SURF Mentoring
Potential projects/topics: The Verduzco laboratory focuses on the design of polymers and nanomaterials for energy and sustainability applications. In one project, we are working to implement high throughput polymer synthesis and characterization technique. This will enable us to use AI and Machine Learning tools for polymer design. In another project, we are working to develop polymers and porous materials that can bind to a specific molecule or ion. This will be used for the recovery and recycling of critical materials like copper, rare earth elements, and electronic waste.
Potential skills gained: interest in chemistry and materials and for hands-on labowrk
Required qualifications: Introductory chemistry, math, and physics courses. Organic chemistry would be helpful but not required.
Direct mentor: Faculty/P.I., Post-doctorate, Graduate Student
Student Project Titles List
Engineering Thermo- & Photo-Responsive Fluidic Pumps using Liquid Crystal Elastomers
Developing Ion-Selective Membranes for Copper Recovery
Research Areas
The Verduzco laboratory carries out research involving polymers, which are present in a wide variety of materials; these including commercial products as well as proteins and biological materials. The research goal of the Verduzco laboratory is to take advantage of self-assembly in polymeric materials, in particular block copolymers, for a wide range of applications, including organic solar cells, engineering surface properties, and drug encapsulation and delivery. Block copolymers with well-defined molecular structures can be used to control material properties down to the nanoscale. The Verduzco laboratory utilizes advanced polymer synthesis techniques as well as a variety of nanoscale characterization tools, in particular small-angle x-ray scattering which provides structural information in polymer thin films and powders. In one current are of research, the Verduzco group is developing semiconductive block copolymers for use in polymer based solar cells, which are significantly cheaper and easier to fabricate compared with silicon-based solar cells. Semiconductive block polymers which can self-assemble into nanostructured photovoltaic films can potentially lead to higher power conversion efficiencies as well as quantitative information on the relationship between performance, optoelectronic properties, and structural details.
