Dr. Rinku Thomas

Dr. Rinku Mariam Thomas has been an working as an Instructor [Adjunct- Visiting – Fulltime] in the Mathematics and Natural Sciences Department since January 2016, teaching courses such as General Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and General Education Course along with laboratory courses.

Prior to joining AURAK , Dr. Rinku Thomas joined Dr. Arafat’s Research group at Masdar in September 2011, under the department of Water and Environmental Engineering. She worked on the preparation and characterization of novel membranes for the Membrane Distillation process.

At Masdar, Dr. Rinku’s research primarily focused on morphology changes induced as a characteristic of fabrication parameters. She also investigated the role of novel additives and process parameters in pore formation and also their influence on key membrane parameters such as the morphology, hydrophobicity, Liquid entry Pressure [LEP] and the pore size distribution [PSD], together with many other parameters such as mechanical strength and crystallinity. The final goal of the study was to identify and bring to practical application suitable membranes which would stand the intricate demands of Membrane Distillation.

Dr. Rinku received her bachelor in Chemistry (1997) from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala State, India and then completed her Master in Polymer Chemistry from the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala State, India in 2000, where she investigated the Hydrogels for water Purification from nanosized- impurities. She then moved to CUSAT to pursue a Ph.D. program in Polymer Science and Engineering, working on conducting polymers for Microwave applications.

Dr. Rinku’s doctoral research focused on synthesis chemistry of conducting polymer for microwave application. Different classes of conducting polymers such as Polyaniline, Polythiophene and polypyrrole were successfully synthesised as Inter penetrating networks and with variation in morphology due to the additions of various doping agents.

• Postdoctoral associate, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, , Abu Dhabi, UAE
• Ph.D. Polymer Technology, Cochin University of Science and Technology [CUSAT], Kerala, India, 2000
• M.Sc. [Chemistry- Polymer Science], Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India, 2000
• B.Sc. Chemistry, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India, 1997

Books:

• E. J. Jelmy, Rinku Mariam Thomas, V. S. Nisha, John Gerson Vijay and Honey John CARBONACEOUS ADSORBENTS FOR THE REMOVAL OF WATER POLLUTANTS; Water Purification – Processes, Applications and Health Effects, Nova Science Publishers , NY 2022
• R. Thomas, M. Ro’il Bilad, H. A. Arafat, PVDF Membranes for Membrane Distillation: Controlling Pore Structure, Porosity, Hydrophobicity, and Mechanical Strength, in “Membrane Fabrication”, N. Hilal , A.F. Ismail, C.J. Wright (Editors), Taylor Francis Publishing Group 2014

Refereed journal papers

• Antibacterial self-cleaning binary and ternary hybrid photocatalysts of titanium dioxide with silver and graphene Nisha Padmanabhan, Rinku M.Thomas, Honey John Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering Volume 10, Issue 2, April 2022
• R. B. Saffarini, B. Mansoor, R. Thomas, H. A. Arafat, Effect of temperature‐dependent microstructure evolution on pore wetting in PTFE membranes under membrane distillation conditions, J. Membrane Science, 429, 282‐294 (2013)
• E. Guillen‐Burrieza, R. Thomas, B. Mansoor, D. Johnson, N. Hilal, H. A. Arafat, Effect of Dry‐out on the Fouling of PVDF and PTFE Membranes under Conditions Simulating Intermittent Seawater Membrane Distillation (SWMD), J. Membrane Science, 438, 126‐139 (2013)
• R. Thomas, E. Guillen‐Burrieza, H. A. Arafat, Pore structure control of PVDF membranes using a 2‐stage coagulation bath phase inversion process for application in membrane distillation (MD), J. Membrane Science, 452, 470‐480 (2014)
• R. B. Saffarini, B. Mansoor, R. Thomas, H. A. Arafat, Effect of temperature‐dependent microstructure evolution on pore wetting in PTFE membranes under membrane distillation conditions, J. Membrane Science, 429, 282‐294 (2013)
• E. Guillen‐Burrieza, R. Thomas, B. Mansoor, D. Johnson, N. Hilal, H. A. Arafat, Effect of Dry‐out on the Fouling of PVDF and PTFE Membranes under Conditions Simulating Intermittent Seawater Membrane Distillation (SWMD), J. Membrane Science, 438, 126‐139 (2013)
• R. Thomas, E. Guillen‐Burrieza, H. A. Arafat, Pore structure control of PVDF membranes using a 2‐stage coagulation bath phase inversion process for application in membrane distillation (MD), J. Membrane Science, 452, 470‐480 (2014)

Papers in refereed conference proceedings

• R. Thomas, E. Guillen‐Burrieza, H. A. Arafat, Pore structure control of PVDF membranes using dual coagulation bath phase inversion process for application in membrane distillation (MD), 8th International Membrane Science & Technology Conference (IMSTEC2013), Melbourne, Australia, 25 ‐ 29 November, 2013.
• R. Thomas, E. Guillen‐Burrieza, H. A. Arafat, Pore structure control of PVDF membranes using dual coagulation bath phase inversion process for application in membrane distillation (MD), Proceedings of the 23rdNorth American Membrane Society conference, Boise‐Idaho, USA, June 10‐12, 2013
• E. Guillen‐Burrieza, R. Thomas, B. Mansoor, H. A. Arafat, Fouling of Membranes under Intermittent Seawater Membrane Distillation (SWMD) Conditions, Proceedings of the International Scientific conference on Pervaporation, Vapor Permeation and Membrane Distillation, Torun, Poland, May 12‐15, 2013
• R. B. Saffarini, B. Mansoor, R. Thomas, H. A. Arafat, Effect of temperature‐dependent microstructure evolution on pore wetting in PTFE membranes under membrane distillation conditions, Proceedings of the International Scientific conference on Pervaporation, Vapor Permeation and Membrane Distillation, Torun, Poland, May 12‐ 15, 2013
• R. B. Saffarini, B. Mansoor, R. Thomas, H. A. Arafat, Effect of temperature‐driven changes on pore wetting behavior of PTFE membranes under membrane distillation conditions, Proceedings of the 1stInternational Conference on Desalination using Membrane Technology, Sitges, Spain, 7‐10 April 2013
• R. Saffarini, H. A. Arafat, R. Thomas, Influence of Pore Structure on Membrane Wettability in Membrane Distillation, Proceedings of the 6th Jordan International Chemical Engineering Conference, Amman‐Jordan, pp 303‐307, March 12‐14, 2012
• R. B. Saffarini, B. Mansoor, R. Thomas, H. A. Arafat, Effect of temperature‐driven changes on pore wetting behavior of PTFE membranes under membrane distillation conditions, Proceedings of the 1stInternational Conference on Desalination using Membrane Technology, Sitges, Spain, 7‐10 April 2013
• R. Saffarini, H. A. Arafat, R. Thomas, Influence of Pore Structure on Membrane Wettability in Membrane Distillation, Proceedings of the 6th Jordan International Chemical Engineering Conference, Amman‐Jordan, pp 303‐307, March 12‐14, 2012

Abstracts or non‐refereed conference papers

• S. Salem, R. Thomas, E. Guillen, H. A. Arafat, and S. W. Thiel, Preparation and Characterization of Porous Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Membranes Using New Pore Forming Additives, The 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, October 28‐November 2, 2012
• E. Guillen‐Burrieza, R. Thomas, B. Mansoor, D. Johnson, N. Hilal, and H. A. Arafat, Fouling Behavior of PVDF and PTFE Membranes under Membrane Distillation Operations, Advanced Membrane Technology V Conference, Singapore, October 14‐19, 2012
• R. Saffarini, B. Mansoor, R. Thomas, and H. A. Arafat*, Liquid Entry Pressure of PTFE Membranes in Membrane Distillation: Surprising Effects of Temperature, Advanced Membrane Technology V Conference, Singapore, October 14‐19, 2012

• Analytical Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry Lab
• General Chemistry I Lab
• General Chemistry II
• General Chemistry II Lab