(4ew) Multifunctional Core-Anchored and Biomass-Derivable Ion-Containing Polymers for Electrochemical Energy Applications

My research interests aim to use a combination of polymer chemistry, polymer science, and electrochemistry to generate solutions producing affordable and clean energy and recycling plastics waste. I will interface my knowledge and skills in chemical engineering, polymer chemistry, and polymer science to synthesize and gain unique fundamental understandings of multifunctional core-anchored and biomass-derived polymer electrolytes and develop new methods for effectively upcycling plastics waste. Specifically, I aim to (1) design and investigate the structure-property relationships in multifunctional core-anchored ion-containing polymers and block copolymers, (2) explore the synthesis and properties of biomass-derivable polymer electrolytes, and (3) develop electrochemical methods to selectively deconstruct and upcycle plastics waste.

Research Experience

As a National GEM Consortium PhD Fellow and Texas A&M University College of Engineering Graduate Merit Fellow, I synthesized and characterized the thermal, mechanical, ion transport and morphological properties of novel star poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) and PIL block copolymers (PILBCPs). PILs have been investigated as promising materials in lithium-ion batteries due to their unique combination of properties, including high solid-state ionic conductivity, high chemical, thermal, and electrochemical stability, and widely tunable chemistry. However, to date, most of these studies are exclusive to linear PILs. Star polymers are of interest due to documented property enhancements compared to their linear analogs. In my work, star PILs were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization with a core-first approach. A systematic study was conducted to investigate the effect of initiator concentration and number of chain transfer agents per RAFT agent on the polymerization kinetics (Nixon, et. al., Polymer, 2023). The impact of star polymer architecture on polymer properties was explored by measuring the thermal, mechanical, and ion transport properties of each star PIL compared to those of an analogous linear PIL (Nixon, et. al., J. Polym. Sci., 2024). Furthermore, star PIL block copolymers were synthesized and characterized in comparison to linear analogs to investigate the impact of star polymer architecture on the thermal, morphological, and ion transport properties of PIL block copolymers (Nixon, et. al., in preparation).

As a postdoc, I am working on the advanced/chemical recycling of plastics waste. The unprecedented demand for lightweight, durable, and cheap plastic materials, coupled with limited plastics circularity, is a major contributor to the global rising plastics waste pollution challenge. Chemical recycling, also referred to as advanced recycling, strategies provide an opportunity to upcycle plastics waste and extend the lifespan of these materials by converting plastics waste into new monomers, new polymers, or chemicals. In my postdoc, my research is focused on generating polymerizable materials from plastics waste. Additionally, I am working on the synthesis and characterization of lignin-derivable polymers. This work in chemical recycling of polymeric materials and synthesis of biomass-derived polymers complements my previous research in the synthesis and characterization of ion-conducting polymers to achieve my future research goals.

For a full list of published work, please visit the following link to my Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1hQ7MYcAAAAJ&hl=en

Teaching Interests

Due to my educational background in chemical engineering (B.Ch.E. and Ph.D.) I am confident in my ability to teach all the required undergraduate and graduate chemical engineering courses. Additionally, because of my research experience, I am comfortable teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in polymer chemistry, polymer science, and polymer engineering. I would be excited to develop an introductory polymer science and engineering course for chemical engineers. Due to my passion for renewable energy, I would also be interested in designing and teaching a course focused on the science and economic considerations of renewable energy technology and infrastructure. I believe both courses in the fields of soft materials and renewable/sustainable energy would be very appealing to many chemical engineering students.

As a College of Engineering Graduate Teaching Fellow at Texas A&M University, I served as an Instructor on Record, paired with a faculty mentor, for a junior-level numerical methods course (Numerical Analysis for Chemical Engineers). In this role, I gained valuable experience in designing and giving lectures and creating homework assignments and exams. Prior to that, I also served as a teaching assistant and guest lecturer for a graduate-level transport phenomena course. Throughout my doctoral studies and postdoc, I have also taken steps to better prepare myself to be an effective teacher through programs such as the Texas A&M Academy for Future Faculty and the University of Delaware NRT-MIDAS Effective Teaching Workshop.

DEI and Service

My passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) stems from my own experience of being often significantly underrepresented as a Black man in my undergraduate science and engineering (S&E) courses. Since I was an undergraduate, I have been very active in collegiate and national initiatives to increase the recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented S&E students. Many of these activities stem from my continued membership in or affiliation with organizations/programs such as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), and the Auburn University Center for Inclusive Engineering Excellence (CIEE). During my graduate studies I was extremely active in the recruiting of future graduate students to the Texas A&M Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering. For example, on multiple occasions, I served as a student representative at the annual Spring Graduate Invitational for prospective doctoral students. Outside of academia, I also volunteered in capacities such as a judge in the Senior Division of the Materials Science and Engineering section of the Texas Science and Engineering Fair. In my current role as a postdoc, I serve as a mentor to undergraduate and graduate students in the collegiate chapter of NOBCChE and Amplifying the Chemical Engineer’s Experience (ACEE) at the University of Delaware. As a future faculty member, I am committed to facilitate the development and/or strengthening of programs within academia to improve the recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented S&E students.