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Senior R&D Engineer · Chemical Engineer

I develop advanced materials and processes that move from lab to production.

I'm Sergio Fernandez, an MIT-trained engineer with 12+ years of experience developing and scaling advanced materials, electrochemical systems, and coating processes—while leading cross-functional technical work from concept through scale-up.

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Electrolysis✦Membranes✦Coatings✦Catalysis✦Scale-up✦Technical leadership✦Commercialization
01 / Career path

A career built across research, process development, and manufacturing.

My work has moved from catalyst and reactor innovation and design to protective coatings, electrolyzer materials, and membrane development and manufacturing.

Aramco Americas2014 — 2020
GVD Corporation2020 — 2023
EH22023 — 2024
Ionomr Innovations2024 — Present
01

Lab Scientist II & III

Aramco Americas

Catalyst materials, reactor systems, and scale-up routes for higher-value chemicals.

2014 — 2020Catalysis & reactor development
02

R&D Engineer · Process Engineer

GVD Corporation

Conformal polymer coatings and PECVD / iCVD process development for electronics and energy materials.

2020 — 2023Conformal CVD coatings
03

Senior Chemical Engineer

EH2

Catalyst development, protective coatings, and process scale-up for PEM electrolyzer manufacturing.

2023 — 2024Kilogram-scale catalyst production
04

Senior R&D Engineer

Ionomr Innovations

Polymer formulation and membrane development for pilot coating and manufacturing transfer.

2024 — PresentMembrane coating & technology
02 / Approach

From laboratory research to reliable production.

I work across advanced materials development, process design, equipment, quality, and manufacturing to turn laboratory results into repeatable production methods.

Materials-by-design framework linking processing, structure, properties, and performance, with a feedback loop from performance targets to material and process design.
Materials-by-design framework connecting processing, structure, properties, and performance—applied across catalyst, coating, membrane, and manufacturing work.
03 / Selected projects

Technical problems, methods, and results.

Selected examples showing the problem, my contribution, and the result.

Non-confidential summaries.
01

GVD Corporation · Conformal coatings for electronics

Conformal CVD coatings for complex electronics

CVDconformal coatings for complex geometry
Problem
Reliable polymer protection was needed in recessed features and other difficult-to-reach areas of complex semiconductor assemblies.
Approach
Developed and evaluated PECVD and iCVD coating processes, using substrate inspections and quality checks to improve coverage across challenging geometries.
Result
Improved coating coverage in recessed features and complex semiconductor geometries while helping qualify PECVD production chambers for external customers.
Illustrative coating comparison: uneven coverage leaves a gap in a recessed feature; conformal coating follows the full surface.
Illustrative schematic of the process concept.
  1. 01Identify coverage gaps in existing deposition approaches for advanced electronic architectures
  2. 02Develop conformal CVD processes to address coverage limitations
  3. 03Qualify existing chambers and develop next-generation CVD platforms for scale-up
02

Electric Hydrogen · PEM electrolysis

Scaling OER catalyst production under PGM constraints

kginternal catalyst production capacity
Problem
A new OER catalyst process needed to meet the consistency, quality, and supply requirements of large-scale PEM electrolyzer manufacturing.
Approach
Designed and advanced iridium-based OER catalysts, established incoming-powder metrology, and worked with manufacturing to transfer inks, coatings, and CCMs from R&D.
Result
Scaled internal catalyst production to kilogram capacity and supported the transition of materials and processes into full-scale production.
End-to-end PEMWE workflow

Experience spanning catalyst development, electrode and membrane assembly, and electrochemical validation for the intended application.

  1. 01

    Catalyst R&D, characterization, and scale-up

    Developed exploratory OER catalyst samples; used BET surface-area analysis, XRD to assess iridium-oxide structure, and chemisorption to evaluate active sites and surface oxidation-state behavior; then advanced the process to kilogram-scale internal production.

  2. 02

    Ink formulation and coating

    Formulated catalyst inks and developed coating workflows that connected powder properties with manufacturable electrodes.

  3. 03

    CCM fabrication

    Transferred catalyst layers to membranes by decal processing and added the hydrogen-evolution catalyst layer, typically Pt/C, to complete catalyst-coated membranes.

  4. 04

    PEMWE cell assembly and testing

    Assembled cells with gas-diffusion and porous-transport layers, flow fields, and hardware; evaluated performance at ambient and pressurized conditions across operating temperatures.

Illustrative PEM electrolyzer cross-section showing the membrane and catalyst layers, water input, separate hydrogen and oxygen outputs, and catalyst production progressing from bench to kilogram scale.
Illustrative schematic of the process concept.
  1. 01Develop a robust iridium-based process
  2. 02Establish material and quality controls
  3. 03Scale, transfer, and support recovery
Aramco Americas · 2014 — 2020

Catalyst development from pore engineering to industrially relevant reactor conditions.

Six years of work across hierarchical zeolites, catalyst synthesis and forming, scale-up, and fixed-bed reactor systems.

Illustrative catalyst scale-up route from bench synthesis through pilot-scale batch synthesis, continuous aerosol processing, forming and pelletizing, and pilot-reactor validation.
Representative catalyst development pathway linking material design, particle processing, and pilot-scale validation.
Illustrative comparison of conventional microporous and hierarchical beta zeolite crystals, showing how mesopores improve access to internal active sites.
01 / Catalyst architecture

Engineering hierarchical zeolite porosity

Developed synthesis and post-synthetic treatments to introduce mesoporosity into beta zeolites, improving diffusion pathways and access to catalytic sites.

Illustrative continuous aerosol catalyst synthesis showing precursor solution atomization, spray drying, cyclone separation, and downstream catalyst forming.
02 / Catalyst scale-up

Continuous aerosol catalyst synthesis

Developed continuous aerosol and spray-drying routes from precursor solution through particle formation, separation, and downstream forming for pilot-scale catalyst output.

Illustrative four-channel fixed-bed reactor system for parallel high-pressure hydrocracking catalyst screening with hydrogen feed and product analysis.
03 / Catalyst evaluation

Parallel fixed-bed reactor testing

Developed a four-channel fixed-bed hydrocracking reactor system for parallel catalyst testing under industrially relevant conditions at elevated temperature and pressure, including up to 100 bar hydrogen.

Aramco R&D

Two moments from my work with the Advanced Materials team at Aramco Americas.

Sergio Fernandez showcasing Aramco materials research and innovation at a Materials Research Society meeting in Boston
Research showcase Showcasing Aramco materials research and innovation at the Materials Research Society meeting in Boston, MA.
Sergio Fernandez operating an X-ray diffractometer in an Aramco Americas laboratory
Characterization Operating an X-ray diffractometer to characterize advanced materials developed by Aramco's Advanced Materials team.
04 / Experience

Advanced materials development and process scale-up.

Experience across electrolysis, coatings, catalysis, and advanced manufacturing.

01
2024 — Present

Ionomr Innovations Inc. · Boston, MA

Senior R&D Engineer

Lead polymer formulation and membrane development, translating laboratory results into a pilot coating process designed for 750,000 m² of annual production.

  • Developing and testing Aemion® ionomer formulations, additives, and inorganic components to improve performance and mechanical durability.
  • Advancing cross-linking chemistry for alkaline-stable membranes with improved conductivity and solvent resistance.
  • Evaluating functional layers and material combinations to support membrane performance and durability.
  • Identifying solvent systems and polymer blends that improve hydrophilicity and mechanical reinforcement.
Illustrative continuous roll-to-roll coating pathway: substrate unwind, precision coating, drying and curing, in-line inspection, and rewind.
Roll-to-roll coatingIllustrative pathway for the final membrane-coating step that supports production-scale manufacturing. Ionomr's Boston facility has a publicly reported annual capacity of 750,000 m².
02
2023 — 2024

Electric Hydrogen Co. · Natick, MA

Senior Chemical Engineer

Led catalyst development, protective coating work, and process scale-up for PEM electrolyzer manufacturing.

  • Designed and advanced next-generation iridium-based oxygen-evolution electrocatalysts using novel processing methods to improve performance and reduce degradation.
  • Scaled internal catalyst production to kilogram capacity.
  • Transitioned ink formulations, coatings, and CCMs from R&D into full-scale production.
  • Established catalyst recovery and recycling programs that supported sustainability and cost-reduction initiatives.
  • Managed and mentored a cross-functional team of engineers and co-ops, delivering R&D projects from concept to larger-scale demonstration.
03
2020 — 2023

GVD Corporation · Cambridge, MA

R&D Engineer · Process Engineer

Developed PECVD and iCVD equipment and processes for conformal vapor-deposited polymer coatings on complex electronic and energy-material components.

  • Developed conformal CVD coating processes that improved coverage in recessed features and other difficult-to-reach areas.
  • Qualified PECVD production chambers for external customers, supporting commercialization.
  • Supported DOE-funded work on perovskite barriers and ion-exchange membranes.
  • Served as Chemical Hygiene Officer, coordinating quarterly safety meetings and inspections and promoting safe laboratory practices.
04
2014 — 2020

Aramco Americas · Cambridge, MA

Lab Scientist II & III

Designed catalytic materials, reactor systems, and scale-up routes for converting hydrocarbon feedstocks into higher-value chemicals.

  • Scaled novel catalyst synthesis for pilot-plant testing.
  • Developed a hydrocracking process using a four-channel reactor system for catalyst testing at elevated temperatures and pressures.
  • Developed spray-drying, aerosol synthesis, forming, and pelletizing processes.

Early experience

2013

The Dow Chemical Company

Manufacturing & Engineering Intern

Manufacturing engineering within the Rohm and Haas Chemicals engineering division.

2012 — 2013

MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies

Undergraduate Researcher

Undergraduate research within MIT's interdisciplinary soldier nanotechnology institute.

2012

Corning Incorporated

R&D Intern

Materials Science Technology research and development internship.

2011 — 2012

MIT · Myerson Research Group

Undergraduate Researcher

Undergraduate chemical engineering research in the Myerson Research Group.

05 / Expertise

Technical expertise across advanced materials and process scale-up.

Methods and tools I use to develop, characterize, scale, and transfer advanced materials and processes.

Scale-up & manufacturing

Pilot systems · Process development · Facility commissioning · Powder, ink & coating processes

Materials & electrochemistry

PEM / AEM membranes · OER catalysts · CCMs · PECVD / iCVD · Zeolites · Surface modification

Characterization

BET / DFT / BJH · XRD · SEM / TEM / EDS · TGA / DSC · GC · ICP-OES · Mechanical testing

Modeling & tools

Python · MATLAB · COMSOL · LabVIEW · Aspen Plus · OpenFOAM · 3D printing & prototyping

06 / Research & patents

Publications, patents, and recognition.

Research and inventions in catalysis, zeolites, coating processes, and reactor systems.

7Selected publications
6Granted patents
3Career awards
Recent patent grant

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactors and associated methods

US Patent 12,646,678 · Granted June 2026

Recognition

2018Best Presentation · ACS National Meeting, CATL Session
2017Delivered Technology Award
2017Best Presentation Award · AIChE National Meeting
07 / Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

B.S. Chemical Engineering

Cambridge, MA · 2014

Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program (GEL)

MIT leadership development centered on teamwork, communication, and leading engineering projects—paired with chemical engineering training in kinetics, reactor design, thermodynamics, transport, separations, and energy.

Contact

Let's connect.

I welcome conversations about materials research, process development, and the challenges of bringing new technologies into production.

sfernand2408@gmail.com LinkedIn Google Scholar