Mitchell Research Group

Front (L-R): Amanda Moster,Cindy Hetzer

Back (L-R): Ryan Schexnaydre, Steffen Hallmann, Andrew Heintz, Brian S. Mitchell

Not Pictured: Luigi Verdoni, Bryan Yonemoto, Rachel Calloway

Research Interests

	Materials Processing
	Nanostructured Materials
	Fiber Technology
	Composites

Nanostructured materials are those materials that have some critical dimension on the order of 100 nanometers or less. In the case of semicrystalline and polycrystalline materials, this is often the crystallite size, but may also include particle size. Nanocrystalline ceramics can have interesting bulk properties since their microstructure (or nanostructure) now consists of a large interfacial component. Our work is aimed at understanding the formation of nano-crystalline and -amorphous domains in a variety of materials; including metal oxide ceramics such as mullite, metals such as aluminum, and polymers such as Nafion. Once formed, the manifestation of nanostructure in terms of bulk physical properties such as elastic modulus and thermal expansion is evaluated. In particular, the development of nanocomposites from a combination of various materials is investigated via High Energy Ball Milling and Hot Isostatic Pressing.

Current Projects

Si Nanoparticles for Biomarkers (Steffen Hallmann)
Functionalized Nanoparticle Solubility (Luigi Verdoni, with Hank Ashbaugh)

Current Funding

NSF/CMMI, “New Surface Chemistries and Process Innovations in the Production of Surface Functionalized Semiconductor Nanoparticles,” with M. Fink and H. Ashbaugh, $350,000, 7/2007 - 6/2010.

Recent Publications

Moster, A.L. and B.S. Mitchell, “Hydration and Proton Conduction in Nafion®/Ceramic Nanocomposite Membranes Produced by Mechanical Attrition,” J. App. Pol. Sci., submitted (2008).
Heintz, A.S., J.E. Gonzales, M.J. Fink, and B.S. Mitchell, “Catalyzed Self-Aldol Reaction of Valeraldehyde via a Mechanochemical Method" J. Mol. Catal. A, submitted (2008).
Schexnaydre, R. and B.S. Mitchell, “Solid State Blending of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) with Polystyrene: Extent of PET Amorphization and Compositional Effects on Crystallization,” J. Pol. Sci. B Pol. Phys., 46[13], 1348-1359 (2008).
Moster, A.L. and B.S. Mitchell, “Mechanical and Hydration Properties of Nafion®/Ceramic Nanocomposite Membranes Produced by Mechanical Attrition,” J. App. Pol. Sci., 111[2] 1144-1150 (2008).
Schexnaydre, R. and B.S. Mitchell, “Solid State Blending of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) with Polystyrene: Extent of Compatibilization and its Dependence on Blend Composition,” Pol. Eng. Sci., 48[4], 649-655 (2008).
Heintz, A., M. Fink and B.S. Mitchell, "Mechanochemical Synthesis of Alkyl/Alkenyl-Passivated Silicon Nanoparticles," Adv. Mat., 19[22], 3984-3988 (2007).
Schexnaydre, R. and B.S. Mitchell, "Synchrotron Infrared Microspectroscopy Characterization of Heterogeneities in Solid-State Blended Polymers," Mat. Let., 61, 2151–2155 (2007).
Mitchell, B.S., "Formation and Characterization of Highly Interfacial Hybrid Nanocomposites," Rev. Adv. Mat. Sci., Advanced Center Study, St. Petersburg, Russia, 10[3], 239-242 (2005).
De Castro, C.L., and B.S. Mitchell, "Crystal growth kinetics of nanocrystalline aluminum prepared by mechanical attrition in nylon media," Mat. Sci. Eng. A, 396[1-2],124-128 (2005).
Mitchell, B.S. and V. J. Law, "Community-Based Presentations in the Unit Operations Laboratory," Chem. Eng. Ed., 39[2], 160-163(2005).
Roy, S., I.S. Dubenko, M. Khan, E.M. Condon, J. Craig, M. Ali, W. Liu and B.S. Mitchell, "Magnetic Properties of Perovskite-derived Air-Synthesized RBaCo₂O₅₊_d(R=La-Ho) Compounds," Phys. Rev. B, 71, 024419-1 (2005).

Haynes, S.D. and B.S. Mitchell, "Preparation and Characterization of Ball-Milled Nafion Powders for Membrane Applications," J. App. Pol. Sci., 93[5], 2275–2281 (2004).

Hampsey, J.E., C. De Castro, B. McCaughey, D. Wang, B.S. Mitchell and Y. Lu, "Preparation of Micron and Sub-Micron Sized Nanostructured Silica Particles Using High Energy Ball Milling," J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 87[7], 1280-1286 (2004).

Decastro, C. and B.S. Mitchell, "The Use of Polymeric Milling Media in the Reduction of Contamination During Mechanical Attrition," J. Mat. Res., 17[12], 2997-2999 (2002).

Decastro, C. and B.S. Mitchell, "Nanoparticles from Mechanical Attrition," in Advances in Nanophase Materials and Nanotechnology, M.I. Barton, editor, American Scientific Publishers, 2002.

Muller E, D. Kurtenbach, G. Roewer, E. Brendler, and B.S. Mitchell, "Crystallization Kinetics of Polysilane Derived SiC," Key Eng. Mat., 206[2], 55-58, (2002)

Zhang, H.Y., N. Maljkovic, and B.S. Mitchell, "Structure and Interfacial Properties of Nanocrystalline Aluminum/Mullite Composites," Mat. Sci. Eng. A, 326[2], 315-321 (2002).

Mitchell, B.S., "Nanocrystallinity in Heat-Treated Calcium Aluminate Fibers," Mat. Lett., 48[5], 316-318 (2001)

Mitchell, B.S., “MicroRaman Analysis of Calcium Aluminate Fibers Formed by Inviscid Melt Spinning (IMS),” Mat. Lett., 45[2], 138-142 (2000).

Xiao, Z. and B.S. Mitchell, "Mullite Decomposition Kinetics and Melt Stabilization in the Temperature Range 1900-2000 C," J. Am. Cer. Soc., 83[4], 761-767, (2000).

Zhang, H. and B.S. Mitchell, "A Method for Determining Crystallization Kinetic Parameters from One Non-isothermal Calorimetric Experiment," J. Mat. Res., 15[4], 1000-1007 (2000).

Fondeur, F. and B.S. Mitchell, "A Modified Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy Cell for Depth Profiling of Ceramic Fibers" Spectrochim. Acta A, 56, 467-473 (2000).

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