Computer Simulations of Polymers and Soft Matter: A Path to Design New Materials

Soft Condensed Matter & Physics of Living Systems

During the last decade our understanding of polymers and soft matter has tremendously benefited from synergistic approach combining computer simulations, theory and experiments. In this talk, I will describe several examples where this approach was instrumental.

In particular, I will show how computer simulations helped with: (i) development of a new theoretical framework for contact mechanics of micro- and nano-scale objects; (ii) understanding of nonlinear elasticity of biological and polymeric networks and gels; and (iii) discovery of mechanism for graphene exfoliation and stabilization at interface between two immiscible solvents and utilization of this phenomena for design of polymer/graphene foams.

BIOGRAPHY

ANDREY DOBRYNIN is Alan N. Gent Ohio Research Scholar, Professor of Polymer Science at University of Akron. He received his B.S. (1987) and Ph.D. (1991) degrees in Polymer Physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia.  He joined the faculty at the University of Akron in July 2015. His research focuses on polyelectrolyte solutions and gels, charged polymers at surfaces and interfaces, electrostatic interactions in biological systems, wetting and adhesion at nanoscale, associating polymers, polymer networks and gels, soft-matter physics and biophysics.  For his work on charged polymers Prof. Dobrynin was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society. 

Event Details

Date/Time:

  • Date: 
    Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 3:00pm to 4:00pm

Location:
KLAUS 1116 West

For More Information Contact

Prof. Jennifer Curtis