Bratin Sengupta’s interest in drinking water began early, witnessing as a child the struggle his mother faced finding clean water. He was left, in his own words, with the knowledge that water is “one of the most important resources available” – a conviction that propelled him to Argonne National Laboratory, where he works as a postdoctoral researcher.
Sengupta’s research includes the design and fabrication of novel materials for membrane- and adsorbent-based separation. His work at Argonne focuses on extending the lifespans of polymeric membranes used for water purification and dewatering crude oil-water emulsion, imparting antifouling properties using atomic layer deposition and sequential infiltration synthesis. The work builds on his Ph.D. research at the University at Buffalo – SUNY, where he fabricated inorganic thin film composite membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration and reverse osmosis.
Sengupta credits a strong and supportive community for inspiration on his path to Argonne. “All my mentors, starting from my undergraduate university in India to my graduate school and postdoc advisor, have contributed immensely to shape my scientific temperament,” he said. In addition to supportive lab mates, “my family, from my childhood, have believed in me.” Sengupta now helps inspire others as a student mentor himself.
The near-term goal for Sengupta is to influence the lab design of better membranes, particularly using atomic layer deposition to improve efficiency and longevity in polymeric membranes. His ultimate goal, however, is impacting real-world systems, particularly in regions with limited drinking water access. “Water, although a critical resource, is often not valued as a commercial product, which puts even more constraint on producing clean water at scale within economic bounds,” said Sengupta. “An energy efficient separation process is at the heart of making clean water, which involves making better materials for separation and designing smart processes.”
Outside of the lab, Sengupta enjoys art across media. He is an avid photographer, visits art museums, and is passionate about film and music.