Advanced Materials
Creating the next generation of materials that optimize health, sustainability, efficiency and affordability
The range of elements available for device production has exploded in the past 20 years, enabling entirely new classes of electronic and mechanical products, biomedical implants, tissues, coatings and more.
We’re leaders in the world of advanced materials, with three of our school’s seven departments moving this field forward: Materials, Macromolecular Science and Engineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. And with our home in Northeast Ohio—a region brimming with material and chemical industry leaders—we collaborate on moving the latest materials technologies quickly from research to use.
Centers and institutes that conduct research in Advanced Materials
Faculty who conduct research in Advanced Materials
Rohan Akolkar
Milton and Tamar Maltz Professor of Energy Innovation
Chief Scientist (Joint Appointmet), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Director, Electronic Design Center (EDC)
Develops new electrochemical processes for applications including nano-material fabrication, energy storage, electrometallurgy and sensors
Hoda Amani Hamedani
Research Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Develops multifunctional materials and flexible nanostructured platforms for electrochemical and biomedical devices, localized drug delivery, neural interfacing, and electrochemical sensing; studies nanomaterials evolution/interactions in controlled (liquid) environments using in-situ characterization techniques
Eric Baer
Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Director, NSF Center for Layered Polymeric Systems
Develops processing-structure-property relationships in polymeric systems; creates micro- and nano-layered films; and produces biomimetic hierarchical structures of soft materials
Harihara Baskaran
Department Chair, Chemical Engineering
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Understands and solves problems in biology and medicine using transport principles
Laura Bruckman
Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Develops predictive lifetime models for materials degradation related to stress conditions and induced degradation mechanisms evaluated by quantitative spectroscopic characterization of materials
Changyong (Chase) Cao
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Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Study the mechanics, designs, and manufacturing of smart multifunctional materials, soft robotics, soft electronics, and self-powered sensing systems.
Jeff Capadona
Associate Department Chair, Biomedical Engineering
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Engineers biomaterials-based strategies to improve the performance and longevity of central nervous system implanted devices
Jennifer Carter
Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
deformation mechanisms of metals and metal-matrix composites; fatigue, fracture, and creep; failure analysis; electron microscopy; 3D microscopy; novel methodologies for multi-scale material characterization; data science and analytics; open science
Sunniva Collins
Associate Dean, Case School of Engineering
Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Engineers metallic surfaces for improved performance; selects materials and designs manufacturing processes for innovative outcomes
Mark De Guire
Associate Professor Emeritus, Materials Science and Engineering
Analyzes performance of ceramics in energy applications, including fuel cells and oxygen transport membranes
Christine Duval
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops separation materials and processes to benefit nuclear medicine, environmental protection, and nuclear waste recycling and remediation.
Steven Eppell
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Designs, synthesizes and tests orthopedic biomaterials using biomimetic strategies emphasizing nanoscale structures and self-assembly
Frank Ernst
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Studies and engineers microstructures, interfaces and surfaces of metallic materials by novel methods of processing and microcharacterization
Donald Feke
Vice Provost, Case Western Reserve University
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops novel polymeric materials and ultrasonic-based separation processes for nano- and microscale multi-phase systems
Roger French
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Director, SDLE Research Center
Applies data science and analytics to energy and materials science research problems
Michael Hore
Warren E. Rupp Associate Professor
Associate Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Combines experiments, theory and simulation to study fundamental problems in the polymer physics of grafted and non-linear polymers
Hatsuo Ishida
Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Develops advanced benzoxazine resins, thermosetting resins based on natural renewable materials and green flame retarding systems
Daniel Lacks
Associate Dean, Academics
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops first-principles molecular-scale theories of chemical processes and materials properties
Peter Lagerlof
Associate Professor Emeritus, Materials Science and Engineering
Develops a unified theory for plastic deformation via slip and deformation twinning
John Lewandowski
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Director, Nitinol Commercialization Accelerator
Director, Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Reliability Center (AMMRC)
Researches material reliability for biomedical and structural applications, advanced materials manufacturing and processing/microstructure/property relationships. Hybrid Autonomous Manufacturing.
Ya-Ting Liao
Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Creates computational models of combustion, fire and fire behavior and develops fire-resistant structures
Joao Maia
Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Director, CAPP - Center for Advanced Polymer Processing
Develops multi-scale, complex polymer-based materials, using both experimental and computational-based tools
Ica Manas-Zloczower
Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Engineering new materials and technologies for industrial applications
Heidi Martin
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops diamond electrodes for electrochemical and neural device applications
David Matthiesen
Associate Professor Emeritus, Materials Science and Engineering
Director, Wind Energy Research and Commercialization (WERC) Center
Develops process engineering solutions for the manufacturing of new magnetic materials
Jim McGuffin-Cawley
Director,
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Develops new methodologies for material processing, characterizes processing-property relationships, studies high-temperature diffusion and solid-state reactions, fosters industry-university relationships
Julie Renner
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops biomolecular platforms to control solid-liquid interfaces and enable a new generation of advanced technologies
Clare Rimnac
Professor Emeritus, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Advances the long-term performance of implants and structural bone allografts through material analysis and characterization
Valentin Rodionov
Assistant Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Investigates catalysis with soft materials: catalytic surfactants and polymers; complex macromolecular architectures for bio-inspired catalysis; and ligand-mediated nanocatalysis
Robert Savinell
Department Chair, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops high-performance electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies through fundamental and applied studies of interfacial and transport processes
David Schiraldi
Professor Emeritus, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Develops bio-based, flame-retarded plastics, polymer aerogels and packaging materials; and studies properties of polyesters
Alp Sehirlioglu
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Develops new materials through exploitation of interfaces to control functionality and exploration of multi-functionality for energy-related applications
Tina Vrabec
Research Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Develops novel waveforms and electrodes for downregulation of the nervous system for clinical applications including peripheral, autonomic and pain
Robert Warburton
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops computational models of interfacial chemical reactions relevant to applications in catalysis and energy storage
Gerhard Welsch
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Develops new processing methods and designs for energy storage and optimized materials
Matthew Willard
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Investigates phase transformations and materials processing, especially their impact on structure and properties of materials
Gary Wnek
Department Chair, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Develops advanced polymers for packaging, biomaterial applications and more.
Bill Yu
Department Chair, Civil Engineering
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Multiscale multiphysics processes in geosystems and infrastructure, interdisciplinary innovations in intelligent infrastructure technologies towards resilience and sustainability.
Huichun (Judy) Zhang
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Examines fate and transformation of environmental contaminants in natural and engineered environments and develops advanced water/wastewater treatment technologies
Lei Zhu
Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Develops high-energy and high-performance polymers based on close relationships among structure, property and processing