Chemical Engineering Department Seminar Series

“Materials Incorporation Research:  Work at the Intersection of Nanotechnology and Colloid Science”

Delaina A Allen

The field of nanotechnology has been recognized as an emerging area of active research in the last twenty years. This talk will examine a compilation of work that crosses materials development at the intersection of this emerging multidisciplinary field and the more traditional fields of chemistry and colloidal science.  Research topics spanning these active areas of material development will include an in-depth look at emulsion and dispersion technology. Examples discussed will include the use of polymers as both dispersants, growth modifiers and stabilizers. Emphasis will be placed on the mechanistic understanding of these materials as stabilizers in dispersions and emulsions and how they can be utilized to incorporate nanomaterials. Comparisons will be made between polymeric surfactants and traditional small molecule surfactants for practical applications. The use of both polymers and surfactants in the formulation and stabilization of nanoparticulate pigment dispersions and inks for ink jet applications will also be discussed. 

Delaina A. Allen was a research associate with Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY from 1996 to 2009. During this time she led research groups in the development of new dispersants and dyes for ink-jet printers, in the formulation of new inks and additives for continuous printing, and in fundamental and applied research in photographic emulsions and dispersions. Her work has led to several patents and literature publications. A native of Louisville, KY, Dr. Allen holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Virginia, and MS and PhD degrees, also in Chemical Engineering, from University of California-Berkeley. She is a national member of ACS, AIChE and NSBE.