Osuji Lab - Polymer Physics, Complex Fluids and Soft Materials Science: Directed Self Assembly, Supramolecular Polymers, Colloidal Rheology, Microfluidics

Email address protected by JavaScript.
Please enable JavaScript to display the email address, otherwise write to first_name.last_name@yale.edu

Graduate Student

Office: 226 Mason Lab

Phone: (203) 436-4059

Since January 2016, PhD Student, Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science, Department of Chemical Engineering June 2015, B.Sc in Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel June 2015, B.Sc in Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
My current research focus involves the formation of highly ordered ZnO nanorod (NR) arrays, using block copolymers as a template. By controlling the MW of PS-P4VP block copolymer and solution compositions, the domain morphology, spacing and overall density can be modified, and when fitted with a ZnO seed layer, an ordered array of ZnO nanorods can be created. The growth is done under ambient conditions hydrothermally, and as such small changes in temperature, growth solution pH and precursor concentration can vary the resulting array substantially. The arrays are quantified by analyzing SEM and TEM data, as well as UV-Vis adsorption, XRD and EDX data. In addition, the NRs can be coated with Au shells to be later used in optical applications. Combining these solution based approaches to control ordering and composition at the nanoscale can be of great benefit when trying to create complex devices and future applications involving nanomaterials.

Before joining Professor Osuji's lab, I participated in research exploring the contractile forces of actomyosin networks and active gels, under the supervision of Prof. Anne Bernheim. In this project I designed and developed an experimental system to examine the interactions between different bio-polymers, and later quantified and analysed the data, obtained mostly by florescence microscopy, using image analysis software and Matlab, to asses the contractile forces exerted by molecular motors on the active gel network. In addition, I was also involved with research of theoretical models of molecular photovoltaics: single molecule and heterojunction based. The models were based on kinetic analysis of the electron transport mechanisms, and were also used to fit experimental data.