FUNCTIONAL POLYMER LABORATORY

JOE LOTT WINS ACS POLY GRADUATE STUDENT TRAVEL AWARD   October 29 2007

The award presented by the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry (POLY) provides $500.00 of travel support to attend a National ACS Meeting. Joe won the award to present his research on new polymeric lasers based on co-extruded multilayer polymer films at the Spring 2008 ACS National Meeting in New Orleans. The work is a collaboration in the NSF Center on Layered Polymeric Systems (CLiPS).

FUNCTIONAL POLYMER GANG DOMINATES NSF-INSPIRE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE   September 28 2007

For the fourth consecutive year, undergraduates from the Functional Polymer Laboratory rocked at the NSF-Inspire Undergraduate Research Conference. The conference, held at Case Western Reserve University, showcased work from more than 20 students from 8 schools. Stephanie Trittschuh (center) was recognized for giving the best research talk, which was about her summer research on biomimetic materials with dynamic mechanical properties. Charles Sing (left) was the runner-up with his talk on high-temperature thermochromic sensors. Connor Evans (right) was awarded the second place for best research poster, which outlined his summer research in Germany on photonic crystals with a nonlinear optical band gap. 

PAPER ON POLYMERS WITH BUILT-IN MOISTURE SENSORS SELECTED FOR COVER OF JMC¹   August 1 2007

Upon self-assembly, certain photoluminescent chromophores exhibit pronounced changes of their optical absorption properties. The integration of these dyes into a polymer matrix allows facile monitoring of external stimuli, for example mechanical stress, temperature history, or - as shown in this new paper - exposure to moisture.

For more information click here.

¹Kunzelman, J.; Crenshaw, B.R.; Weder, C.; Self-Assembly of Chromogenic Dyes - A New Mechanism for Humidity Sensors; J. Mater. Chem. 2007, 17, 2989-2991.

PAPER ON SELF-ASSESSING POLYMERS WITH BUILT-IN PHOTOLUMINESCENT SENSORS HIGHLIGHTED in ACS HEART CUT¹   May 21 2007

Upon self-assembly, certain oligo(phenylene vinylene) chromophores exhibit pronounced changes of their optical absorption properties. The integration of these dyes into a polymer matrix allows facile monitoring of mechanical stress or temperature history and is the basis for a versatile and general new approach for thermochromic and mechanochromic materials. Our recent paper that  presented a systematic investigation of mechanochromic, melt-processed blends between a series of polyethylenes (PE) with crystallinities ranging from 9 to 66 % and two excimer-forming, photoluminescent oligo(phenylene vinylene) dyes was highlighted by ACS Heart Cut. 

To read the highlight click here.

For more information click here.

¹Crenshaw, B.; Burnworth, M.; Khariwala, D.; Hiltner, P.A.; Mather, P.T.; Simha, R.; Weder, C.; Deformation-Induced Color Changes in Mechanochromic Polyethylene Blends; Macromolecules 2007, 40, 2400-2408.

G. CONNOR EVANS AND CHARLES SING WIN SOURCE FELLOWSHIPS FOR SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH    March 2007

Functional Polymer Laboratory Students continue to score big. The outstanding research performances of Connor Evans (research on Photonic Crystals with a Dynamic Band Gap, through EMAC 125, Freshman Research; EMAC) and Charles Sing (research on Smart Polymers with Self-Assessing Capabilities through EMAC 325, Polymer Research) were rewarded with SOURCE fellowships ($ 3500 each) to participate in the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering’s Summer REU program.

CHRISTINE ANDER WINS NSF-INSPIRE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE   September 15 2006

Functional Polymer Laboratory Students continue to score big. For the third consecutive year, a Case Polymer Summer REU  student was the winner of the NSF-INSPIRE polymer research competition held at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS. Christine Ander, a junior at SUNY Fredonia, was recognized for giving the best research talk. The presentation was based on Christine's summer work in the Functional Polymer Lab, which focused on the investigation of new polymers with built-in time-temperature sensors.  

JILL KUNZELMAN WINS FORD GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD   September 11 2006

The biannual award is sponsored by the Ford Motor Company and presented by the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) and provides $500.00 of partial travel support to graduate student women or under-represented minority men to attend and present their research at the National ACS Meetings. Jill won the award to present her work on new mechanochromic polymers at the Fall 2006 ACS Meeting in San Francisco.

JEFF CAPADONA RECEIVES VA - CAREER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE INVESTIGATOR AWARD   August 15 2006

The purpose of this award in the amount of $150,000 is to provide a mentored research development experience to a very select number of highly qualified clinicians and non-clinicians who have demonstrated abilities in key areas, present a well-articulated and well-designed career development plan that articulates clear commitment to VA, under exceptional mentors who demonstrate commitment and capacity to mentor the individual. The award provides salary support for two years.

SCOTT CHRISTENSEN AND CHARLES SING WIN CASE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JUNIOR/SENIOR FELLOWSHIP  August 1 2006

Another success for undergraduate students who carry out research in the  Functional Polymer Laboratory. Scott Christensen (top) and Charles Sing (bottom) are the recipients of Junior/Senior fellowships from the  Case Alumni Association. The fellowship includes financial support in the amount of $ 4000 and recognizes outstanding undergraduate students who demonstrate significant academic promise and leadership ability.

PAPER ON NEW CHEMICAL SENSOR PLATFORM PUBLISHES IN ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE¹   July 28 2006

We report a highly sensitive and selective modular approach for the detection of chemical warfare agents. Sensor complexes are formed by combination of carefully designed fluorescent ligands and metal ions. Sensor arrays can readily be tailored from multi-metal/multi-ligand systems to detect organophosphates and other analytes.

For more information click here

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 5825-5829.

PAPER ON NEW POLYMERS WITH BUILT-IN DEFORMATION AND TEMPERATURE SENSORS SELECTED FOR MULTI-ISSUE COVER OF CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS¹   March 1 2006

We report a highly sensitive and selective modular approach for the detection of chemical warfare agents. Sensor complexes are formed by combination of carefully designed fluorescent ligands and metal ions. Sensor arrays can readily be tailored from multi-metal/multi-ligand systems to detect organophosphates and other analytes.

For this and other covers click here

¹Chem. Mater. 2006, 18, 946-955.

BRENT CRENSHAW WINS EXCELLENCE IN GRADUATE POLYMER SCIENCE RESEARCH AWARD   March 26 2006

The award is sponsored by the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry and provides $200.00 of partial travel support to graduate students to attend and present their research at the National ACS Meetings. The nation's top student researchers are chosen to present their work in the "Excellence In Polymer Graduate Research Symposium". The purposes of this symposium are to provide recognition to outstanding graduate students in polymer science and engineering, to foster networking and exposure, and to help develop the careers of future leaders in our field.

Brent was invited to present his work on self-assessing polymers at the Spring 2006 ACS Meeting in Atlanta.

BRENT CRENSHAW WINS RUTH BARBER MOON AWARD   June 1 2005

Brent's research successes earned him the Ruth Barber Moon Award from the Case School of Graduate Studies. The award comes with a cash prize of $ 1000 and recognizes outstanding graduate students who demonstrate significant academic promise and leadership ability.