Colorado State University NSF-REU Summer
Program in Materials Chemistry Research:
Synthesis, Characterization, and Device Fabrication
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Travis S. Bailey
For
more information, visit our group webpage…
The Bailey group is working to generate a new class of
highly distensible, nanostructured hydrogels, with very tailored response
capabilities to a range of external stimuli (e.g., temperature, pH,
light). The types of
stimulus-induced behaviors we are currently targeting include: controlled hydrogel dissolution, domain
erosion, reversible contraction and expansion with directional control, bending
(and unbending), and stimulated chemical release. These next generation, “intelligent”
materials, which exploit the nanoscale self-assembly of block copolymer
amphiphiles, are anticipated to have direct application in a range of
technological areas, including tissue growth scaffolds, controlled chemical release,
membranes, biosensors, and artificial muscles. REU students will work on both the synthetic aspects of the
hydrogel fabrication process, and the physical characterization of their
resultant response characteristics.
Students will be exposed to a broad range of techniques in materials
research focused on polymer synthesis (CRP), size-exclusion chromatography and
other characterization tools.