Materials Science and Bioengineering
Involved professor: William
Pitt
Adhesion onto polymeric surfaces is a significant aspect in the application
and use of new engineering polymers. For example, precise chemical design
and engineering of the surfaces of biomedical polymer materials is essential
to integrate the device into the body and allow normal cell growth and
response adjacent to the device. Also, the careful chemical design of polymers
used as implants in the body is necessary to avoid adverse body responses
such as thrombosis or immunological rejection, or even bacterial infection.
My research centers around understanding and controlling the adhesive interactions
of polymers with their environment, particularly polymers used in biomedical
applications and in polymer composites.
In the biomedical polymer area, we are studying the adhesion of biological
molecules (proteins) and organisms (bacterial and mammalian cells) to polymers
which are candidates for implant in the body. For example, we are currently
using statistical mechanics and molecular dynamics to study the adsorption
of proteins to polymers. We are also conducting laboratory studies of bacterial
adhesion and growth on polymers used as contact lenses and orthopedic implants
in an effort to reduce the occurrence of bacterial infection.
One important aspect of bacterial infection is drug delivery to the
infected site. We currently have a large effort in using ultrasound to
enhance the delivery to and action of antibiotics on bacterial biofilms.
In the area of composite materials, we are studying the effect of plasma
discharge on increasing the adhesion of organic fibers and films to high-
temperature thermoplastic matrix materials. I also conduct research in
many areas of composite material manufacturing and applications at the
Advanced Composite Manufacturing and Engineering Center at BYU.
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