Yan Ying Tan’s research focuses on the development of green materials from renewable biomass, specifically graphene. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms, which possesses unique properties such as remarkable electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, and thermal performance. These properties make it widely applicable to various industries, including environment, health, energy, construction, etc.
The traditional methods of synthesizing graphene rely significantly on energy inputs and non-renewable sources, which might have adverse impacts on the environment. In this regard, her research uses agricultural and forestry residues from Michigan as feedstock to synthesize graphene in a sustainable way. Through the integration of AI, her work aims to optimize the synthesis process of graphene with the two main goals of increasing production yield and reducing environmental impact. With this, it aligns with the current growing trend of “AI for Sustainability”.
Yan Ying Tan completed her Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) and Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering (specialized in Advanced Materials & Technology) at Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. During her doctoral studies, she conducted her research internship at Polytechnique Montréal, Canada and research attachment at Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés (LRGP), France. Her research interest lies in the application of AI to advanced materials development from renewable sources for various applications.