Research Overview

The research efforts in Akpalu’s laboratory are directed towards understanding and building knowledge for achieving molecular level control over the structure, morphology, and engineering properties of polymeric nanomaterials. Materials of current interest are polymer nanocomposites (PNCs, polymers mixed with nanometer sized inorganic and metal particulates) based on crystalline (thermoplastic) and gel-forming polymers which include rigid amorphous polymers for fuel cells and carbohydrates for sensing and medical imaging.

Our approach to building knowledge for achieving molecular level control over the structure, morphology, and engineering properties of polymeric nanomaterials is to innovatively use and develop integrated light, X-ray and neutron scattering approaches and computational methods to build a robust understanding for:

• Advancing the engineering design of bionanocomposites with controlled properties
• Building a molecular level understanding of polymer crystallization
• Solution, gel and membrane structure of rigid amorphous polymers and biomolecules