Bio
Abenazer is a postdoctoral research associate in the Radioisotope Science and Technology Division at ORNL. His research focuses on studying various chemical separation processes integral to the Pu-238 supply program by using microfluidic platforms. He aims to gain fundamental understanding of the liquid-liquid separation processes by conducting kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies. These efforts generate information crucial for chemical process optimization, improvement, and modeling.
He holds a doctoral degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University. His dissertation research centered around the development of field-portable detection system for uranium isotopic analysis for nuclear forensics applications. His work involved developing novel reactive thin films and thin film composite membranes for isolation, purification, and concentration of uranium in a single step. The rapid onsite screening capability developed is a powerful method to thwart clandestine operation related to nuclear weapon production.