UROP Project
Designing the Topological Structure of Next-Gen Thermoplastic Elastomers
polymers, simulation, sustainability
Research Mentor: Dr. Joshua Mysona, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: Chemical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: jam24q@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Chemical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: jam24q@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Math, Computer Science.
Project Location: FAMU-FSU Enginerring Campus at 2525 Pottsdamer St, Tallahassee, FL 32310
Research Assistant Transportation Required: The Seminole Express bus runs between FSU campus and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Math, Computer Science.
Project Location: FAMU-FSU Enginerring Campus at 2525 Pottsdamer St, Tallahassee, FL 32310
Research Assistant Transportation Required: The Seminole Express bus runs between FSU campus and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable
Project Description
Thermoplastic elastomer materials are one of the most frequently used block copolymers and comprise products from watch straps to football helmets. Despite their ubiquity, the microstructure of such materials, and how that microstructure influences the resulting mechanical properties, is not well understood. In particular, different topologies, divided between loops, bridges, and links, each play an important role in controlling the material's mechanical response. However, experimentally quantifying the frequency of each topology and their respective behavior remains challenging. In order to overcome this barrier to next-gen design, this project uses molecular simulation to study these materials at the microscopic level and examine occurrence of these different topological features with the aim of designing sustainable alternatives.Research Tasks: Writing python code, interfacing with the FSU Research Computing Cluster, working in command line, running and analyzing data from molecular simulations
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: It is highly recommended that prospective researchers have some prior experience writing computer code, though exact language does not matter.