Mario Gauthier

Mario Gauthier's research efforts are currently focused on the synthesis and physical characterization of a new class of branched macromolecules, called arborescent polymers. The term arborescent (from the latin arbor = tree) refers to the tree-like or dendritic structure of the molecules. These compounds are obtained in successive reaction cycles of polymerization and grafting. The highly branched structure of arborescent polymers leads to very unusual properties in solution, in the solid state and in the molten state, making them interesting for many specialty applications.

• Anionic polymerization: arborescent and other graft polymers; telechelic polymers; block copolymers
• “Living” free-radical polymerization reactions
• Emulsion polymerization
• Ion-containing polymers: ionomers; polyelectrolytes
• Copolymerization and post-polymerization modification reactions
• Polymer characterization: applications of laser light scattering techniques; size-exclusion chromatography
• Biomaterials and Polymers
• AI assisted Materials Development
• Smart and Functional Materials
• Rheological properties and mechanical testing
• Solution properties

• 1989 Ph.D., Chemistry, McGill University, Canada
• 1984 B.Sc., Chemistry, McGill University, Canada

• 2012-2017 Hubei Province High-end Foreign Experts Program Scholar, Hubei Province, China
• 2016 Chutian Scholars Program, Wuhan University of Science and Technology (WUST)
• 2014 Outstanding Performance Award, Faculty of Science

• 2015-present, Associate Chair, Graduate Studies and Research
• 2012-present, Graduate Advisory Committee
• 2012-present, (GWC)2 Coordinating Committee
• 2012-present, Executive Committee
• 2012-present, Graduate Awards Committee
• 2004-present, Work Term Report Coordinator
• 2012-2014 Graduate Officer

• Member, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology
• Member, Institute for Polymer Research

• CHEM 370 - Introduction to Polymer Science
  • Taught in 2019, 2020
• CHEM 400 - Special Topics in Chemistry
  • Taught in 2019
• CHEM 770 - Principles of Polymer Science
  • Taught in 2019, 2020
• CHEM 773 - Selected Topics in Polymer Chemistry
  • Taught in 2019
• MNS 322 - Polymer Materials
  • Taught in 2019

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Boni BO, Lamboni L, Souho T, Gauthier M, Yang G. Immunomodulation and cellular response to biomaterials: the overriding role of neutrophils in healing. Materials Horizons. 2019.
• Kwok CY, Pang Q, Worku AF, Liang X, Gauthier M, Nazar LF. Impact of the Mechanical Properties of a Functionalized Cross-linked Binder on the Longevity of Li-S Batteries. ACS applied materials & interfaces. 2019 May 29.
• Gauthier M, Aridi T. Synthesis of arborescent polystyrene by “click” grafting. Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry. 2019 Aug 15;57(16):1730-40.
• Gury L, Gauthier M, Cloitre M, Vlassopoulos D. Colloidal Jamming in Multiarm Star Polymer Melts. Macromolecules. 2019 Jun 14.
• Deepak VD, Mahmud I, Gauthier M. Synthesis of carboxylated derivatives of poly (isobutylene-co-isoprene) by azide–alkyne “click” chemistry. Polymer Journal. 2019 Mar;51(3):327.
• Parisi D, Truzzolillo D, Deepak VD, Gauthier M, Vlassopoulos D. Transition from confined to bulk dynamics in symmetric star-linear polymer mixtures. arXiv preprint arXiv:1902.03643. 2019 Feb 10.
• D. Kim, R. Amos, M. Gauthier, J. Duhamel. Applications of Pyrene Fluorescence to Characterization of Hydrophobically Modified Starch Nanoparticles. Langmuir 2018, 34(29), 8611-8621.
• L. Huang, L. Xiao, A. Jung Poudel, J. Li, P. Zhou, M. Gauthier, H. Liu, Z. Wu, G. Yang. Porous Chitosan Microspheres as Microcarriers for 3D Cell Culture. Carbohydrate Polymers 2018, 202, 611-620.
• T. Hall, G. Whitton, R. Casier, M. Gauthier, J. Duhamel. Arborescent Poly(L-glutamic acid)s as Standards to Study the Dense Interior of Polypeptide Mesoglobules by Pyrene Excimer Fluorescence. Macromolecules 2018, 51(20), 7914-7923.
• V. D. Deepak, I. Mahmud, M. Gauthier. Synthesis of Carboxylated Derivatives of Poly(isobutylene-co-isoprene) by Azide-alkyne "Click" Chemistry. Polym. J. (Tokyo) 2018, Ahead of Print. DOI: 10.1038/s41428-018-0130-y.

• Gauthier, M.; Li, J.; Parent, S. R.; Teertstra, S. J. Method for Synthesis of Graft Polymers. U.S. Patent No. 6,407,169 Applied December 13, 2000; Granted June 18, 2002 (10 pp)
• Siegers, C.; Adkinson, D. K.; Davidson, G. J. E.; Ferrari, L.; Gauthier, M. Azide-functional Polymers and Azidation Processes for Producing Azide-functional Polymers. PCT Int. Appl. (2013), WO 2013091086 A1 20130627 (26 pp).
• Siegers, C.; Adkinson, D. K.; Davidson, G. J. E.; Ferrari, L.; Gauthier, M. Process for Preparing Cured Azidated Elastomers. PCT Int. Appl. (2013), WO 2013091084 A1 20130627 (29 pp).