Research Interests

The Wnek group pursues research topics in a number of different areas in polymer science, broadly encompassed in material science and biomaterials.

Fibrous Polymeric Materials with Applications in Medicine and Biology

“…biology is largely the study of fibers…” wrote Joseph Needham in Order and Life in 1936.  Cells, tissues and organs rely on polymeric nanofibers as supporting structures, and thus polymeric fibrous scaffolds have a major role to play in the burgeoning fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.  Also, cell interiors and surfaces are endowed with nanofibers (the cytoskeleton) which play key roles in defining mechanical properties and various important cellular functions.  For more than a decade, we have been involved in the development of electrostatic spinning (electrospinning) to create bio-mimicking fibers in a diameter range (ca. 20-100 nm) difficult to access by conventional fiber processing methods. We employ electrospinning as a method of fabrication of scaffolds for tissue engineering, drug delivery, and more recently the development of nanofiber constructs as models for functional biological systems.  Major intellectual questions focus on (1) the design of nanofiber scaffolds with multi-functionality (tunable mechanical properties, porosity, ability to deliver small molecule and/or macromolecular therapeutic agents, responsiveness to stimuli, programmed degradation) and their use in 3-D cell culturing and as a materials platform to support the regeneration of tissues in vivo, and (2) the prospect of designing and building functional biological systems such as muscle and nerve based upon an abiotic combination of nanofibers and appropriate colloids and gels that may at least crudely mimic the earliest examples of ‘life.’

Composite Flame-Retardant Materials

The flame division of the Wnek group investigates flame-retardant materials from the perspective of a polymer engineer. As such, the division has three aims: 1) to create biologically flame retardants composites, 2) consider sustainability implications in materials development, and 3) create more cost-effective flame retardant solutions.

Forced Assembly Coextrusion

Forced assembly coextrusion, sometimes also referred to as multilayer coextrusion, is a processing technique by which complex morphologies can be created. using single screw extruders and melt-splitting sections called multipliers, structures with size scales down to the nanometer scale can be created in a reproducible manner. The Wnek group uses this processing technique to create materials with real-world application, such as anti-fungal polymeric fibers, oxygen-barrier film foam composites for food packaging, high-stiffness composites for ballistic applications, and more.

Bio-inspired Soft Devices

This research area focuses on developing bio-inspired soft materials for use in electronics and robotics applications. In recent years, there has been a push for engineers to move away from using rigid components in electronics and robotics, because they add unnecessary weight and cost to the final product. While soft devices have been employed in robotics and electronics before, these devices are often expensive or have limited functionality. Our goal is to provide lightweight, flexible, low-cost polymeric materials that can be integrated into electronic and robotic systems without compromising their functionality. We also hope to measure the electronic properties of biomimetic materials to gain a better understanding of fundamental biological principles, such as the possible role of cytoskeletal fibers in nerve signal transduction. This research is done in collaboration with the Zorman Lab in Electrical Engineering, Quinn Robotics Lab in Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Horacio Cantiello of the University of Buenos Aires.