Polymer Physics

Design, development and characterization of functional polymer blends and nanocomposites based on graphene and related materials (GRMs) and sustainable nanostructured porous materials for sustainable smart textile, energy and environmental applications. Design / fabrication of multiphase materials with tailored functionality, and thermal, structural and morphological characterization to understand their solid-state behaviour. We study the parameters that control the interphase in heterogeneous polymeric materials, essential to develop new, advanced materials for specific applications. We focus on optimizing key properties, like mechanical resistance (impact, toughness), electrical conductivity, porosity, optical (transparency, haze) and barrier (oxygen, water) to generate sustainable, efficient materials for applications in essential areas including packaging (thin film, multilayer), textile (smart fabrics), energy (storage, capture), environmental (water, waste valorisation), etc.