Caroline Szczepanski
Assistant Professor
Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (ChEMS), College of Engineering
Engineering Building, 428 S Shaw Ln Room 1257
Biography
The research in my group falls at the interface of polymer engineering, materials science, and biomimicry. We develop techniques using polymers and polymer networks to produce materials with the order, functionality, and performance of examples surrounding us in nature. Beyond identifying materials that mimic natural functionalities, our research addresses the need for efficient and versatile methods ... that make this class of mimicry feasible for broad-reaching materials needs. The materials developed in my group are explored for a variety of applications including: biomaterials, coatings, plastics, membranes, and adhesives.
Read MoreEducation
Ph.D., Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Colorado - Boulder, 2014
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Lafayette College, 2009
Publications
Alyssa VanZanten, Shih-Yuan Chen, Michelle M. Driscoll, & Caroline R. Szczepanski. (2024) “Unconstrained dynamic gel swelling generates transient surface deformations” Soft Matter, 20, 6742–6753.
Sabrina J. Curley & Caroline R. Szczepanski. (2024) “Interfacial energy as an approach to designing amphipathic surfaces during photopolymerization curing” Soft Matter, 20, 3854–3867.
Denghao Fu, Sarah Beth Holles, Emily England, Yunlu Zhang, Shiwang Cheng, & CarolineR. Szczepanski. “Compatibility versus reaction diffusion: Factors that determine the heterogeneity of polymerized adhesive networks” Dental Materials, 40(5), 800–810.
Justin Hamlin, Md Nuruddin, Volodymyr Tarabara, & Caroline R. Szczepanski. (2022) “Incorporation of cellulose nanocrystals and reactive surfactants for improved pressure-sensitive adhesive performance” AIChE Journal, 68(12), e17910, 2022.