Polymers for Biologically Benign Surfaces

Professor: Christopher Ober
Project Description:Polymers make outstanding protective coatings for many surfaces, but in the marine environment they are challenged by nature. Many plants and animals can stick to these surfaces and foul the coatings, causing millions of dollars worth of damage. In this project, new polymer materials based on oligopeptides will be synthesized using environmentally benign structures. Self-assembly will be used to direct and control the structure of these new materials. This work will involve polymer synthesis, protein design, and surface characterization using state-of-the-art methods.