, Tennessee Tech University
2002-2003 Outstanding Faculty Award for Professional Service
2002 Leighton E. Sissom Innovation and Creativity Award
2002 Kinslow Engineering Research Award

Research Statement

The primary emphasis of my research group is to develop fundamental kinetic and thermophysical data for materials synthesis. Materials in this case are primarily ceramics, but may include composites of ceramics, metals and polymers. While my specific focus changes from project to project, there are several themes: hydration stoichiometry and kinetics of waste and by-product materials in Portland cement and characterization of the microstructure and transport processes in cement-based materials; kinetics and associated transport processes for electronic materials; and kinetics of designed organic and inorganic materials for high temperature applications.

Portland cement concrete is second only to water in use. This ubiquitous construction material is the very foundation of our global infrastructure. This common material has been traditionally composed of naturally occurring fine and course aggregate, Portland cement and water. Concerns over global warming and ever-increasing stockpiles of solid industrial wastes and by-products has energized efforts to develop modern concrete formulations that incorporate more waste and by-products and less Portland cement. This has been beneficial from an environmental point of view, but also has the potential for improving the durability and strength of concrete. Yet, there are fundamental questions which remain unanswered and obstacles to widespread adaptation of blended-cement products. Uncertainty in the interaction between waste and by-product additives and Portland cement, the stoichiometry of hydration, the chemical stability and transport properties of blended-cement concrete are of critical importance. My cements research group focuses on fundamental interactions between waste and by-products and Portland cement, the kinetics of hydration, stoichiometry of reaction and resulting microstructure and transport processes. We are applying modern analytical tools including synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and environmental scanning electron microscopy to study these complex chemical reactions in situ rather than post reaction. Existing models for cement, waste and by-product hydration are largely lumped parameter. Our ambition is to build distributed parameter kinetic models with improved predictability and reliability.

Producing electronic materials for production of integrated circuits and other silicon-based devices involve numerous chemical processes. Accurately modeling these processes requires detailed knowledge of the component kinetic and transport processes. My electronic materials group conducts fundamental chemical kinetic studies and builds computations process models including system-level details for optimization and sustained development of existing and new processes.

Rate data for synthesis of new and novel materials such as polymers and polymer precursors, ceramics (Ti3SiC2, MoSi2 and composites with SiC, etc.) is of great interest in the automotive, aerospace and electronics industry. The kinetics and associated microstructure of such materials is the subject of our research. Processing of powders by reactive sintering and melt-based process is the primary focus. XRD, SEM and various spectroscopic methods are our primary tools.

Recent Publications

1. J. J. Biernacki, with the Faculty and Staff, The Department of Chemical Engineering at Tennessee Technological University, Chem. Eng. Ed., 42(3) 118-124 (Summer, 2008).
2. J. J. Biernacki, P. M. Mellacheruvu and S. Mahajan, Poisson’s Effects in Electrical Field Flow Fractionation, J. Separation Sci., 31(12), 2219-2230 (2008).
3. J. J. Biernacki, A. K. Vazrala and H. W. Leimer, Sintering of a Class F Fly Ash, Fuel, 87(6) 782-792 (2008).
4. B. J. Mohr, J. J. Biernacki and K. E. Kurtis, Supplementary cementitious Materials for Mitigating Degradation of kraft Pulp fiber-Cement Composites, Cem. Concr. Res., 37(11) 1531-1543 (2007).
5. P. Kannan, J. J. Biernacki and D. P. Visco, Jr., A Review of the Kinetic Models for Thermal Degradation of Expanded Polystyrene Foam and Application to the Lost Foam Casting Process, J. An. App. Pyrol., 78(1) 162-171 (January 2007).