Associate Professor, Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, focuses on interfacial science, polymeric materials, and nanotechnology with current projects on design of novel polymer-oxide nanoparticle composite particles for environmental remediation of organic contaminants, novel polymer-metal nanoparticle composites for sensors and catalysis, and self-assembly of metallic nanorods mediated by the rod-like polymers.

An REU student project will be the design of polymer-inorganic composites for environmental catalysis. The REU trainee will prepare microspherical polymer particles, characterize them with light-scattering, and modify these particles by incorporating inorganic nanoparticles of zinc oxide or iron oxide, which will extend results in the laboratory on ceria and titania. The trainee will use of these composite materials in catalytic degradation of organic contaminants. The REU trainee will become familiar with polymeric and nanomaterials, advanced materials characterization techniques, and engineering applications of these novel materials.

More information: Dr. Gupta's website