Research
The Rowan Group focuses on the design, synthesis and study of new polymeric materials. Using a blend of organic chemistry, polymer synthesis and polymer characterization (both structural and mechanical) we are focused in 4 main classes of materials (1) Cellulose Nanomaterials, (2) Supramolecular Polymers, (3) Dynamic Covalent Polymers and (4) the design and synthesis of Interlocked macromolecules. We are specifically interested in the development of stimuli-responsive materials that have the ability to heal cracks, actuate, shape change and alter properties such as stiffness upon application of a specific stimulus. We are also interested in biomimetic materials and systems.
Bio
Rowan earned his B.Sc. (Hons.) and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Glasgow. His post-doctoral work began in the Chemistry Department at the University of Cambridge, where he later became a Research Associate of Girton College, and culminated at the University of California, Los Angeles. Rowan was the Kent Hale Smith Professor in the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering at Case Western Reserve University before joining the University of Chicago in the Department of Chemistry and Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering in 2016. In 2018 he became the Barry L MacLean Professor of Molecular Engineering and in 2021 he became the Director of the University of Chicago’s Materials Science and Engineering Research Center (MRSEC).
Rowan won the American Chemical Society Mark Scholar Award, the Morley Medal, the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, and the CWRU School of Engineering Research Award. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the American Chemical Society. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of ACS Macro Letters, published by the American Chemical Society, and a member of the editorial advisory boards of the Journal of Polymer Science, Chemical Science, the Journal of Macromolecular Science, and Pure & Applied Chemistry.
Recent Publications
Rowan S.J. Ten Years of ACS Macro Letters ACS Macro Letters 2021, 0, 10.
Lettow, J.H.; Kaplan, R.Y.; Nealey, P.F.; Rowan S.J. Enhanced Ion Conductivity through Hydrated, Polyelectrolyte-Grafted Cellulose Nanocrystal Films Macromolecules 2021, 54 (14), 6925-6936.
Herbert, K.M.; Dolinski, N.D.; Boynton, N.R.; Murphy, J.G.; Lindberg, C.A.; Sibener, S.J.; Rowan S.J. Controlling the Morphology of Dynamic Thia-Michael Networks to Target Pressure-Sensitive and Hot Melt Adhesives ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2021, 13 (23), 27471-27480.
Hart, L.F., Hertzog, J.E., Rauscher, P.M. et al. Material properties and applications of mechanically interlocked polymers Nature Reviews Materials 2021, 6, 508–530.
Rowan S.J. 100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science Viewpoints ACS Macro Letters 2021, 10 (4), 466-468.
Weiss, A.M.; Macke, N.; Zhang, Y.; Calvino, C.; Esser-Kahn, A.P.; Rowan S.J. In Vitro and in Vivo Analyses of the Effects of Source, Length, and Charge on the Cytotoxicity and Immunocompatibility of Cellulose Nanocrystals ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering 2021, 7 (4), 1450-1461.
Tranquilli, M.M.; Wu, Q.; Rowan S.J. Effect of metallosupramolecular polymer concentration on the synthesis of poly[n]catenanes Chemical Science 2021, 12, 8722-8730.
Kato, R.; Lettow, J. H.; Patel, S.N.; Rowan S.J. Ion-Conducting Thermoresponsive Films Based on Polymer-Grafted Cellulose Nanocrystals ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2020, 12 (48), 54083-54093.
Zhang, Y.; Pon, N.; Awaji, A.; Rowan S.J. Squid Beak Inspired Cross-Linked Cellulose Nanocrystal Composites Biomacromolecules 2021, 22 (1), 201-212.
Rauscher, P.M.; Rowan S.J.; de Pablo, J.J. Hydrodynamic interactions in topologically linked ring polymers Phys. Rev. E 2020, 102, 032502.
Capadona, J.R.; Shanmuganathan, K.; Tyler D.J.; Rowan S.J.; Weder, C. Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Nanocomposites Inspired by the Sea Cucumber Dermis Science 2008, 319, 1370-1374.