Polymers are versatile materials that we employ to develop new devices for applications ranging from explosives sensors to photo energy conversion. Our interests range from fundamental, basic science to applications with near term commercial development.

In the area of sensor development, we are using sensory polymers that are applied to high surface area substrates such as porous silicon or anodized aluminum oxide. The polymers are chosen to be fluorescent so that an optical readout is used to quantitate the presence or absence of analyte. The pores of the silicon or alumina also can be designed to act as a Distributed Bragg Reflector, which also modulate the optical signal as a function of the concentration of the target molecule.

We are also fabricating actuators using several different approaches. Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) coated onto nafion bend when exposed to either an electric potential or light. The photactuation is unusually large and has potential for making devices that directly convert sunlight into mechanical motion. We are also working with actuators based on poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF). PVDF is a ferroelectric material and we have discovered that doping the PVDF with transition metal ions also leads to unusual magnetic responses.