The nanoscale dimension and the development of advanced composite polymeric materials for various applications

Περίληψη

Richard Feynman's renowned lecture, "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom: An Invitation to Enter a New Field of Physics," delivered at the annual American Physical Society meeting at Caltech on December 29, 1959, ignited discussions on the distinctive behavior of matter at the nanoscale—where it defies the characteristics of individual atoms or bulk forms.
In my research, I aim to identify and comprehend the implications of nanoscale dimensions on material properties. I leverage these insights to adapt and influence the design and engineering of advanced materials, surfaces, and processes, with the potential to yield valuable products.
During this seminar, I will elaborate on how these concepts have been applied in the development of advanced polymeric hybrid materials for various applications related to health, food, energy, and the environment. The presentation will showcase selected results from our work on (i) polymer nanocomposites, (ii) polymeric nanofibers through electrospinning, (iii) polymer-based superhydrophobic coatings, (iv) Carbon nanofibers, and (v) membranes for water treatment. The discussion will conclude by highlighting the prospects of employing these polymer-based nanocomposite materials for sustainable development and the requirements that these materials must meet to make a meaningful contribution to it.

Σύντομο Βιογραφικό Ομιλητή

Ioannis Zuburtikudis is Professor and Chair of the Chemical Engineering Department of Abu Dhabi University. He studied Chemical Engineering in Greece and in the USA, where he worked as a Research Scientist before joining the Greek Academia and establishing the NanoMaterials & Manufacturing Processes Laboratory (www.nanohybrid.eu). His research lies in the nexus of nanotechnology, reaction engineering, soft-matter and sustainability. He has been granted various research grants by Greek, EU, and UAE agencies. He has authored/co-authored over two hundred articles in refereed journals and conference proceedings and has co-organized European and Greek conferences, while he is a reviewer of grant proposals and a judge in research competitions.