Research

 
Faculty Member Title, Academic Department Research specialty as related to fibers, films, composites
Dr. Chris Cox Professor and Chair, Mathematics and Statistics Modeling C-CP Fiber Filtration/Separation Processes
Dr. Doug Hirt Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular EngAssociate Dean, Research and Grad Studies Drug-Eluting Fibers
Dr. Scott Husson Dean’s Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Eng Advanced functional membranes
Dr. Chris Kitchens Associate Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator, Chemical and Biomolecular Eng Cellulose Nanocrystals/Alginate Composite Fibers
Dr. Bob Latour  McQueen-Quattlebaum Professor, Bioengineering Modeling of Thin Protein Films
Dr. Igor Luzinov Professor, Materials Science and Eng Surface-Active Fibers and Fabrics
Dr. Ken Marcus Professor, Chemistry Capillary-Channeled Polymer (C-CP) Fibers
Dr. Oliver Myers Associate Professor,  Mechanical Eng Multifunctional Composite Structures
Dr. Amod Ogale Director, CAEFF Dow Chemical Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Eng Carbon Fibers and Composites
Dr. Mark Roberts Associate Professor and Graduate
Coordinator, Chemical and Biomolecular Eng
Synthesis/Characterization of Electronic Nanostructures
Dr. Ya-Ping Sun Frank Leslie Professor, Chemistry Carbon Nanomaterials
Dr. Mark Thies Dow Chemical Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Eng Fractionation / Characterization of Carbonaceous Oligomers
Dr. Marek Urban Sirrine Foundation Endowed Professor, Materials Science and Eng Self-Healing Polymers: Thin Film Coatings

Douglas E. Hirt, Ph.D.

Douglas HirtProfessor, Chemical and Biomolecular EngAssociate Dean, Research and Grad Studies
Email: hirtd@clemson.edu

 

 

Research Specialty (as related to fibers, films, composites): Drug-Eluting Fibers

Recent Publications (related to fibers, films, composites):

Rasal, R. M. and Hirt, D. E., “Poly(lactic acid) Toughening with a Better Balance of Properties,” Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 295, 204-209 (2010).

Rasal, R. M., Janorkar, A. V., and Hirt, D. E., “Poly(lactic acid) Modifications,” Progress in Polymer Science, 35, 338-356 (2010).

Mitchell, M. K. and Hirt, D. E., “Degradation of PLA Fibers at Elevated Temperature and Humidity,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 55, 1652-1660 (2015).

Recent Publications (related to fibers, films, composites):

Rasal, R. M. and Hirt, D. E., “Poly(lactic acid) Toughening with a Better Balance of Properties,” Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 295, 204-209 (2010).

Rasal, R. M., Janorkar, A. V., and Hirt, D. E., “Poly(lactic acid) Modifications,” Progress in Polymer Science, 35, 338-356 (2010).

Mitchell, M. K. and Hirt, D. E., “Degradation of PLA Fibers at Elevated Temperature and Humidity,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 55, 1652-1660 (2015).


Mark C. Thies, Ph.D., P.E.

Mark C. ThiesDow Chemical Professor, P.E.
Separations, Thermodynamics, and Supercritical Fluids
Email: mcths@clemson.edu

 

Research Specialty (as related to fibers, films, composites):

Sponsored Research (related to fibers, films, composites):

“GOALI: Tuning Renewable Solvent Systems for Lignin Purification and Fractionation”, PI, National Science Foundation, REU Supplement, $12,000 (2016).

“Rheo-Structural Investigation of Fractionated-Solvated Lignin as a Carbon Fiber Precursor”, co-PI, National Science Foundation, $375,000 (2015-2018).

“GOALI: Tuning Renewable Solvent Systems for Lignin Purification and Fractionation”, PI, National Science Foundation, $315,822 (2014-2018).

“Graphenic Materials from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Oligomers”, PI, The Petroleum Research Fund, $110,000 (2014-2017).

Recent Publications (related to fibers, films, composites):

Thies, M. C.; Klett, A. S. Recovery of Low-ash and Ultrapure Lignins from Alkaline By-Product Streams. In Production of Biofuels and Chemicals from Lignin, Chapter 3; Fang, Z.; Smith, R. L. Jr., Eds.; Springer Singapore, 2016.

Klett, A. S.; Payne, A. M.; Phongpreecha, T.; Hodge, D. A.; Thies, M. C. Benign Fractionation of Lignin with CO2-Expanded Solvents of Acetic Acid + Water. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., submitted for publication, 2017.

Klett, A. S.; Payne, A. M.; Thies, M. C. Continuous-Flow Process for the Purification and Fractionation of Alkali and Organosolv Lignins. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2016, 4, 6689-6694.

Songtipya, L.; Thies, M. C.; Sane, A. Effect of rapid expansion of subcritical solutions processing conditions on loading capacity of tetrahydrocurcumin encapsulated in poly(L-lactide) particles. J. Supercrit. Fluids 2016, 113, 119-127.

Klett, A. S.; Gamble, J. A.; Thies, M. C.; Roberts, M. E. Identifying thermal phase transitions of lignin–solvent mixtures using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Green Chem. 2016, 18, 1892-1897.

Richards, J. R.; Velez, J. G.; Songtipya, L.; Sane, A.; Thies, M. C. Fluid-phase behavior of the guaiacol+CO2 system at high pressures. J. Supercrit. Fluids 2016, 109, 95-99.

Velez, J.; Thies, M. C. Liquid Lignin from the SLRPTM Process: the Effect of Processing Conditions and Black-Liquor Properties. J. Wood Chem. Technol. 2016, 36, 27-41.


Robert Latour, Ph.D.

Robert Latour

McQueen-Quattlebaum Professor
Ph.D. Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania 1989
Email latourr@clemson.edu

Research Interests
Proteins | Adsorption | Simulation

Research Specialty (as related to fibers, films, composites): Modeling of Thin Protein Films

Sponsored Research (related to fibers, films, composites): 

“RESBIO III – Integrated Technologies for Polymeric Biomaterials,” NIH P20, subcontract from Rutgers University, PI: R.A. Latour (CU subcontract), J. Kohn (Rutgers University, overall PI), $529,255 to Clemson, 6/01/13 – 5/31/18.

“Evaluation of an At-Home Urine Test for Phe-Level Monitoring for PKU Patients,” NIH R03, PI:  R.A. Latour, $143,304, 7/1/2017-6/30/2019, submitted February 16, 2017.  Under review.

Recent Publications (related to fibers, films, composites):

Li X., Murthy N.S., Becker M.L., Latour R.A., A multiscale approach for the construction of equilibrated all-atom models of a poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogel, Biointerphases, vol 11, article 021002, pp. 1-14 (2016).

Fears K.P., Kolel-Veetil M.K., Barlow D.E., Bernstein N., Wahl K.J., So C.R., Li X., Kulp III J.L., Latour R.A., Clark T.D., Rigid yet extensible cyclic -tripeptide polymer: A novel class of extremely tough nanomaterials, Nature, submitted.

Li X., Becker M.L., Murthy N.S., Latour R.A., Design optimization of PEG-based peptide-conjugated hydrogels through multiscale molecular modeling, The 2016 Symposium on Biomaterial Science/Society for Biomaterials Fall Conference, Iselin, NJ, Oct. 24-25, 2016. Oral presentation.

Li X., Becker M.L., Murthy N.S., Latour R.A., Design guide for peptide-functionalized hydrogels using multiscale molecular simulation, The 2016 Symposium on Biomaterial Science/Society for Biomaterials Fall Conference, Iselin, NJ, Oct. 24-25, 2016. Poster presentation.

Li X.F., Becker M.L., Murthy N.S., Latour R.A., Design optimization of PEG-based peptide-conjugated hydrogels through multiscale molecular modeling methods, Society for Biomaterials, 40th Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, April 4-8, 2017, accepted.  Poster presentation.

Latour R.A., TIGER2A:  A new accelerated sampling algorithm for large molecular systems with explicit solvation, Prof. David P. Landau’s group seminar series, Center for Simulational Physics, Department of Physics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, April 12, 2016.  Invited seminar.

Latour R.A., Li X., Murthy M.L., Becker M.L., Design optimization of peptide-functionalized hydrogels through multiscale molecular simulation, XXV International Materials Research Congress, Cancun, Mexico, August 14-19, 2016.  Invited conference presentation.


Ya-Ping Sun

Dr. Ya-Ping Sun

Frank Henry Leslie Professor
Materials/Organic Chemistry
E-mail: syaping@clemson.edu

 

 

Research Specialty (as related to fibers, films, composites): Carbon Nanomaterials

Sponsored Research (related to fibers, films, composites): 

New Strategy and Method for Isolating and Concentrating Foodborne Pathogens, USDA (through North Carolina Central University), $239,222, 01/01/2014-12/31/2017.

Carbon Dots for Energy Conversion and Storage Applications, AFRL (through University of Dayton Research Institute), $50,000, 1/1/2016 – 12/31/2016.

Recent Publications (related to fibers, films, composites):

Yang, F.; LeCroy, G. E.; Wang, P.; Liang, W.; Chen, J.; Fernando, K. A. S.; Bunker, C. E.;  Qian, H.; Sun, Y.-P. “Functionalization of Carbon Nanoparticles and Defunctionalization – Towards Structural and Mechanistic Elucidation of Carbon “Quantum” Dots J. Phys. Chem. C 2016, 120, 25604–25611.

Hu, Y.; Al Awak, M. M.; Yang, F.; Yan, S.; Xiong, Q.; Wang, P.; Tang, Y.; Yang, L.; LeCroy, G. E.; Bunker, C. E.; Xu, L.; Tomlinson, N.; Sun, Y.-P. “Photoexcited State Properties of Carbon Dots from Thermally Induced Functionalization of Carbon Nanoparticles J. Mater. Chem. C. 2016, 4, 10554-10561.

Sahu, S.; Cao, L.; Meziani, M. J.; Bunker, C. E.; Fernando, K. A. S.; Wang, P.; Sun, Y.-P. “Carbon Dioxide Photoconversion Driven by Visible-Light Excitation of Small Carbon Nanoparticles in Various Configurations” Chem. Phys. Lett. 2015, 634, 122–128.

Fernando, K. A. S.; Sahu, S.; Liu, Y.; Lewis, W. K.; Guliants, E. A.; Jafariyan, A.; Wang, P.; Bunker, C. E.; Sun, Y.-P. “Carbon Quantum Dots and Applications in Photocatalytic Energy Conversion ACS Appl. Mater. Interf. 2015, 7, 8363–8376.

Liu, J.-H.; Cao, L.; LeCroy, G. E.; Wang, P.; Meziani, M. J.; Dong, Y.; Liu, Y.; Sun, Y.-P. “Fluorescence Labeling of Cells with Carbon “Quantum” Dots ACS Appl. Mater. Interf. 2015, 7, 19439–19445.

Wang, S.; LeCroy, G. E.; Yang, F.; Dong, X.; Sun, Y.-P.; Yang, L. “Carbon Nanotube-Assisted Capturing of Bacterial Pathogens RSC Adv. 2015, 5, 91246-91253.

LeCroy, G. E.; Yang, S.-T.; Yang, F.; Liu, Y.; Fernando, K. A. S.; Bunker, C. E.; Hu, Y.; Luo, P. G.; Sun, Y.-P. “Functionalized Carbon Nanoparticles: Syntheses and Applications in Optical Bioimaging and Energy Conversion Coordination Chem. Rev. 2016, 320–321, 66–81.

Meziani, M. J.; Dong, X.; Zhu, L.; Jones, L. P.; LeCroy, G. E.; Yang, F.; Wang, P.; Zhao, Y.; Yang, L.; Tripp, R. A.; Sun, Y.-P. “Visible-Light-Activated Bactericidal Functions of Carbon “Quantum” Dots ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2016, 8, 10761–10766.

Liu, Y.; Wang, P.; Fernando, K. A. S.; LeCroy, G. E.; Maimaiti, H.; Harruff-Miller, B. A.; Lewis, W. K.; Bunker, C. E.; Hou, Z.-L.; Sun, Y.-P. “Enhanced Fluorescence Properties of Carbon Dots in Polymer Films J. Mater. Chem. C 2016, 4, 6967-6974.


Scott M. Husson, Ph.D.

Dr. Scott M. HussonDean’s Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Associate Editor, Separation Science and Technology
Bioseparations and Advanced Separation Materials
Email: shusson@clemson.edu

 

Research Specialty (as related to fibers, films, composites): Advanced functional membranes

Sponsored Research (related to fibers, films, composites): 

Recent Publications (related to fibers, films, composites):

  1. Duval, C.E., DeVol, T.A., Wade, E.C., Seliman, A.F., Bliznyuk, V.N., Husson, S.M. Stability of Polymeric Scintillating Resins Developed for Ultra-Trace Level Detection of Alpha- and Beta-Emitting Radionuclides, Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. Posted online June 21, 2016: DOI 10.1007/s10967-016-4913-3
  2. Duval, C.E.; DeVol, T.A.; Husson, S.M. Evaluation of resin radius and column diameter for the implementation of extractive scintillating resin in flow-cell detectors. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 307(3), 2253-2258 (2016).
  3. Locklair, D.; Mannion, J.; Husson, S.M.; Powell, B. Uptake of plutonium on a novel thin film for use in spectrometry. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 307(3), 2333-2338 (2016).
  4. Mannion, J.; Locklair, D.; Powell, B.; Husson, S.M. Alpha spectroscopy substrates based on thin polymer films. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 307(3), 2339-2345 (2016).
  5. Wang, J.; Wilson, A.; Robinson, J.R.; Jenkins, E.W.; Husson, S.M. A new multimodal membrane adsorber for monoclonal antibody purifications. J. Membr. Sci. 492, 137-146 (2015).
  6. Zhou, J.; Wandera, D.; Husson, S.M. Mechanisms and control of fouling during ultrafiltration of high strength wastewater without pretreatment. J. Membr. Sci. 488, 103-110 (2015).

R. Kenneth Marcus

Dr. R. Kenneth Marcus

Professor
Analytical Chemistry
E-mail: marcusr@clemson.edu

 

 

Research Specialty (as related to fibers, films, composites): Capillary-Channeled Polymer (C-CP) Fibers

Sponsored Research (related to fibers, films, composites): 

Recent Publications (related to fibers, films, composites):

Liuwei Jiang, Yi Jin, and R. Kenneth Marcus, “Polyethylenimine Modified Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Capillary Channeled-Polymer (C-CP) Fibers for Anion Exchange Chromatography of Proteins”, J. Chromatogr. A, 1410, 200-209, 2015.

Abby J. Schadock-Hewitt, and R. Kenneth Marcus, “Evidence for the Intercalation of PEG-Lipid Acyl Chains into Polypropylene Fiber Matrices”, Langmuir, 31, 10418-10425, 2015.

Kenneth Marcus and Antje J. Baeumner, “Fiber-based platforms for bioanalytics”, Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 408, 1281-1283, 2016.

Liuwei Jiang and R. Kenneth Marcus, “Comparison of Analytical Protein Separation Characteristics for Three Amine-Based Capillary-Channeled Polymer (C-CP) Stationary Phases”, Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 408, 1373-1383, 2016.

Lynn X. Zhang, Liuwei Jiang, Daniel R. Willett and R. Kenneth Marcus, “Parallel, Open-Channel Lateral Flow (Immuno) Assay Substrate Based on Capillary-Channeled Polymer Films”, Analyst, 141, 807-814, 2016.

Hung K. Trang, Abby J. Schadock-Hewitt, Liuwei Jiang and R. Kenneth Marcus, “Evaluation of loading characteristics and IgG binding performance of Staphylococcal Protein A on polypropylene capillary-channeled polymer fibers”, J. Chromatogr. B, 1015, 92-104, 2016.

Paul Haupt-Renaud, Luiwei Jiang, and R. Kenneth Marcus, “Modification of PS-DVB resin with Lipid Tethered Ligands (LTLs) for Affinity Based Protein Separations”, Anal. Bioanal. Chem., submitted for publication.


Amod A. Ogale, Ph.D.

Amod A. OgaleDirector, Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films (CAEFF)Dow Chemical Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Email: ogale@clemson.edu

 

Research Specialty (as related to fibers, films, composites): Carbon Fibers and Polymeric Composites

Sponsored Research (related to fibers, films, composites): 

“High Strength Carbon Fibers for TuFF”, Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) through University of Delaware, A. A. Ogale (Clemson PI), $ 2,002,000 (Ogale credit: $ 2,002,000), 3/2016 – 3/2019

“High-Strength Carbon Fibers from Eco-Friendly Processing of Biomass,” PI: A. A. Ogale, co-PI: M. C. Thies, National Science Foundation, 7/15/2015–7/14/2018, $ 375,000 (Ogale credit: $ 225,000)

“Development of Polymer Gel-Based Indicators to Monitor the Exposure of Pharmaceuticals to Harmful Temperatures, NSF Phase II through Prasidiux LLC, PI: A. A. Ogale, 11/2016– 9/2017, $ 67,500 (Ogale credit: $ 67,500)

“ERC-Small Business: Rheology of polyimide-based surface treatment materials”, NSF through Tetramer, A. A. Ogale (PI), 11/2015-2/2017, $ 74,999 ($ 74,999)

“Carbon Fibers Derived from Sustainable Precursors”, Army Research Office/ SERDP, A. A. Ogale (PI); total $ 719,998 (Ogale credit: $ 669,600), 2/2010-8/2016

“Continuous Calendering-Extrusion Route for Melt-Processing of Ribbon-Fiber Based Nonwovens and Films Derived from Soy Proteins” A. A. Ogale (PI, 100%), United Soybean Board, 9/2011 – 12/2016, $ 312,000 (Ogale credit: $312,000)

 Recent Publications (related to fibers, films, composites):

Victor Bermudez, Sam Lukubira, and Amod A. Ogale*, “Pitch Precursor-Based Carbon Fibers”, Chapter 128 in Comprehensive Composite Materials II, Co-Editors-in-Chief, Peter Beaumont (Cambridge University) and Carl Zweben (Composites and Thermal Materials), Elsevier, accepted for publication April 17, 2017

Byron S. Villacorta and Amod A. Ogale*, “Carbon nanoparticle-based flexible LLDPE composites for enhanced electromagnetic shielding effectiveness”, Chapter 8 in “MICRO- AND NANOSTRUCTURED POLYMER SYSTEMS: From Synthesis to Applications”, Editors: Sabu Thomas, Robert A. Shanks, and Jithin Joy , Apple Academic Press, Waretown, NJ, pp. 119-138, 2016

A. A. Ogale*, M. Zhang, and J. Jin, “Recent Advances in Carbon Fibers Derived from Bio-based Precursors”, J. APPL. POLYM. SCI. 2016, DOI: 10.1002/APP.43794, May 2016

M. Zhang and A. A. Ogale*, “Effect of temperature and concentration of acetylated-lignin solutions on dry-spinning of carbon fiber precursors”, J. APPL. POLYM. SCI. 2016, DOI: 10.1002/APP.43663, March 2016

N. Khanoonkon ; Rangrong Yoksan*; Amod A. Ogale, “Effect of stearic acid-grafted starch compatibilizer on properties of linear low density polyethylene/thermoplastic starch blown film”, Carbohydrate Polymers, 137, 165-173, 2016

R. Thipmanee ; Sam Lukubira ; Amod A. Ogale ; Amporn Sane*, “Enhancing distributive mixing of immiscible polyethylene/thermoplastic starch blend through zeolite ZSM-5 compounding sequence”, Carbohydrate Polymers, 136, 812-819, 2015

M. Zhang, J. Jin, and A. A. Ogale*, “Carbon Fibers from UV-Assisted Stabilization of Lignin-Based Precursors”, Fibers, 3, 184-196, 2015. DOI:10.3390/fib3020184