MEAN Lab Research Areas

Research in the MEAN Lab typically falls under one or more of the research areas listed below and is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing from other fields such as biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, electrochemistry, among others.

Wearable Sensors and Stretchable/Flexible Electronics

Representative research products:
  • “Ultra-Stretchable Conductive Polymer Complex as Strain Sensor with Repeatable Autonomous Self-Healing Ability.” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b05464.
  • "Self-Healing and Stretchable Polymeric Compositions." U.S. Patent: 11,087,899. [UA Invention Profile]
  • “Ion Sensor for the Quantification of Sodium in Sweat Samples.” IEEE Sensors Journal. DOI:10.1109/JSEN.2013.2257168.
  • "Fabric Nanocomposite Resistance Temperature Detector" IEEE Sensors Journal. DOI: 10.1109/JSEN.2014.2341915.
  • Flexible Electrode for Detecting Changes in Temperature and Sodium Ion Concentration in Sweat."  U.S. Patent: 9,603,560.

Water Remediation and Environmental Sensors
Representative research papers:
  • “Electrospun carbon/iron nanofibers: The catalytic effects of iron and application in Cr(VI) removal.”  Carbon. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.05.031.
  • “Development of Nanocomposite Adsorbents for Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater​.” ES Materials & Manufacturing. DOI: 10.30919/esmm5f175​.
  • “A visible colorimetric sensor based on nanoporous polypropylene fiber membranes for the determination of trihalomethanes in treated drinking water.” Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2015.09.004.
  • “Fabric/Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensor for Portable On-Site Copper Detection in Water​​.” Advanced Composites & Hybrid Materials. DOI: 10.1007/s42114-019-00122-7​.
  • “Detection Of Halogenated Organics By Their Inhibitory Action In A Catalytic Reaction Between Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate And 2-Methyl-4-Nitroaniline.”  Journal of Analytical Chemistry. DOI: 10.1134/S1061934815070059.
  • “Sustainable Cross-linked Porous Corn Starch Adsorbents with High Methyl Violet Adsorption.” ES Materials & Manufacturing. DOI: 10.30919/esmm5f162.
  • "An Acetylcholinesterase-inspired Biomimetic Toxicity Sensor.” Chemosphere. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.01.027.
  • "Improved Antifouling and Antibacterial Properties of Forward Osmosis Membranes through Surface Modification with Zwitterions and Silver-based Metal Organic Frameworks."  Journal of Membrane Science.  DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118352.

Advanced Materials

Representative research papers:
  • “Self-Assembly of Lead Selenide Nanostructures Organized Across Multiple Length Scales and Dimensions.” Journal of Nanomaterials​. DOI: 10.1155/2016/9575839.
  • “Silver nanoparticles/graphene oxide decorated carbon fiber synergistic reinforcement in epoxy-based composites.” Polymer.​​ DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2017.10.049.
  • “Crosslinked Norbornene Copolymer Anion Exchange Membrane for Fuel Cells.” Journal of Membrane Science. DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2018.03.080.
  • “Hexagonally Patterned Mixed Surfactant Room Temperature Synthesis of Titania-Lead Selenide Nanocomposites.” Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials. DOI: 10.1007/s42114-018-0028-3.
  • “Controllable Crosslinking Anion Exchange Membranes with Excellent Mechanical and Thermal Properties.” Macromolecular Materials and Engineering. DOI: 10.1002/mame.201700462.
  • “Water-Processable, Sprayable LiFePO4/Graphene Hybrid Cathodes for High-Power Lithium Ion Batteries​.” Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2019.12.022.

Electrohydrodynamics and Fibers
Representative research papers:
  • Thermally Stable RuOx–CeO2 Nanofiber Catalysts for Low-Temperature CO Oxidation.” ACS Applied Nano Materials. DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.0c01815.
  • [#5 MOST ACCESSED Full Paper of 2015 in MM&E] “Hydrophobic Electrospun Polyimide Nanofibers for Self-Cleaning Materials.” Macromolecular Materials and Engineering. DOI: 10.1002/mame.201400307.
  • “Synthesis of Co-Electrospun Lead Selenide Nanostructures within Anatase Titania Nanotubes for Advanced Photovoltaics.” Fibers. DOI: 10.3390/fib3020173. 

Polymers & Polymer Composites

Representative research papers:
  • “Polypropylene Nanocomposites Reinforced with Low Weight Percent Graphene Nanoplatelets” Composites Part B: Engineering. DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.10.048.
  • “Tuning Polyaniline Nanostructures Via End Group Substitutions and their Morphology Dependent Electrochemical Performances” Polymer. DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2018.09.051.
  • [TOP CITED article in MC&P 2019-2020] “Synergistically Toughening Polyoxymethylene by Methyl Methacrylate–Butadiene–Styrene Copolymer and Thermoplastic Polyurethane.” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics. DOI: 10.1002/macp.201800567.
  • “Interfacially Reinforced Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composite Laminates via in-situ Synthesized Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4).” Composites Part B: Engineering. DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2018.09.081. 
  • “Polyborosilazane Derived Ceramics - Nitrogen Sulfur Dual Doped Graphene Nanocomposite Anode for Enhanced Lithium Ion Batteries.” Electrochimica Acta. DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.11.088.