MATLAB Interface for Cantera

Computational tools for thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, and reactor modeling are widely used in chemical engineering research and education, but integrating specialized scientific software into familiar engineering workflows can be challenging. This webinar will introduce the modern MATLAB interface for Cantera, an open-source software package for modeling chemically reacting systems and demonstrate how it can be used to build reproducible thermochemical, kinetic, and reactor simulations directly within MATLAB. Through a selection of representative chemical engineering examples, the presentation will illustrate workflows for accessing thermodynamic and kinetic properties, constructing reactor networks, and integrating Cantera calculations with MATLAB-based analysis and visualization. The examples will draw on established Cantera workflows available through other interfaces such as Python and demonstrate how these capabilities can be applied within MATLAB. The webinar will also discuss the development of the new MATLAB interface, including efforts to improve its maintainability, testing, documentation, and usability as the underlying Cantera software evolves. More broadly, the presentation will highlight how interoperable scientific software can connect established chemical engineering tools with modern open-source simulation capabilities. The webinar is intended for students, educators, researchers, and practicing engineers who use MATLAB for chemical engineering analysis or are interested in open-source tools for reactingsystem simulations. No prior experience with Cantera is required. By making established Cantera capabilities accessible within a familiar engineering environment, the new interface supports both classroom instruction and research workflows while strengthening connections between the broader chemical engineering and scientific-software communities.