Materials Design and Manufacturing
Building upon a long heritage of excellence in polymers and membrane science, CBE materials researchers are performing impactful work aimed at creating new materials, developing state-of-the-art technologies and characterization techniques, and innovating advanced manufacturing approaches to address pressing societal and scientific challenges. Our work has led to the development of self-sterilizing polymers that inactivate coronaviruses, textiles that can capture and deactivate toxic compounds, super sticky microparticles mimicking gecko feet, and the 3D printing of advanced materials, including liquid metals and jelly-like hydrogels. CBE researchers are also leaders in understanding long-standing fundamental issues in materials, including friction in suspensions and wet surfaces, the stability of glasses, and atomic layer deposition for advanced semiconductors and electronic applications. Our work is strengthened by numerous campus activities in materials manufacturing, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Prof. Abolhasani
Focusing on development of microscale flow chemistry technologies tailored for studies of fundamental mechanisms
Prof. Dickey
Elucidating the fundamental structure-property relationships, and to develop new, unconventional approaches
Prof. Efimenko
Providing educational opportunities to develop skilled professionals for the biomanufacturing industry
Prof. Fedwik
Develops composite polymer electrolytes which decouple the mechanical behavior of the polymer from its conductivity
Prof. Genzer
Using organic films to form polymer-nanoparticle composites by controlling the molecular parameters of the underlying films
Prof. Hall
Applying molecular thermodynamics and computer simulation to model self assembly of biological molecules and soft materials
Prof. Hsiao
Focusing on biomimetic and responsive materials, complex fluids, soft matter, and colloidal hydrodynamics
Prof. Khan
Focusing on functional nanofibers that offer an exciting opportunity to develop materials with new and tailored properties
Prof. Lamb
Researching on heterogeneous catalysis with emphasis on in-situ characterization
Prof. Li
Studies carbon dioxide capture and biomass tar removal via thermochemical redox reactions
Prof. McKenna
Researching on Small Molecule Interactions with Glassy Polymers, Torsion, Normal Force Measurements, Nanomechanics, Solution Rheometry, Residual Stresses
Prof. Parsons
Focusing on fundamentals of thin film materials, surface reactions, and nano--scale engineering
Prof. Santiso
Using modern molecular simulation methods, machine learning tools, and metahuristic algorithms to discover new materials
Prof. Simon
Focusing on the physics and chemistry of polymers and glass-forming materials using calorimetry, dilatometry, and mechanical experiments
Prof. Spontak
Focusing on the design, characterization, and modeling through the use of optical, electron, x-ray, and probe microscopies
Prof. Velev
Develops technologies for chemical synthesis in microscopic droplets, drug and toxin screening, handling of single live cells, assembly of microscopic circuits and sensors
Prof. Wei
Developing next-generation field-deployable molecular imaging, sensing, and diagnostic tools
Prof. Westmoreland
Focusing on reaction kinetics, applying computational quantum chemistry to complement their experimental research