Biomineralization,, nanowires, and soft materials: processes and properties at the nanometer scale

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My research interests focus on mechanical properties and processes at the nanometer scale. For example, one of my interests is crystallization and, in particular, its control by molecular "poisons" that adsorb to crystal growth faces. This is relevant to a wide range of systems that are important in industry (e.g., winter additives that prevent wax crystallization in diesel fuels) and biology (e.g., proteins that allow some organisms to survive subzero temperatures). Another theme in my research group has been the characterization of nanofibres, wires, and tubes. Understanding the mechanical properties of such materials is a prerequisite to their use in technology. These two themes intersect in one of the tools employed in my laboratory: the atomic force microscope (AFM), which senses surface features and properties through a sharp, microfabricated probe. However, we employ a suite of other techniques as necessary. For instance, we are studying poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels, which have microstructures involving length scales ranging from nanometers to tens of micrometers. To unravel the structure of this material whose applications include active wound dressings and vascular grafts, we employ mechanical testing, neutron scattering, and numerical modeling.