*********************************
There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
*********************************
THE SCHOOL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Under the provisions of the regulations for the degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
on Friday, January 27, 2016
1:00 PM
in MRDC 3515
will be held the
DISSERTATION PROPOSAL DEFENSE
for
Andrew Gorman
"Controlled Encapsulations of Fluids by Hydrophobins"
Committee Members:
Prof. Paul Russo, Advisor, MSE
Prof. Hamid Garmestani, MSE
Prof. Karl Jacob, MSE
Prof. Meisha Shofner, MSE
Prof. Jennifer Curtis, PHYS
Abstract:
Hydrophobins are a class of amphipathic fungal proteins with a high surface activity, high resistance to thermal and chemical degradation, and good availability at a low cost. These properties make hydrophobins excellent candidates for a variety of applications for coatings, drug delivery, chemical separations, and encapsulations. Cerato ulmin (CU) is a hydrophobin produced by the fungus Ceratocysis ulmi, known for its connection to Dutch elm disease. This study focuses on CU due to its ability to self-assemble into cylindrical bubbles and to encapsulate fluids in non-spherical shapes (blobs) on the micro and nano scale at low concentrations.
The proposed work will expand the current knowledge of the behavior of CU and investigate potential material applications that will use the hydrophobin’s natural properties. The lack of repeatability in bubble formation will be addressed through the construction of various wave tanks which will allow for real time imaging of bubble creation. The effect of processing conditions in bubble size, shape, and film thickness will be examined through small angle scattering, light scattering, optical imaging, and optical tweezers. By identifying the relationships between processing conditions and physical properties, this work will aid in designing fluid encapsulating structures.
