Research: Coatings
Coatings to Improve our Environment
No area of nanotechnology offers such a range of commercial applications as nano enhanced coatings. From self-cleaning glass to high performance components for aerospace applications, nano coatings provide improved durability, strength, optical qualities, and thermal stability to materials.
Among the many already developed products using nano coatings are: flat panel displays and optical devices using thin- film coatings; coatings for fiber cables that make them more bendable as well as more resistant to loss of signal; nanocrystalline coatings of silver for antimicrobial dressings and medical devices; thin-film silicon solar cells; thermal barrier coatings; automotive glazing; smart windows that control light and heat; alumina/titania coatings for salt water vessels to reduce corrosion; coatings for biological sensors; extra hard and mildew resistant paints; water and stain resistant fabrics; and water proof papers and cardboard.
Researchers at the Penn State Applied Research Laboratory's Advanced Coatings Technologies unit are studying highly thermal reflective thermal barrier coatings, and nano-flakes for obscurant applications for the Department of Defense. In the Center for Glass Surfaces, Interfaces and Coatings, researchers use scanning electron microscopy and other techniques to understand the nanomechanical properties of glass surfaces and coatings. These researchers have developed and licensed one-molecule-thick coatings that bind to glass on the bottom surface and attach to DNA strands on the outer surface to make inexpensive DNA bioarrays, called bio or genome chips.
Because of their small size, MEMs (microelectromechanical systems) cannot use conventional lubricants, such as oil. Penn State researchers have studied thin-film coatings of alcohol molecules as a candidate lubricant for MEMs. Using gas deposition to completely coat the device parts, they discovered that thin films of alcohol molecules are self- repairing and do not interfere with mechanical or electrical operations.
Nearly 20 Penn State research teams are involved in the study of nano structured surfaces, working with industry to develop new, smart, durable energy saving products for consumers, and with the Department of Defense for the benefit of soldiers in the field and for national defense.
For Applied Research Laboratory capabilities in nanocoatings click here.
For the Center for Glass Surfaces, Interfaces, and Coatings Research click here.
Faculty: Coatings
- Allara, David L.
- Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Materials Science
- (814) 865-2254 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.chem.psu.edu/faculty/dla3
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Bio/Chem Sensing; Biointerfaces; Nanoplasmonics; Molecular Electronics
- Costanzo, Francesco
- Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics
- (814) 863-2030 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www4.esm.psu.edu/people/faculty/?id=fxc8
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Constitutive Response; Thin Films; Dynamics Response; Finite Elements; Nanomechanics
- Demirel, Melik C.
- Assistant Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics
- Pearce Development Professor
- (814) 863-2270 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www4.esm.psu.edu/people/faculty/?id=mcd18
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Nanofabrication and Nanomaterials; Protein Engineering; Sensors; Simulation and Modeling
- Fichthorn, Kristen
- Professor of Chemical Engineering and Physics
- (814) 863-4807 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.che.psu.edu/faculty/fichthorn
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Thin Film Growth; Nanoparticles; Surface Science
- Gray, Gary L.
- Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics
- Co-Director of the Laboratory for Parallel Computational Mechanics
- (814) 863-1778 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.esm.psu.edu/faculty/gray
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Thin Films; Dynamic Response; Constitutive Modeling; Nonlinear Dynamics; Nanomechanics
- Green, David J.
- Professor of Ceramic Science and Engineering
- (814) 863-2011 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.matse.psu.edu/fac/profiles/green.htm
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Surface Strengthening; Strength and Fracture Toughness; Porous Materials; Residual and Thermal Stresses During Fabrication
- Hahm, Jong-in
- Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering
- (814) 863-4801 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.che.psu.edu/faculty/hahm/index.html
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Silicon Nanowire; Zinc Oxide Nanoplatform; Biosensing; Biosensors
- Haque, Aman
- Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
- (814) 865-4248 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/m/a/mah37
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Thin Films; Nanomaterials; Biomaterials; Sensors and Actuators
- Kim, Seong H.
- Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering
- (814) 863-4809 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.che.psu.edu/faculty/kim
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Surface Science; Organic Conductor; RF Plasma; Biocatalysis
- Komarneni, Sridhar
- Distinguished Professor of Clay Mineralogy
- (814) 865-1542 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.mri.psu.edu/directory/displayrecord/1344.asp
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Nanowires; Nanophases; Synthesis of Nanomaterials; Metal Nanodots
- Lakhtakia, Akhlesh
- Charles Godfrey Binder Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics
- (814) 863-4319 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.esm.psu.edu/~axl4
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Chiral and Bianisotropic Materials; Electromagnetics, Acoustics, Elastodynamics; Negative Refraction, Negative Phase Velocity; Carbon Nanotubes, Nano Education
- Li, Qi
- Professor of Physics
- (814) 863-5347 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.phys.psu.edu/people/display/index.html?person_id=39
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Giant Magnetoresistance Effect; Multifunctional Oxide Thin Films; Spintronics; Superconductivity
- Mohney, Suzanne E.
- Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
- (814) 863-0744 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.matse.psu.edu/fac/profiles/mohney.htm
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Contacts; Nanoelectronics; Metallization; Semiconductors
- Muhlstein, Christopher L.
- Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering
- (814) 865-1523 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.matse.psu.edu/fac/profiles/mulst.htm
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Fracture; Fatigue; Deformation; Mechanical Behavior
- Pantano, Carlo G.
- Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
- Director, Center for Glass Surfaces, Interfaces, and Coatings
- Director, Materials Research Institute
- (814) 863-2071 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.matse.psu.edu/fac/profiles/pantano.htm
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Thin Film Coatings; Silica; Surfaces and Interfaces; Glass
- Sen, Ayusman
- Professor of Chemistry
- Head, Department of Chemistry
- (814) 863-2460 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.chem.psu.edu/faculty/axs20
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Polymer Science; Materials Science; Catalysis; Composites
- Wang, Qing
- Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
- (814) 863-0042 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.matse.psu.edu/fac/profiles/qwang.htm
- Wolfe, Douglas E.
- Research Associate and Assistant Professor of Materials
- (814) 865-0316 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.mri.psu.edu/directory/displayrecord/1712.asp
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Multilayer Coatings; Corrosion Resistance; Erosion Resistance; Antibacterial Films
- Zydney, Andrew
- Professor of Chemical Engineering
- Head, Department of Chemical Engineering
- (814) 863-7113 - Validate to view address - Send e-mail via form
- http://www.che.psu.edu/faculty/zydney/index.html
- Research Keywords: Mechanical Behavior; Porous Materials; Bioseparations; Proteins; Biotechnology
