Salar Balou
Cincinnati,OH
Summary
Salar is a multidisciplinary scientist and engineer dedicated to translating chemistry and materials science into scalable, real-world innovations. As Technical Lead and Principal Scientist at Farmed Materials Inc., he leads R&D and process engineering for domestic natural-rubber extraction, purification, and product development — strengthening U.S. supply-chain security for critical elastomer applications, including aerospace and defense. With over a decade of experience spanning chemical engineering, materials characterization, computational modeling, and process optimization, he bridges lab-scale discovery with industrial-scale manufacturing. He has authored 11+ peer-reviewed publications and is pursuing 4 U.S. patents that advance next-generation chemical technologies.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Principal Scientist
Farmed Materials Inc
05.2023 - Current
- Directed scientific and engineering strategy for sustainable natural rubber extraction and purification.
- Developed and scaled novel processes for Taraxacum kok-saghyz (TK) and guayule rubber extraction.
- Directed multi-phase R&D programs covering process optimization, mechanical design, and product performance validation using DOE and statistical tools (Six Sigma / Minitab).
- Managed cross-functional teams, external vendors, and pilot plant operations.
- Authored technical reports, patent applications (3 pending), and product development proposals.
- Drived innovation in chemical process design, solvent recovery, and green manufacturing practices.
- Led end-to-end development of polymeric and elastomeric materials derived from bio-based feedstocks, bridging chemistry, nanostructure, and mechanical performance.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Cincinnati
02.2020 - 12.2023
• Engineering Organic Semiconductor Nanomaterials for light-to-heat conversion
• Design and Fabrication of Carbon Quantum Dot integrated Hydrogel for Photothermal Applications
• Photothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification
• Nanofabrication (Gold Nanoparticles, Carbon Nanoparticles)
• Hydrothermal Carbonization
• Enhancing the Light-to-Heat conversion performance of Photonic Nanoparticles
• Chemical and Physical Characterizations
o FTIR, XRD, Raman, TEM, XPS, SEM, UV-Vis and Photoluminescence spectroscopy
• Python Programming (Intermediate)
• C++ Programming (Basic)
• Electronic Circuit Design
Education
Ph.D. - Chemical Engineering
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH12-2023
Skills
- 11 Peer-reviewed Papers
- 4 provisional patents
- Multiple presentations at AICHE/ACS conferences
- Minitab, JASP, Design Expert
- Six Sigma – Green Belt
- Elastomer Compounding (Latex, Adhesives, Foam)
- Phase Inversion Emulsification
- Fictionalized monomer synthesis
Technical Writing and Presentations:
Experimental Design
Material Synthesis/ Wet Lab Experience:
- Cross-linking Chemistry
- Carbon Quantum Dots (Graphene Quantum Dots)
- Gold Nanoparticles
- Activated Carbon and Hydrochar
- DSC, TGA, FTIR, UV-Vis, DLS, NMR, SEM, TEM, XRD, AFM, RPA, Rheometery, Mechanical Testing
- Pyhton for Data Science (NumPy, SciPy, K-means)
- Blender for Artistic Scientific Desing
- SolidWorks
- Aspen/Ansys
Characterization Expertise:
Computational Expertise
Languages
English
Full Professional
Publications
- From Waste to Filament: Development of Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon-Reinforced PETG Composites for Sustainable 3D PrintingFrom Waste to Filament: Development of Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon-Reinforced PETG Composites for Sustainable 3D Printing- ACS, Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering · Aug 14, 2023
- Advancement in two-dimensional carbonaceous nanomaterials for photocatalytic water detoxification and energy conversion -Elsevier · Apr 2, 2023
- Carbon dots for photothermal applicationsCarbon dots for photothermal applications - Frontiers in Chemistry · Oct 1, 2022
- Synergistic Effect of Nitrogen Doping and Ultra-Microporosity on the Performance of Biomass and Microalgae-Derived Activated Carbons for CO2 CaptureSynergistic Effect of Nitrogen Doping and Ultra-Microporosity on the Performance of Biomass and Microalgae-Derived Activated Carbons for CO2 Capture - American Chemical Society · Aug 26, 2020
Timeline
Principal Scientist
Farmed Materials Inc
05.2023 - Current
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Cincinnati
02.2020 - 12.2023
Ph.D. - Chemical Engineering
University of Cincinnati