Announcement
We have multiple openings for PhD level position (2) and postdoctoral research associates (2). For postdocs, a strong background in organic synthesis and/or polymer chemistry (controlled polymerization) is a must. Send me your CVs and letter of recommendations. For prospective graduate students who are interested in our group, list me as your first or second choice. I do not review pre-application documents and do not make admission decision.
Advancing the frontier of material science with precision polymer engineering to create multifunctional and sustainable materials.
Our group focuses on advancing the understanding and control of synthetic polymers and nanoscale materials by synthesizing them from discrete polymeric building blocks.
Our work is anchored by three key missions: the creation of molecularly precise polymeric building blocks, elucidation of the structure-property relationships of complex polymers, and designing multifunctional biomaterials and nanoparticles for advanced engineering and biomedical applications.
Research Projects
Topologically Precise and Discrete Bottlebrush Polymers
Without controlling side-chain dispersity, the permutation of side-chain arrangements in conventional BBPs imposes a significant challenge for understanding their structure–property relationships. Our research focuses on using discrete (Đ = 1.0) building blocks to synthesize and characterize topologically precise and discrete bottlebrush polymers.
Check out our recent publications for more information.
Janus and Complex Nanoparticles
Surface ligand is the organic interface of solution processable nanoparticles. We are developing synthetic strategies to manipulate their physicochemical properties.
Polymeric Surfactants, Additives, and Surface Modifiers for Environmental and Biomedical Applications
Multifunctional Biomaterials and Contrast Agents
Automated and Templated Synthesis + Separation
News
12/20/2023 - We are honored to receive the NSF CAREER Award from the NSF Division of Materials Research, Polymer Program.
12/18/2023 - Our high school intern Louisa Zhu (BR Magnet HS) has been accepted into MIT. Congratulations!!
08/03/2023 - Michael Dearman passed his PhD exam. Congratulations!
07/14/2023 - We are thrilled to announce that our group has been granted the prestigious NIH ESI MIRA (R35) award.
01/31/2023 - “Versatile strategies to tailor the glass transition temperatures of bottlebrush polymers” in Polymer Chemistry is featured as editor’s choice.
12/01/2022 - Michael Dearman successfully defends his Master’s thesis.
11/13/2022 - Dr. Lawrence, Nduka D. Ogbonna, and Michael Dearman attend the Fall 2022 AIChE conference.
11/09/2022 - The Lawrence Lab welcomes our new first year Ph.D. student Titilayo Oluwole
11/09/2022 - Nduka D. Ogbonna and Michael Dearman attended and presented their research at APTEC 2022.
09/22/2022 - Congratulations to Nduka for successfully passing his General Exam.
08/03/2022 - The Lawrence Lab publishes a paper on the glass transition temperatures of bottlebrush polymers in Polymer Chemistry, describing various strategies to tailor the Tg of bottlebrush polymers. Insights on critical backbone and side chain parameters enable Tg to be varied without the need for changing chemical makeup.
03/18/2022 - The Lawrence Lab publishes a paper on the length-dependent kinetics of bottlebrush macromonomers in JACS Au. We show how macromonomer dispersity influences polymerization kinetics and bottlebrush topology, and importantly, a first report of fully discrete bottlebrush polymer libraries (!)
