Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin go to home page university of texas at austin college of engineering U T direct
Christopher J. Ellison
Assistant Professor


Dr. Chris Ellison
Office: CPE 3.418 Mailing Address:
Phone: (512) 471-6300 The University of Texas at Austin
Fax: (512) 471-7060 Department of Chemical Engineering
Email: ellison@che.utexas.edu 1 University Station C0400
UT Mail: C0400 Austin, TX 78712-0231

 

Research Group Web Site

 

Educational Qualifications:

 

Postdoctoral Associate, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota (2006-2008)

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University (2005)

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Iowa State University (2000)

Honors and Awards:

Frank J. Padden Jr. Award for Excellence in Polymer Physics Research, APS DPOLY (2005)

Top ten most significant papers since the inception of the journal (from editors) – Nature Materials (2005)

ICI Student Award in Applied Polymer Science, ACS PMSE and POLY and Poly. Ed. Comm. (2004)

Distinguished Graduate Researcher Award, Northwestern University, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering (2004)

Best Paper Award, Polymer Analysis Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (2004)

Polymer Physics Prize, from the Journal of Polymer Science Part B Polymer Physics (2004)

Focus:

design, synthesis, characterization and processing of nanostructured polymeric materials

Research:

In general, the specifics of the research are driven by a combination of fundamental and practical implications.  A particular advantage of our laboratory is the use of well-established chemistries (anionic and controlled free-radical polymerization, basic monomer synthesis, etc.) to control all aspects of molecular architecture.  This is critical framework required for establishing quantitative relationships in these complex multiscale materials.  We also work closely with other research groups focused on theory and simulation to both guide and advance our understanding of the experiments when appropriate.

Below is a small sampling of active research projects in our group.  Please contact Prof. Ellison for more detail.  Other projects may be available and new research proposals that fall into the group’s general research theme are of interest:

Directing Structure in Nanofilled Polymeric Materials (nanocomposites)

Understanding and Exploiting Diffusion and Relaxation Dynamics of Polymers at or Near Surfaces and Interfaces in Nanocomposites, Thin Films and Other Nanostructured Materials 

Solventless / “Green” Processing Route to Polymer Nanofibers

We are always looking for highly motivated postdocs and graduate / undergraduate students to join our group.  Applicants should have a strong interest in conducting experimental research and participating in a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environment.  Please contact Prof. Ellison by email at ellison@che.utexas.edu with a description of your interests and short curriculum vitae / resume.

Selected Publications

  • Polydispersity-Driven Transition from the Orthorhombic Fddd Network to Lamellae in Poly(isoprene-b-styrene-b-ethylene oxide) Triblock Terpolymers.  (A.J. Meuler, C.J. Ellison, C.M. Evans, M.A. Hillmyer and F.S. Bates), Macromolecules 40, 7072-7074, (2007).
  • Melt Blown Nanofibers: Fiber Diameter Distributions and Onset of Fiber Breakup.  (C.J. Ellison, A. Phatak, D.W. Giles, C.W. Macosko and F.S. Bates), Polymer 48, 3306-3316, (2007).
  • Structural Relaxation of Polymer Glasses at Surfaces, Interfaces, and In Between.  (R.D. Priestley, C.J. Ellison, L.J. Broadbelt and J.M. Torkelson), Science 309, 456-459, (2005).
  • Impacts of Polystyrene Molecular Weight and Modification to the Repeat Unit Structure on the Glass Transition-Nanoconfinement Effect and the Cooperativity Length Scale.  (C.J. Ellison, M.K. Mundra and J.M. Torkelson), Macromolecules 38, 1767-1778 (2005).
  • In Situ Monitoring of Sorption and Drying of Polymer Films and Coatings: Self-Referencing, Nearly Temperature-Independent Fluorescence Sensors. (C.J. Ellison, K.E. Miller and J.M. Torkelson), Polymer 45, 2623-2632 (2004).
  • Dramatic Reduction of the Effect of Nanoconfinement on the Glass Transition of Polymer Films via Addition of Small-Molecule Diluent.  (C.J. Ellison, R. Ruszkowski, N. Fredin and J.M. Torkelson), Physical Review Letters 92, 095702 (2004).
  • The Distribution of Glass Transition Temperatures in Nanoscopically Confined Glass Formers.  C.J. Ellison and J.M. Torkelson, Nature Materials 2, 695-700 (2003). (see also associated commentary R.A.L. Jones, Nature Materials 2, 645-646 (2003))

 

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