Jessica Schiffman

Aqueous Processing of Mechanically Robust, Dense Films from Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Based Coacervates This study fabricates free-standing films from the natural polyanion carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) paired with the synthetic polycation poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) using all-aqueous processing. First, the ability of CMC and PDADMAC to form polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) in the presence of sodium chloride (NaCl) or potassium bromide (KBr) was screened by using turbidity measurements. This revealed that an excess of polycations was required to induce coacervation in CMC/PDADMAC in the presence of either salt, which amassed a net positive charge in the coacervates. The optimized PEC conditions for casting were corroborated via rheological testing, which indicated higher coacervate sensitivity to KBr than to NaCl. Next, blade casting was used to spread the coacervates into a thin layer, which were processed into films using aqueous phase separation (APS). The morphology, thermal properties, and mechanical performance of the films were evaluated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tensile testing, respectively. SEM revealed that the films were dense, with Young’s moduli ranging from 436 to 975 MPa. Higher salt concentrations in the coacervates yielded films with fractured and unstable surfaces, which resulted in a significant decrease in mechanical strength, though the films were still robust with Young’s moduli ranging from 110 to 330 MPa. With the knowledge that our CMC/PDADMAC films were manufactured with an excess of PDADMAC, we hypothesized that their cationic nature would result in intrinsic antimicrobial properties via contact killing. Indeed, all CMC/PDADMAC films inactivated ∼50% of the Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, supporting that the manufactured films present free cationic groups available to kill microbes or further chemical modifications. We suggest that these high-strength biopolymer-based films produced via sustainable all-aqueous processing hold potential for use as membranes, packaging materials, and high-touch coatings.

Congrats to Bren on their premiere first author paper! 🎉

Aqueous Processing of Mechanically Robust, Dense Films from Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Based Coacervates

ASAP in ACS Applied Polymer Materials

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/... @pubs.acs.org

🧐 Check out our Editorial on Additive Manufacturing to Advance Clean Technology
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Thanks to Editors Marcus Worsley & Jeremy Feaster @berkeleylab.lbl.gov & Yat Li (UC SantaCruz)

See also the Full Issue on AM in ACS Appl Eng Materials!
pubs.acs.org/page/aaemdr/...

So excited that Sarthak Saha was awarded the 2024 UMass Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Best Dissertation Award for his research on "Advanced Microfluidics Platforms for Protein Crystallization and X-ray Crystallography"!

Phase-Change Polymer–Metal Composites with Tunable Thermal Conductivity and Their Additive Manufacturing Polymer–metal composites that combine a soft polymer matrix with low-melting-point metal/alloy particles that can be melted within a compatible temperature range hold great promise for multifunctional additive manufacturing (AM). The reversible melting–solidification phase transition of the metal component, coupled with the mechanical flexibility and stretchability of the polymer matrix, enables thermally responsive and mechanically tunable composites suitable for 3D printing. However, a fundamental understanding of their thermal, rheological, and morphological behaviors remains limited. In this work, we investigate a series of polymer–metal composites composed of Field’s metal (FM) and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), with the goal of elucidating the critical structure–property relationships for material extrusion-based AM. Thermo-rheological analyses reveal distinct temperature-dependent transitions strongly influenced by FM content and processing conditions. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy further demonstrate significant process-dependent morphological evolution. Notably, these composites exhibit highly tunable thermal conductivity, achieving values up to 19 W m–1 K–1 after the postprinting processing. Successful 3D printing via pellet extrusion reveals substantial differences in thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties compared to solution-cast counterparts, primarily due to shear-induced morphological rearrangement during printing. The insights gained into the key structure–property relationships of these 3D-printable multifunctional FM–TPE composites pave the way for their potential applications in thermal management, soft electronics, and robotics.

Friday reading from ACS Applied Engineering Materials 🤓

Phase-Change Polymer–Metal Composites with Tunable Thermal Conductivity and Their Additive Manufacturing

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

📣We have a new Associate Editor at ACS Applied Eng Materials!

Welcome to the team Prof. Douglas Galvão from the State Univ of Campinas @unicampoficial.bsky.social

🤝 Galvão’s research spans computational & applied materials exemplifying theory–experiment synergy that our journal champions.

🆕 ASAP on 3D Printing of Microalgae from Caltech in ACS Applied Engineering Materials

Preserving Microstructure Enhances Cohesion & Mechanical Performance in Spirulina-Based 3D-Printed Biomaterials

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

The January 2026 issue of ACS Applied Engineering Materials is live and features work led by Dr. Kottapalli from Univ Groningen on the cover!

👣 Wearable Sensors for Spatiotemporal Gait Analysis Using Electrospun Piezocapacitive Insoles 👣

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

@acs.org @pubs.acs.org

PMSE Student Travel Award - Applications for the Atlanta, GA ACS Meeting are Due 1/30/26 The PMSE Division is providing up to two (2) $500 travel awards to students presenting at the ACS National Meeting Eligibility: PMSE Members who identify as female and/or who are under-represented…

🚨 Grad Student Travel Awards - Spring 2026 ACS Meeting 🚨
The ACS PMSE Division is offering two $500 travel awards for grad students attending & presenting in PMSE symposia at the Spring 2026 ACS Meeting (Atlanta, GA).
🗓 Apply by 1/30/26
🔗 Info & Application: forms.gle/HCMR7ReeZNN2...
#ACSSpring2025

#Wrapped2025 ⭐ Thanks to our Authors, Reviewers, Editors, Advisory Board, & Staff! We had an Awesome Third Year @ ACS Applied Engineering Materials! ⭐

#chemsky @acs.org @pubs.acs.org @acspmse.bsky.social

pubs.acs.org/journal/aaemdr

the Dec 2025 Issue of ACS Applied Engineering Materials features work led by Prof. Xiao Li @ the Univ of North Texas!

Phase Separation of Homopolymer-Blended Liquid Crystal Elastomer for Creation of Porous Structures 🧽

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Cheers 🥂

Cationically Modified PVA-Based Electrospun Nanofiber Membrane for Adsorptive PFAS Removal from Water Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a diverse range of anthropogenic organic compounds, pose significant concerns to society due to their potential harmful impacts on human health and ecosyste...

If the weather outside is frightful, we better collect PFAS...

Cationically Modified PVA-Based Electrospun Nanofiber Membrane for Adsorptive PFAS Removal from Water

New ASAP in ACS Applied Engineering Materials

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

AY25-26 Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List

The 2026 Chemical Engineering Faculty Jobs List (run by Arvind Ganesan and Todd N. Whittaker) has 92 research/teaching positions and 19 teaching-only positions: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... #facultychemEjobs

Congratulations to ✨Doctor ✨ Shao-Hsiang (Joe) Hung!!

Polydimethylsiloxane gel thickness and stiffness affect the initial adhesion of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus The persistent presence of hospital-acquired bacterial infections and the growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains necessitates a greater understanding of the initial adhesion of b...

ASAP Article! Thickness & Stiffness of PDMS influences the adhesion of microbes

Congrats to a stellar @schiffmanlab.bsky.social team incl: grad students Brandon & Meng-Chen along w/fantastic undergrads Dylan & Uzo!

Now published in RSC Applied Polymers!

pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a... @rsc.org

Promotional graphic with headshot of Prof. Suzana Nunes and the text: ‘Industry Webinar. ACS Expert Session. From Bio-Based Solvents to Circular Polymers: Pathways Toward Sustainable Membrane Technology’

Join us for this special industry webinar exploring cutting-edge research in green biopolymers and sustainable membrane technologies.

🗓️ Tuesday, December 9, 2025
🕘 09:00–10:00 BRT | 07:00–08:00 EST | 15:00–16:00 AST

🔗 Register now: buff.ly/ma0n26k

Check out the #ACS booth number 805 at the exhibition of the #F25MRS conference and learn about publishing with ACS - you can meet me in the lunch break and talk about the #ACS #Applied #Materials & #Interfaces #journal (@ACS_AMI)

Solar Reforming: Sunlight-Driven Waste to Chemicals for a Bright Future

Interested in 🌞Solar Reforming: Sunlight-Driven Waste to Chemicals for a Bright Future?🌞

Then see our new ➡️ Editorial & Manuscript Collection in ACS Applied Engineering Materials!

Thanks to Prof. Stuart Linley @ McMaster for leading this effort!

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/... @pubs.acs.org

Some of the ✨beautiful✨ covers for the November 2025 Issue of ACS Applied Engineering Materials!

pubs.acs.org/toc/aaemdr/c...

Thankful to all of our authors, readers, & reviewers!

Tiny, semipermeable magnetic spheres could allow microbial cultures to grow in soil or ocean water before being collected later. cen.acs.org/biological-c...

#chemsky 🧪

Dual-Functional Triphenyltriindole “Knitting Polymers” for Efficient Iodine Capture and Zn–I2 Batteries This work introduces a class of nitrogen-rich porous polymers synthesized via “knitting polymerization” using a redox-active triphenyltriindole monomer. Two synthetic routes-thermal Friedel–Crafts rea...

Happy Friday reading 🤓 from ACS Applied Engineering Materials!

The team led by Drs María Luisa Ferrer & Berta Gómez-Lor (ICCMM Spain) knit polymers into batteries! 🧶🔋

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

The 2025-2026 BME TT Faculty jobs list has 87 positions. #FacultySearch #BME #BMEJobsList

Add a job: forms.gle/bwEzwHAEehBj...
Jobs list: ericaprattlab.com/bme_jobs_list/

📣 The Schiffman Lab is looking to hire a Postdoctoral Researcher with experience in #membranes and #polymers. Interested candidates should email me their resumes and a statement of interest. Hope to chat #AIChE!

Aqueous Processing of Stoichiometric and Nonstoichiometric Materials from Complex Coacervates ConspectusWith the rise of green engineering, there is an increasing need to manufacture materials without relying on organic solvents. Using all-aqueous approaches mitigates the industrial safety and...

🔥Off the Press - Congrats Joe!! Our lab's 1st publication in Accounts of Materials Research @pubs.acs.org

Aqueous Processing of Stoichiometric and Nonstoichiometric Materials from Complex Coacervates
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

Engineered Active Colloids Drive Environmental and Biomimetic Technologies

Thank to Peter Beltramo @umassamherst.bsky.social for leading our Special Issue on Active Colloids that’s now live in ACS Applied Engineering Materials! 🚀🚀

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

The Oct 2025 🎃 cover of ACS Applied Engineering Materials features:

Omniphobic Surfaces Using Femtosecond Laser Surface Processing & Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition

Congrats to Graham Kaufman, Siamak Nejati & all co-authors from the Univ of Nebraska-Lincoln 👏

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Ha! There were only three lost water bottles after my Intro to Engineering exam this week :)

ACS Publications is proud to announce its attendance at the #AIChEAnnual Meeting 2025. 📅 Nov 2-6 📍 Booth 113

ACS Publications is exhibiting at the #AIChEAnnual Meeting, where industrial & chemical engineering takes center stage.

📅 Nov 2-6
📍 Booth 113

Read out latest Showcase on UN SDG Goal 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure: buff.ly/YIjFkxY

Removal of Uranium by Polymer Metal Oxide Nanofiber Composites: Enhanced Performance through Integration of Phthalic Acid We developed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers embedded with various commercially available metal oxide particles (Fe2O3, TiO2, MnO2, Co3O4, CoFe2O4, ZnFe2O4) via electrospinning for the removal of uranium (U(VI)) from aqueous systems. We compared the performance of composites electrospun with and without the inclusion of phthalic acid (PTA), building on our prior evidence that PTA can promote particle dispersion in precursor sol–gels. Characterization using SEM, TEM, XPS, and BET confirmed that PTA results in improved metal oxide distribution within the polymer fiber, promotes enrichment of metal oxides on the nanofiber surface, and increases composite surface area and porosity. In batch sorption experiments, PTA-containing composites consistently exhibited greater U(VI) uptake than those without PTA, producing more than 2- and 3-fold increases for top-performing Fe2O3 and TiO2 composites, respectively. For Fe2O3 and TiO2 composites with PTA, U(VI) uptake increased from pH 2 to 7, suggesting a contribution from retained phthalic acid (as phthalate), and isotherm studies revealed sorption capacities exceeding ∼8 mg U/g (corresponding to >90% of U(VI) removal) at environmentally relevant concentrations (∼1 μM). These composites are offer a simple, one-pot fabrication route to high-performing U(VI) sorbents in which PTA improves metal oxide distribution, surface area and pore volume of the polymer–metal oxide composites while also contributing to U(VI) uptake via cooperative binding with embedded metal oxides.

Fresh OA ASAP led by Dr David Cwiertny @ UIowa in ACS Appl Eng Materials!

Removal of Uranium by Polymer Metal Oxide Nanofiber Composites: Enhanced Performance through Integration of Phthalic Acid

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

🚨Job posting! #UMassAmherst Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences is hiring a TT faculty member in #Immunology. Both fundamental and translational areas considered. Please spread the word!
careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-u...

Congrats to Arvind and all @perrys-lab.bsky.social co-authors on this #ACSEditorsChoice manuscript 🥳