We collaborate with a number of research labs in the USA (Akron, Cornell, Stanford, Arizona, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Clemson, Clarkson, Sandia NL, ORNL, ArgonneNL, Ames Lab, LLNL, AFRL, NRL, Ford Mo. Co., GM, Eaton, Honeywell, Alcon, Square D, Agiltron, U. Michigan, U. Illinois, Rice, Iowa State, MIT), Europe (Vienna, Bonn, Marburg, Mainz, Toulouse, Potsdam, Dresden, Nancy, Gomel, Kiev), Asia (KIST-Seoul, Yonsei-Seoul, Nihon-Tokyo, Kyushu-Fukuoka), and Australia (Deakin U.).
13 recent papers are ranked within top 1% highly cited papers in chemistry and materials. Papers in Langmuir, 1997 and 1998 are ranked as #13 and #57 most cited papers in this journal over the past decade. Our recent results have been highlighted in popular magazines, Science, MRS Bull., Chem.&Eng. News, Materials Today, Sensors, Chemistry in Britain, Polymer News, NSF Press Release, and a number of covers in archival journals. V. V. Tsukruk holds three patents and four patents are pending.
Our students are deeply involved in cutting-edge research resulted in 20+ refereed publications and 20+ national-level presentations annually delivered by members of the group. Our findings are highly respected in scientific community as indicated by 700+ quotations in over 300+ papers annually. V. V. Tsukruk is listed among 1% most frequently cited chemists as well as materials scientists in the world. V. V. Tsukruk published over 270+ refereed papers, 23 invited reviews, co-edited 3 books, co-authored 1 book, and organized 8 international symposia.
List of Scholarly Achievements
Current scientific interests:
- Self-assembly of polymeric and organic molecules
- Dendritic macromolecules as building blocks for organized assemblies at functionalized interfaces
- Star and hyperbranched polymeric assemblies at interfaces
- Bio-inspired macromolecular designs
- Bio-hybrid surface assemblies
- Biophotonics for lasing purposes
- Biomimetics and biological thermal sensing
- Protein-polymer assemblies
- Molecular lubricants for microelectromechanical systems
- Nanotribology and nanomechanical properties of polymeric surfaces
- Interphase behavior of carbon-fiber composites
- Nanotube-macromolecular assemblies
- Nanoparticle-macromolecules assemblies
- Layer-by-Layer Assembly
- Free Standing Compliant Membranes
- Functionalized start-dendritic polymers
- Scanning Probe Microscopy of polymeric interfaces
- Polymer surfaces and interfaces: nanostructures and nanoproperties
Facilities and equipment
For a quick glimpse into our lab, feel free to watch the video below!
Major research equipment is as follows:
Scanning probe microscopy lab with full-scale accessories:
- AFM micriscope Nanoscope IX – Dimension Icon XR with nano-DMA, Datacube, PeakForce TUNA, Kelvin Probe Microscopy, and FastScan (Bruker, 2019)
- AFM microscope Nanoscope V – Dimension Icon with Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping (Bruker, 2011)
- AFM microscope Nanoscope IIIa – Multimode/Picoforce (Digital Instrument, 2004)
- AFM microscope Nanoscope IIIa – Dimension 3000 (Digital Instrument, 1995)
- AFM microscope, Innova (Veeco, 2008)
- Thermal stage, fluid cells, air tables, acoustic hoods, dry boxes
Other preparing and characterization instrumentation:
- SEM, Hitachi, SN-3400N, (2009)
- FTIR spectroscopy (Bruker, 2007)
- Confocal Raman microscopy (WiTek, 2007)
- UV-Vis-Raman spectrometer (Avantis, 2007)
- Variable Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometer (Woollam, 2007)
- Leica fluorescent microscope with Craig point-shot spectrometer (Leica, 2005)
- Zeiss optical stereo microscope, fluorescence, and inverted microscopes
- Three fume hoods and glove boxes equipped for chemical synthesis (RP, ATPR, AP)
- Three clean air laminar hoods
- Nanopure water supply unit (Nanopure, 2006)
- Two spin coaters (Headway Corp.,1994, 2004)
- Langmuir-Blodgett trough for monolayers deposition (KSV, 2004)
- Contact angle instrument (KSV, 2006)
- Gel-permeation chromatograph with light scattering, Breeze 1500 (Waters, 2002)
- Reciprocal Microtribometer (MPI, 2003)
- Quartz Microbalance (Maxtek, 2004)
- Custom-built interference optical setup (2003)
- Software: Materials Studio 3.0 for molecular modeling and FEMLAB for FEA analysis.