Georgia Institute of Technology STAMI

A serendipitous discovery by Graduate Student Dylan Christiansen led to polymers that quickly change color from completely clear to a range of vibrant hues — and back again. The work could have applications in everything from skyscraper windows that control the amount of light and heat coming in and out of a building, to switchable camouflage and visors for military applications, and even color-changing cosmetics and clothing. It also helps fill a knowledge gap in a key area of materials science and chemistry.

Electrochromic films synthesized in the labs of STAMI-GTPN and STAMI-COPE Professor John Reynolds change their colors with the flick of a switch. Now they can be applied more safely thanks to an innovative chemical process that makes them water soluble. They can be sprayed and printed, instead of being confined behind safety implements to handle volatile and toxic fumes. 

STAMI Graduate Students Brandon Ditullio and Marie-Helene Tremblay recently received the 2019 William Emerson Safety Awards for impactful contributions to the safety culture in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Winners are nominated by members of their research groups and members of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Thanks and Congratulations Brandon and Marie-Helene!

COPE and GTPN member Natalie Stingelin has been elected a Materials Research Society Fellow for pivotal contributions to the application of classical polymer science tools for the efficient design and processing of organic electronic and photonic materials and devices. Congratulations Natalie!

Desert snakes slithering across the sand at night can encounter obstacles such as plants or twigs that alter the direction of their travel -- and cause them to mimic aspects of light or subatomic particles when they encounter a diffraction grating. The study was coauthored by SMI Professors Dan Goldman and Zeb Rocklin: Perrin E. Schiebel, Jennifer M. Rieser, Alex M. Hubbard, Lillian Chen, D. Zeb Rocklin, and Daniel I. Goldman. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, February 25th, 2019.

The full article on Research Horizons.