Research
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Areas of Research
Material Systems

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Infrastructure Materials

Credits: A. Akono & G. Buscarnera

Research Topics

Cementitious composites • geopolymer cement • recycled materials • timber & CLT • rocks • composite laminates • soil • granular materials

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Reactive Materials

Credits: H. Fu & K. Gray

Research Topics

Geochemical rock-fluid reactions • soil minerals • microplastics & nanoplastics • photocatalytic TiO2-based nanocomposites • plasmonic materials • antibacterial thin films • self-cleaning surfaces • polyelectrolyte complex membranes • reactive absorbents

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Theory & Computation

Credits: A. Rotta Loria

Research Topics

Multiphysics & multiscale computation • fracture mechanics • molecular simulation of soft materials • strain localization • statistics of material strength • rheology • plasticity & limit analysis • sensing & parameter identification

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Advanced Materials Testing

Credits: J-F. Gaillard

Research Topics

X-ray spectroscopy • XAS, XANES, EXAFS • nanoscale X-ray tomography • solid state NMR • nondestructive materials characterization • nanoindentation • scratch test • mercury intrusion porosimetry  • mechanical testing with environmental controls • dynamic testing

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Biomaterials

Credits: A. Akono

Research Topics

Biomacromolecular compositions & design• cortical bone • bone scaffolds • biofilms • periphyton • human artery • mechanics of tissues • whiskers & follicles • biosensors

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Nanomaterials

Credits: L. Aristilde

Research Topics

Carbon nanotubes & nanofibers • functionalized graphene, GO, rGO • metal & metal oxides (n-ZnO, n-Ag, n-TiO2) • multifunctional catalytic, plasmonic & photoactive nanocomposites • lignin & cellulose nanoparticles • clay minerals • hydrodynamics in mineral nanopores • mixed-dimensional electronic heterostructures • nanomodification of cement-based materials • nanotoxicity

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Geomaterials

Credits: A. Rotta Loria

Research Topics

Sand liquefaction • cyclic behavior of soils • organic geomaterials • geochemical fluid-rock interaction • rock compaction & fracture • unsaturated soils • clay minerals • iron-oxide minerals • fluid-infiltrated rock • mineralized crystals

Faculty