The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology Seminar Series presents
Surface and Interface Characteristics of Polyelectrolyte Brushes
Dr.
Atsushi
Takahara
Professor and
Director
Institute
for
Materials
Chemistry
and
Engineering,
WPI
I2CNER
Kyushu
University,
Japan
Monday,
April
8,
2019
3:00-4:00
pm
QNC
1501
All are welcome to attend.
Abstract:
Soft interfaces offer fascinating opportunities for addressing numerous problems of both academic and industrial interests: high-quality functional or protective coatings, composite materials, surface engineered particles, metal-organic interfaces, biological applications, micro-patterning, etc. Polymers chemically grafted to the surface of substrates are typical soft interfaces known as polymer brushes. Surfaces covered with polyelectrolyte brushes are particularly attractive because of their potential applications including adhesion, antifouling, biocompatibility and water lubrication systems. In this presentation, our recent researches on control of wettability and adhesion through precise design of soft interfaces such as a polyeletrolyte brush surface are presented. We started from fundamental science including precise polyelectrolyte synthesis and solution characterization of polyelectrolytes, characterization of polymer brush at water interfaces, and water structure in polymer brushes. On that basis of these fundamental studies, we have successfully achieved 1) superhydrophilicity, 2) antifouling properties, 3) super-lubricant behavior, and 4) cell-surface interaction control.
Bio:
Prof.
Atsushi
Takahara earned
his
D.Eng.(1983)
in
the
field
of
polymer
science
from
Kyushu
University.
Since
1999,
he
is
a
full
professor
of
Kyushu
University.
He
has
been
a
project
leader
of
JST/ERATO
Takahara
Soft
Interfaces
Project
(2008-2014),
a
director
of
Institute
for
Materials
Chemistry
and
Engineering,
Kyushu
University
(2013-2017),
visiting
professor
of
East-Paris
University(2018).
He
is
currently
a
senior
editor
of
Langmuir(2016-)
and
EAB
member
of
several
international
journals.
From
2005
to
2008
and
2011
to
2017,
he
was
a
member
of
Science
Council
of
Japan.
He
received
many
awards
including
Polymer
Science
Award(2003),
Rheology
Award(2013),
APS
Fellow
(2014),
ACS
Fluoropolymer
3M
Award(2014),
RSC
Fellow(2016),
and
SPSJ
Award
for
Outstanding
Achievement
on
Polymer
Science
and
Technology(2018).
He
was
a
president
of
Society
of
Polymer
Science
(2014-2016).
At
present,
he
is
a
president
of
Materials
Research
Society,
Japan
(2017-2019).
He
has
published
more
than
550
peer
reviewed
papers.
His
research
interests
are
focused
on
advanced
soft
material
science
such
as
polymer
surface
and
interface,
polymer
nanocomposites,
and
novel
tough
polymers,
and
quantum
beam
science
applied
to
soft
matter.