Robert A. Weiss

Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and
UTC Professor of Advanced Materials and Processing

Education

Ph.D. University of Massachusetts, Amherst
B.S. Northwestern University

Contact Information

Phone: (860) 486-4698
Email: rweiss@mail.ims.uconn.edu
Website: http://www.engr.uconn.edu/cmbe/page.php?id=fac&pid=weiss

Research Interests

Proton Exchange Membranes:

Research involves the development of new polymer electrolyte membranes for proton exchage membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Topics include the synthesis and characterization of new ionomers, polymer blends formed from sulfonate ionomers and high temperature thermoplastic, block copolymer ionomers and phosphonate ionomers.

Polymer Blends:

Research in this area focuses on the effects of strong interactions on the phase behavior, phase separation kinetics and interfacial mixing characteristics of polymer blends, the effect of flow on the phase behavior and structure formation of polymer blends, and reactive compatibilization of liquid crystalline polymer mixtures.

Wetting of Thin Polymer Films:

The stability of polymeric coatings is an important issue in a wide variety of disciplines, including electronics, biomaterials, smart materials, adhesives, tribology, lithography, and composites. Our research in this area examines the effect of ionomers on the dewetting of thin film coatings on inorganic substrates.

Electrically Conductive Polymers:

Our research in this area focuses on the in situ polymerization of inherently conductive polymers such as polypyrrole to prepare electrically conductive polymer foams that can be used as chemical sensors.

Hydrophobically Modified Hydrogels:

Copolymers of alkyl-acrylamides and fluoroacrylates exhibit microphase separation due to hydrophobic associations of the fluorinated species. Studies are directed at understanding their microstructure and phase transitions. Biomedical applications of these hydrogels are being examined.

Shape Memory Elastomers:

Shape memory polymers are materials that can have a permanent and a temporary shape. The temporary shape may be locked in by heating and deforming the material above a "fixing" temperature. The permanent shape can be recovered by reheating the polymer above the fixing temperature in the absence of an applied stress. We are developing and studying a new class of shape memory elastomers based on mixtures of polymers and low molecular weight crystals.

Recent Publications

1. Weiss, R. A., E. Izzo and S. Mandelbaum. 2008. New Design of Shape Memory Polymers: Mixtures of an Elastomeric Ionomer and Low Molar Mass Fatty Acids and Their Salts. Macromolecules. 41; 2978-2980

2. Ramani, V., S. Swier, M. T. Shaw, R. A. Weiss, H. R. Kunz, J. M. Fenton. 2008. Membranes and Membrane Electrode Assemblies Based on Sulfonated Poly (ether ketone ketone) and Heteropolyacids for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells. J. Electrochem. 155: B532-B537

3. Weiss, R. A., X. Zhai and A. V. Dobrynin. 2008. Nanoparticle-Textured Surfaces from Spin-Coating. Langmuir. 24: 5218-5220.

4. Gasa, J., R. A. Weiss and M. T. Shaw. 2008. Structured polymer electrolyte blends based on
sulfonated polyetherketoneketone (SPEKK) and a poly (ether imide) (PEI), J. Membr. Sci., Available online 26 April 2008

5. Ro, A., S. J. Huang and R. A. Weiss. 2008. Synthesis and Thermal Properties of Telechelic Poly(lactic acid) Ionomers. Polymer. 49: 422-431.

6. Gasa, J. V., R. A. Weiss and M. T. Shaw. 2007. Ionic Crosslinking of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes using Barium Cations. J. Membrane Sci., 304: 173-180.

7. Lavorgna, M., G. Mensitieri, Gi. Scherillo, S. Swier and R. A. Weiss. 2007. Polymer blends for fuel cells based on SPEKK: effect of co-continuous morphologies on water sorption and ionic conductivity. J. Polym. Sci. Polym. Phys. Ed., 45: 395-404.

8. Wang, Y., G. A. Sotzing and R. A. Weiss. 2008. Preparation of Conductive Polypyrrole/ Polyurethane Composite Foams by In Situ Polymerization of Pyrrole, Chem. Mat., 20: 2574-2582.

9. Bhiwankar, N., and R. A. Weiss. 2006. Melt Intercalation/Exfoliation of Polystyrene--Sodium-Montmorillonite Nanocomposites Using Sulfonated Polystyrene Ionomers Compatibilizers, Polymer, 47: 6694-6691.

10. Gasa, J. V., R. A. Weiss and M. T. Shaw. 2006. Influence of Blend Miscibility on the Proton Conductivity and Methanol Permeability of Polymer Electrolyte Blends. J. Polym. Sci., Phys. Ed., 44: 2253-2266.