Please consider attending the following: MATERIALS ENGINEERING SEMINAR "Mechano Optical Behaviors of Nanocomposite Hydrogels" By Zeynep Mutlu Purdue MSE Ph.D. Preliminary Exam Advisor: Professor Mukerrem Cakmak ABSTRACT Hydrogels are made of three-dimensional polymer networks which have high water content. There are various kind of applications of hydrogels such as a superabsorbent material, scaffold for tissue engineering, wound care material, and contact lens. Carbon-based, polymeric, ceramic, and metallic nanoparticles can be integrated within the hydrogel networks to obtain nanocomposites with superior. There is a plethora of work done on mechanical behaviors of nanocomposite hydrogels; however, a real-time mechano-optical behavior that can reveal important information regarding the molecular orientation of polymer chains and clay nanoparticles during large deformation is still lacking. This presentation discusses the real-time mechano-optical study on strain-induced optical anisotropy of nanocomposite hydrogels synthesized from DMA and Laponite XLG nano-clay. Details of the microstructural changes and chain orientation during deformation are also discussed. Date: Monday, November 6, 2017 Time: 9:30 A.M. Place: HAMP 2108