TAMU Materials Science & Engineering |
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| Ductile fracture and brittle-ductile transition; computational dislocation dynamics; nonlocal elasticity and plasticity; micromechanics of defects in solids | ||
Micromechanics of composite materials, damage mechanics, active materials and structure. Director of Texas Institute for Intelligent Bio-Nano Materials and Structures for Aerospace Vehicles (TiiMS) |
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| Ramesh Talreja | Damage, fatigue and failure of composites, effects of manufacturing effects, aging aircraft, sustainability of aerospace vehicles | John Whitcomb | Composites and fracture mechanics, solid mechanics, computational methods |
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Chloroplasts are essential organelles in algae and higher plants that host photosynthesis and other indispensable metabolic processes and also exhibit storage functions. Chloroplasts and all plastids arise only by division of existing organelles. Pivotal roles in plastid division are played by the FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 proteins, which evolved from the single prokaryotic cell division protein FtsZ, a self-assembling GTPase and an ancestral structural homolog of eukaryotic tubulin. At the onset of division, FtsZ assembles to form a ring structure (Z-ring) that serves as a scaffold for subsequent recruitment and integration of other components into the division machinery. The Z-ring in bacteria is a highly dynamic structure undergoing rapid exchange of its subunits. Our preliminary data show that (i) plant FtsZ1 also undergoes exchange /in vivo/ albeit much slower than the bacterial FtsZ, (ii) FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 alone polymerize /in vitro/ and (iii) their assembly is enhanced when both are present.Our research focuses on identifying the molecular mechanism of polymerization and determining the structure of the macromolecular assemblies of the two key components, FtsZ1 and FtsZ2. Our overall goal is to test and expand the current model for plant FtsZ assembly with the long-term view to understand and regulate plastid and starch granule sizing. As starch granule size is critical for many applications, it would be highly beneficial if one could customize the granule size /in planta/. Most problems are encountered with small starch granules as current centrifugation, hydrocyclone and wet-milling procedures result in significant losses every year. It has been shown for potato that manipulation of FtsZ levels, apparently changing the stoichiometry between FtsZ1 and other proteins of the plastid division machinery, resulted in increased amyloplast size and concomitant significant increase in starch granule size. |
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Material structures and their correlation with properties; nanomaterials (nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes and nanocomposites), metallic materials, ceramic oxides, and composites (polymer-, metal-, and ceramic-matrix); transmission electron microscopy; materials for energy-related applications. |
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Her current research interests include biomaterial synthesis, structure-property relationships, cell-material interactions, musculoskeletal tissue engineering and biodegradation characterization. Specifically, novel block copolymer systems are under investigation as polymeric scaffolds for tendon and ligament tissue engineering. Complementary experiments that generate quantitative models of tissue remodeling will be used to improve the design of new biomaterials and guide tissue regeneration strategies. |
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Biomaterials, biopolymers for medical devices and drug delivery systems |
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Functioning of cellular hardware over multiple length- and time-scales to provide foundations for a wide range of therapeutic and bioengineering applications, molecular mechanics, motor proteins, biofilaments macromolecular assembly, computational biophysics. |
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Biomaterials, laser-tissue interactions, interventional cardiovascular devices, image-guided therapies, computational physics |
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Analytical tools (e.g. biosensors) and associated implementation protocols for medical research and clinical application |
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Biomedical sensing and imaging, biomaterials, nanotechnology, biomedical optics, medical devices |
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Nanotechnology, surface and interface science, with a special focus on the areas of drug delivery, biomedical interfaces, tribology, surface and intermolecular forces, colloidal stabilization, and crystallization. |
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Catalysis, quantum and classical molecular simulations; thermodynamic and transport properties of materials |
Computational materials science and nanotechnology; functional and active materials for devices and sensors; surface and interface properties of materials; nano-mechanics,nano-tribology; process modelling for nanostructured materials; energy, mass and momentum bal nanoscale; development and application of multiscale simulation methods for metals, alloys, polymers, biopolymers, dendrimers, and composites |
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Complex fluids: colloids, polymers, biomaterials, cell encapsulation, biologically inspired physics, fabrication of photonic crystals |
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Understanding cell-cell and cell-material interactions at a more fundamental level to rationally guide tissue regeneration. Vocal fold tissue and cardiovascular tissues are used as model systems for probing cell response to controlled external stimuli. Areas of current emphasis include controlling material mechanical and chemical properties at the microscale, vascular tissue engineering and vocal fold regeneration. |
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Molecular filters; novel methodologies to design, modify, deposit and microfabricate nanostructured materials and to build them into hierarchical structures and complex forms for wide ranges of applications including separation membranes, selective catalysts, adsorbents as well as micro systems, fuel cells, bio-separation, micro photonics, etc. |
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Thin film nano- and microelectronics materials, processes, and devices; thin film transistors (TFTs); advanced VLSI tchnology; plasma processing; biochips |
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Design organic thin films and nanostructures to enable the development of novel organic energy systems and smart-coatings. Areas of investigation include learning how polymer thin films behave in confinement; fabrication of polymer nanowires and nanotubules; polyelectrolytes and layer-by-layer assembly; designing lithium-ion battery electrode and electrolyte materials; and understanding electrochemical processes within these materials |
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Abnormal situation management, aerosol research, inherently safer design, quantitative risk assessment, reactive chemicals, modeling of silane releases, LNG safety and design and flammability research. As director of the Mary Kay O’ Connor Process Safety Center, Dr. Mannan has served as a consultant to numerous entities in both the academic and private sectors. |
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Molecular electronics; nanoelectronics; nanobiotronics; spintronics; sensing; electrocatalysis; process control |
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Development of novel vapor phase techniques for the synthesis of organic and inorganic nanostructures and the development and implementation of novel in-situ and ex-situ schemes for the large-scale integration of these nanostructures into energy conversion devices (e.g., solar cells, thermoelectric devices) |
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Nanoscale materials and devices, nanotribology, biological surfaces and interfacs, development of custom-engineered surfaces and interfaces through a fundamental understanding of the underlying chemistry and physics of the system |
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Inorganic solid state and cluster chemistry, metal chalcogenide chemistry, reduces zirconium halide clusters |
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Energy storage for transportation, Supramolecular chemistry, Hydrogen and methane storage, clean-energy-related separation, metal-organic frameworks, mesh-adjustable molecular sieves, mesoporous materials, biomimetic synthesis |
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Multi-scale theoretical, computational, and experimental solid and structural mechanics, high speed impact damage, nonlocal and strain gradient theories, size effects at the micron and nano length scales, damage and fracture mechanics, cyclic plasticity, mechanics of the micro/nano structures (e.g. thin films, nanowires, electronics). He is working on development of micromechanical-based constitutive models for metals and metal alloys, fiber reinforced composites, concrete, ceramics, and polymers. |
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Advanced solid state semiconductor devices, CMOS and silicon technology, materials integration, novel electrical and physical device and material characterization, III-V compounds and nano-photonics, self-embedded nano-technology and supercritical fluid processing and deposition. |
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Solid materials for quantum optics, Materials and techniques for resonant nonlinear optics, phase conjugate-based turbulence aberration and compensation, spectral hole burning materials and techniques for ultra-dense memories and high temperature operation, quantum computing in solid materials, quantum communication and teleportation in trapped atoms, holographic optical memory materials, smart pixels devices, optical correlators, photorefractive applications, atomic clocks, laser trapping and cooling |
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Bio-nanotechnology, with goal to manipulate the single molecule; bio-nano machining, nanosensors and molecular manipulation, micro- and nanofluidics, bio-nano hybrid devices for medical applications |
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Thin film processing by pulsed laser deposition and solution-based processes; thin film characterization; structure property correlations |
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Radiation effects in nuclear and electronic materials; ion beam technology for fabriation and characterization of materials. |
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Nuclear fuel cycle, including materials and chemical processing, advanced fuels and materials, and waste immobilization. |
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Computational thermodynamics and kinetics of materials; integration of atomic-scale materials simulations; prediction of thermo-mechanical properties of materials through atomic-scale methods. thin film thermodynamics. |
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Biomedical applications of materials; rapid manufacturing of composite materials for cost reduction; experimental methods in material characterization and processing; solid and fluid mechanics aspects of processing methods; material science issues in material behavior and application; machine augmented composites for advanced structures |
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Micro- and nanomechanics, multi-scale materials modeling, polymer and metal matrix nanocomposites, higher-order elasticity and plasticity theories, cellular materials, indentation/contact mechanics, fabric-reinforced composites, textile materials, pressure vessel design, metal cutting simulations, and computational mechanics (finite element method, Green's function method, variational principles, matrix method for spatial frames, Voronoi tessellation, Monte Carlo method, and molecular dynamics simulations). |
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Structure-property relationships for structural inorganic materials, particularly as they pertain to the performance of ceramic coatings for harsh environments. Recent research has focused on the use of non-destructive techniques for the evaluation and lifing of thermal and environmental barrier coatings as well as for hard coatings for water shedding applications. Moving forward work will focus on the development and evaluation of oxide ceramics with unique and modifiable surface properties as they apply to wetting and adhesion. |
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Layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes and other charged species to create functional thin films for drug delivery, electrochronic, optical, and flame retardant applications; Synthesis of film forming inverse polymer emulsions for segregated networks of solvent-soluble nanotubes (e.g. single wall nanotubes) or nanowires (e.g. CdS); Segregated network polymer composites with very low percolation to combine excellent transport (mass, thermal, and/or electrical) with optical transparency; high-throughput screening methodologies for development of polymers and composites with unique mass, thermal, or electrical transport; Polymer composites for barrier/separations. |
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Pure aluminum, applied superconductivity, deformation processing and electrical resistivity measurements |
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Processing-microstructure-mechanical property relationships in metallic materials (nanomaterials, shape memory alloys, bulk amorphous metals, high-strength steels); micro-mechanical constitutive modeling; twinning and martensitic phase transformation in metallic materials. |
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Research interests: Innovative processes to generate nano-coatings, and mechanisms of tribochemical interactions on metal and oxide surfaces. Investigation focusing on new phenomena and non-equilibrium surfaces, including surface forces and wear at atomic-to-centimeter scales, new surface bonds, non-equilibrium crystal structures, non-stoichiometric products, and kinetics of growth. Surface characterization via atomic force microscopy (AFM) and many other high-resolution spectroscopic techniques; Development of nanofabrication processes using simple mechanical manipulation in designed chemical environments. Nanomachining, assembly, nanosensors, and development of MEMS and NEMS; tribological testing related to artificial hip and knee joints, including study of tribological performance of implant materials, and synthesis new class of biomaterials combining live cells and conventional biocompatible materials. |
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Ceramics; high-temperature materials for energy applications; characterization and modeling of mechanical properties of ceramic and metallic materials, resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. |
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Artificial joints, modeling of soft tissues, protection of skin from shear injuries, active biomaterials, biotribology, polymers, tribological composites, tissue engineering, life-cycle engineering design, design education, manufacturing of biomedical devices. |
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Molecular design of thermoset network for structural and electronic applications, micromechanical modeling of failure process in multi-phase polymeric systems, food packaging materials for combat ration applications, equal channel angular extrusion process for morphology control of polymers, structure-property relationship in polyolefins films and blends, low temperature impact fracture behavior of multi-phase thermoplastic blends |
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Synthesis of new nanostrucutred materials for energy-conversion systems, measurements of thermal and electrical properites of nanostructures including nanowires, noanotubes, nanorods, nanobelts, and thin films; systhesis and measurements of thermoelectric materials including complex oxides and bismuth telluride alloys. |
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Responsive soft and colloidal materials; biomimetic properties such as self-healing and self-repair in thin films; polyelectrolyte multilayers and their properties; soft lithographic and other patterning techniques; colloidal systems, especially asymmetric particles such as Janus particles. |
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Radiation-induced defects in metallic nanolayers and bulk nanostructured metals, layer- and twin-interface tailored strengthening and deformation mechanisms in thin films, magnetic shape memory alloy thin films for sensor or actuator applications, nanostructured materials for energy storage applications, Bulk nanostructured metallic materials synthesized by severe plastic deformation. |
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Experimental condensed matter and applied physics; nanoscale materials and devices; thin films and multilayers; nanomagnetism; superconductivity; proximity effects; spintronics and nanoelectronics. |
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Electron transport and superconductivity in amorphous metals, the influence of lattice disorder on electron transport, magnetic ordering and colossal magnetoresistance in perovskite conducting oxides (particularly doped lanthanum manganites, transport, magnetic andsuperconducting properties of new layered compounds (rare-earth-nickel-borocarbides) which exhibit a wide range of unusual phenomena (superconductivity, magnetic ordering, coexistence of superconductivity and magnetism and heavy fermion behavior). |
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Applied physics, condensed matter experimental, electronic materials, ferromagnetic materials, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, clathrates. |
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Applied physics and condensed matter experimentation. The NanoLab in the Physics Department of Texas A&M University is working on various projects in the general areas of molecular nanomagnets, spintronics, nanophysics and highly correlated systems. The goal is to further the understanding of physical properties at the size or temperature scale where quantum mechanics governs the dominant processes. A particular emphasis is currently on those properties that are driven by spin processes. |
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deposition processes for fabricating organized arrays of nanowire/nanotube coaxial hybrids incorporating template-based sol-gel processes and electroplating. |
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