Tsianou, Marina

Marina Tsianou

Professor

Molecularly engineered materials; self-assembly; interfacial phenomena; controlled crystallization; biomimetics

Buffalo NY, 14260

Phone: (716) 645-1191

Systems: networks, gels complex fluids, dispersions, intermolecular complexes, molecular recognition, crystallization, self-assembly, interfacial phenomena, biomimetics, formulations.
Materials: polymers (polyelectrolytes, biopolymers, associating polymers, block copolymers), surfactants, biomaterials, supramolecules, dyes, colloidal particles, crystals, cosolvents.
Techniques: rheology, small-angle X-ray (SAXS) and neutron (SANS) scattering, static and dynamic light scattering, UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, conductivity, vapor pressure osmometry (VPO), surface free energy, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Broad impact: products and processes that improve the quality of life (health, environment).

Organic solvents, potentially harmful to the environment, are often used in the pretreatment and processing of cellulosic biomass. Fundamental information is lacking on the interplay between nano-scale solvent-cellulose interactions and large-scale biomass solvent processing.