Yulin Deng
Professor
Contact Information
Building: Paper Tricentennial (IPST)
Office:
375
Phone: 404.894.5759
Fax: 404.894.4778
email
Mailing Address
Georgia Institute of Technology
School of Chemical &
Biomolecular Engineering
311 Ferst Drive, N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30332-0100
Links
Yulin Deng
Education
B.S. 1982, Northeast Normal University, China
Ph.D. 1992, Manchester University, United Kingdom
Research Interests
Dr. Deng's research interests are nanomaterial synthesis and self-assembling, colloid and surface science and engineering, polymer synthesis, hydrogels for controlled drug delivery and papermaking and paper recycling.
Nanomaterial synthesis and characterization is a focus of Yulin’s research group. Nanobelts of inorganic oxide nanobelts with very low cost were synthesized (Figure 1). These nanobelts are excellent
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Figure 1: Magensium oxide based nanobelts prepared by solution synthesis method. |
candidates for many applications, such as polymer composite, papermaking and coating. Nano titanium dioxide hollow particles with very surface area were synthesized using layer-by-layer assembling technique (Figure 4). The aspect ratio of the hollow TiO 2 can be well controlled. Nanocomposites such as polymer/nanoclay hybrids are engineering materials that have great
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Figure 2: Temperature sensitive hollow microspheres (Q. Sun and Y. Deng, JACS, 127 (23), 8274, 2005) |
potential in many industries. Recent research at Dr. Deng's group indicated that exfoliated nanoclay could be encapsulated in polymer latexes. The water-based polymer-nanoclay suspension is a great candidate for painting and paper coating. Nanostructured sol-gel systems and nanoscale self-assembly process are also the fields currently being studied. Liquid emulsion membrane has been used for synthesizing nanostructured inorganic and polymeric materials in our group.
Temperature sensitive hydrogels for controlled drug delivery have been extensively studied in the literature. Dr. Deng’s research in this area is focused on the synthesis of hollow microspheres and drug encapsulation. Figures 2 and 3 are some novel temperature sensitive hollow particles synthesized in our group. The application of these novel structured materials focused on the fast drug delivery at desired time and target location. Micro-size cellulosic foams have been used as supporting matrix for temperature sensitive hydrogel. Magnetic field controlled hydrogel drug delivery system is also being studied.
In the colloid and surface science and engineering area, research is focused on polymer
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Figure 3: Temperature sensitive micro-basket balls synthesized by interfacial polymerization |
adsorption kinetics, polymer configuration, flocculation, emulsion and micellization. The application of colloidal and surface chemistry in papermaking has been focused. Papermaking and paper recycling are two important areas in paper science and engineering. The new polymer additives and novel fillers that may be used as flocculants, papermaking agents, adhesives and drug delivery polymers are being designed and studied.
Solvent, suspension, emulsion and miniemulsion polymerization techniques are used in new polymer and polymer composite synthesis. Cationic polymer and copolymers, including cationic nanoparticles, have been successfully synthesized and new flocculantion systems based on this nanoparticle system have been developed.
Several novel paper recycling technologies, such as surfactant spray in flotation deinking, developed by Dr. Deng's group have great potential to improve the papermaking process and paper quality. Modification of wood fibers and their non-paper applications, including super-absorbent, biodegradable plastic and packaging materials, are also part of Dr. Deng's research area. Detailed information about Dr. Deng's research is available here.
Dr. Deng is a member of ACS, AIChE and TAPPI.