Guruswamy Kumaraswamy

Polymer nanocomposites are frequently not at equilibrium—therefore, the structure and properties critically depend on the protocol followed in their preparation. Here, we demonstrate that the elastic–brittle transition in highly loaded ice-templated polymer nanocomposites is sensitively determined by the conformation of polymer chains during nanocomposite preparation.

In polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGN), covalent tethering of apolar polymer chains to a polar inorganic nanoparticle core induces the formation of self-assembled aggregates. Since the nature of these aggregates determines bulk mechanical and transport properties, it is of importance to understand the factors that determine the underlying assembly processes. In the literature, the solution assembly of PGNs has been understood in analogy to small-molecule amphiphiles.

Regenerated cellulose fibers are among the most widely used bio-derived materials. Currently, there is great interest in transitioning from the traditional viscose process to the more environmentally friendly lyocell process for fiber production. Differences between the characteristics of viscose and lyocell fibers can be attributed to microstructural differences that arise due to differences in the processing techniques.