Current Resarch

Spatially and Compositionally Gradient Scaffold for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Replacement
Multiscale, Multifunctional Composite Materials
3-D Printed Polymeric Tissue Scaffolds
Functionalized Polymer Nanofiber Scaffolds with Bioactive Inks using Dip Pen Nanolithography
Drug Eluting Tissue Scaffolds: Targeted Drug Delivery Using Nanodiamonds
Additive Manufacturing of Composite Materials

During the past 15 years, our laboratory has conducted research on nanostructured polymers and polymer nanocomposites for applications ranging from aerospace to automotive and tissue regeneration. This work is poised at the interface of nanotechnology, materials engineering and the life sciences, as shown in the figure below. Our approach utilizes nano and microfabrication techniques to develop multiscale, multifunctional materials for bio and non-bio applications. A hallmark of our group is our expertise on the process-structure function relationships of polymeric.

Areas of Expertise

Electrospinning of polymeric nanofibers: polymers; nanocomposites; so-gel systems; 3D shapes
Additive manufacturing (3-D printing; Inkjet Printing; Dip Pen Nanolithography)
Polymer Nanocomposites
Multiscale, Multifunctional Composites
Mechanical characterization of polymeric materials: Static; Dynamic; Mechanical; Rheology; Nanoindentation.
Thermal analysis (Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA)
Morphological characterization of polymeric materials (SEM; TEM; XRD)
Polymer nanocomposite foams

Tissue Engineering

"involves applying principles of engineering and life sciences toward the development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain or improve tissue function"
Tissue Engineering Tissue