C. Allan Guymon

Research Interests:
polymer reaction engineering
UV curable coatings
polymer/liquid crystal composites
controlled release
templated and ordered polymerizations

Awards
Curriculum Vitae
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Our research focuses on photopolymerization, or UV curing, with specific emphasis on the role that the polymerization reaction and the order of the polymerization system play on the ultimate properties and structure of the polymer. Polymers formed using light, or photopolymers, are used extenstively in a wide variety of applications. These reactions ofer a number of advantages including the fact that the initiation rate is independent of temperature and is readily controlled. Such characteristics allow facile determination of polymerization rate and kinetic parameters.

We utilize these advantages to examine the polymerization reaction for systems in which order, both before and after polymerization, plays a primary role on the use and ultimate properties. One area of particular interest is the polymerization in liquid crystals to form polymer/liquid crystal composites. To form these materials, the monomers are photopolymerizaed at different temperatures which correspond to different ordered phases in the liquid crystal. A number of monomers have been and are being investigated which show very interesting kinetic and segregation behavior. These properties are being used to optimize the performance in display applications of the polymer/liquid crystal composite and to form novel three-dimensional polymeric structures.

Ordered effects are also seen in polymerizations of surfactants forming ordered lyotropic liquid crystalilne phases, and in polymerizations templated by these phases. We are interested in determining the polymerization and mechanisms that drive these changes and using these insights to develop stable polymeric liquid crystalline structures for use in coatings and potential drug delivery devices. Because of the ordering in these materials, the polymerization kinetics are much different than might be otherwise expected. Structure development and retention is highly dependent on the polymerization behavior. A number of different structures have been produced for potential application in DNA separation, pesticide release, pigment dispersion, nanocomposites, and a variety of UV curable coatings.

Our research also focuses on the formulation of UV curable coatings for use in a number of new and traditional uses. Current research includes design of conductive patch coatings for stealth applications, abrasion resistant coatings for plastics, as well as corrosion resistant and anti-fouling coatings. Extensive use of Statistical Design of Experiments is employed in the formulation stage to understand interactions that will affect the utlimate properties of the material. We focus on performing detailed characterization not only after polymerization, but also on using the polymerization behavior as a means to understand and optimize the important processes in forming UV curable coatings.

Selected Publications

J. D. Clapper, and C. A. Guymon, “Physical Behavior of Cross-Linked PEG Hydrogels Photopolymerized within Nanostructured Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Templates,” Macromolecules 2007, 40(4), 1101-1107.

T. J. White, L. V. Natarajan, V. P. Tondiglia, T. J. Bunning, and C. A. Guymon,  “Polymerization Kinetics and Monomer Functionality Effects in Thiol-ene Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals (PDLCs),” Macromolecules 2007, 40(4), 1112-1120.

T. J. White, W. B. Liechty, L. V. Natarajan, V. P. Tondiglia, P. Lloyd, T. J. Bunning, and C. A. Guymon, “Monomer Functionality Effects in the Formation of Thiol-ene Holographic Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals (HPDLCs),” Macromolecules 2007, 40(4), 1121-1127.

M. A. DePierro, K. G. Carpenter, and C. A. Guymon, “Influence of Polymerization Conditions on Nanostructure and Properties of Polyacrylamide Hydrogels Templated from Lyotropic Liquid Crystals,” Chemistry of Materials 2006, 18(23), 5609-5617.

J. D. Clapper, and C. A. Guymon, “Compatibilization of Immiscible Polymer Networks through Photopolymerization in a Lyotropic Liquid Crystal,” Advanced Materials, 18 (12), 2006, 1575-1580.

M. A. DePierro, and C. A. Guymon, “Photoinitiation and Monomer Segregation Behavior in Polymerization of Lyotropic Liquid Crystals,” Macromolecules, 39 (2), 2006, 617-626.

H. Zhou, Q. Li, T. Y. Lee, C. A. Guymon, E. S. Jonsson, and C. E. Hoyle, “Photopolymerization of Acid Containing Monomers: Real-Time Monitoring of Polymerization Rates,” Macromolecules, 39(24), 2006, 8269-8273.   

T. J. White, W. B. Liechty, L. V. Natarajan, V. P. Tondiglia, T. J. Bunning, and C. A. Guymon, “The Influence of N-Vinyl-2-Pyrrolidone in Polymerization of Holographic Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals (HPDLCs),” Polymer, 47 (7), 2006, 2289-2298.

T. M. Roper, T. Y. Lee, C. A. Guymon, and C. E. Hoyle, “In-Situ Characterization of Photopolymerizable Systems using a Thin-Film Calorimeter,” Macromolecules, 38 (24), 2005, 10109-10116.

T. Y. Lee, C. A. Guymon, E. S. Jonsson, S. Hait, and C. E. Hoyle, “Synthesis, Initiation, and Polymerization of Photoinitiating Monomers,” Macromolecules, 38 (18), 2005, 7529-7531.

M. A. DePierro, A. J. Olson, and C. A. Guymon, “Effect of Photoinitiator Segregation on Polymerization Kinetics in Lyotropic Liquid Crystals,” Polymer, 46 (2), 2005, 335-345.

T. M. Roper, C. A. Guymon, and C. E. Hoyle, “Design and performance of a thin-film calorimeter for quantitative characterization of photopolymerizable systems,” Review of Scientific Instruments, 2005, 76 (5), 054102.

E. S. Jonsson, T. Y. Lee, K. Viswanathan, C. E. Hoyle, T. M. Roper, C. A. Guymon, C. Nason, I. V. Khudyakov,.  “Photoinduced free radical polymerization using self-initiating monomers” Progress in Organic Coatings 52(1), 2005, 63-72.