Lon J. Mathias
Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering
School of Polymers and High Performance Materials
Polymer Science Building,Room 309
118 College Drive #10076
Hattiesburg,MS 39406-0001
Phone:(601)-266-4871
Fax:(601)-266-5504
Email: Lon.Mathias@usm.edu
Research Group Web Page
Background
Professor, Polymer Science. B.S. in Chemistry with honors with J.K. Stille, University of Iowa , 1971, M.S. in Chemistry with C.G. Overberger, University of Michigan , 1974. Ph.D. in Chemistry with C.G. Overberger, University of Michigan , 1976.
Research Areas
High Performance Polymers and Composites; Thermally Stable-High Tg Polymers; Polymerizations in Organized Media and at Interfaces; Supernucleophilic and Phase Transfer Polymers, New Functional Monomers and Polymers, Solid-State NMR;
Our research combines synthesis and characterization in unique ways to elucidate and apply fundamental structure-property relationships. We pursue novel monomer structures and controlled synthetic methods with the goal of understanding the effects of complimentary and dissimilar functional groups incorporated into the same monomer or polymer. When combined with tailored polymeric architectures involving surface grafting, hyperbranched structures and block copolymers, we develop tailored approaches to optimizing properties. Building on these is the exploration of new multifunctional monomers which allow both synergistic and anti-synergistic behavior in polymerization processes and final polymer properties.
Recent Publications
1. Dizman, B.; Elasri, M. O.; Mathias, L. J., Novel antibacterial polymers. ACS Symposium Series 2009, 1002, (Smart Coatings II), 27-51.
2. Bennett, C.; Kaya, E.; Sikes, A. M.; Jarrett, W. L.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and characterization of nylon 18 18 and nylon 18 adamantane. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2009, 47, (17), 4409-4419.
3. Tas, H.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and polymerization of new di-octadecyl ester derivatives of α-hydroxymethyl acrylate: a structure-property correlation for their copolymers with methyl methacrylate. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2008, 46, (23), 7785-7793.
4. Tarkin-Tas, E.; Goswami, S. K.; Nayak, B. R.; Mathias, L. J., Highly exfoliated poly(ε-caprolactone)/organomontmorillonite nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2008, 107, (2), 976-984.
5. Morizur, J.-F.; Mathias, L. J., New poly(ester amide)s from alkyl 2-(carboethoxyhydroxymethyl)acrylates. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2008, 46, (10), 3182-3192.
6. Wang, J.; Wheeler, P. A.; Jarrett, W. L.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and characterization of dual-functionalized laponite clay for acrylic nanocomposites. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2007, 106, (3), 1496-1506.
7. Morizur, J.-F.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis of new polyfunctional 2-pyrrolidinones from methyl 2-(carboethoxyhydroxymethyl)acrylate. Tetrahedron Letters 2007, 48, (31), 5555-5559.
8. Morizur, J.-F.; Irvine, D. J.; Rawlins, J. J.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis of New Acrylate-Based Nonionic Surfmers and Their Use in Heterophase Polymerization. Macromolecules (Washington, DC, United States) 2007, 40, (25), 8938-8946.
9. Dizman, B.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis, characterization, and cyclopolymerization of a functional non-symmetric divinyl monomer. Polymer 2007, 48, (18), 5226-5232.
10. Dizman, B.; Badger, J. C.; Elasri, M. O.; Mathias, L. J., Antibacterial fluoromicas: A novel delivery medium. Applied Clay Science 2007, 38, (1-2), 57-63.
11. Wheeler, P. A.; Wang, J.; Mathias, L. J., Poly(methyl methacrylate)/Laponite Nanocomposites: Exploring Covalent and Ionic Clay Modifications. Chemistry of Materials 2006, 18, (17), 3937-3945.
12. Wheeler, P. A.; Fu, B. X.; Lichtenhan, J. D.; Weitao, J.; Mathias, L. J., Incorporation of metallic POSS, POSS copolymers, and new functionalized POSS compounds into commercial dental resins. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2006, 102, (3), 2856-2862.
13. Dizman, B.; Elasri, M. O.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and Characterization of Antibacterial and Temperature Responsive Methacrylamide Polymers. Macromolecules 2006, 39, (17), 5738-5746.
14. Dizman, B.; Elasri, M. O.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and antibacterial activities of water-soluble methacrylate polymers containing quaternary ammonium compounds. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2006, 44, (20), 5965-5973.
15. Bennett, C.; Zeng, J.; Kumar, S.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis of copolyamides containing octadecanedioic acid: an investigation of nylon 6/6,18 in various ratios. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2006, 99, (5), 2062-2067.
16. Wheeler, P. A.; Wang, J.; Baker, J.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and Characterization of Covalently Functionalized Laponite Clay. Chemistry of Materials 2005, 17, (11), 3012-3018.
17. Wang, J.; Nayak, B. R.; Creed, D.; Hoyle, C. E.; Mathias, L. J., Photocrosslinking of poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymers containing photoreactive comonomers. Polymer 2005, 46, (18), 6897-6909.
18. Wang, J.; Mathias, L. J., A polymerizable photosensitizer and its photopolymerization kinetics. Polymer International 2005, 54, (11), 1537-1542.
19. Nayak, B. R.; Mathias, L. J., A novel photoinimer for the polymerization of acrylates and methacrylates. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2005, 43, (22), 5661-5670.
20. Dizman, B.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and self-catalyzed phase transfer reaction of novel methacrylate polymers. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2005, 43, (23), 5844-5854.
21. Dizman, B.; Elasri, M. O.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis, Characterization, and Antibacterial Activities of Novel Methacrylate Polymers Containing Norfloxacin. Biomacromolecules 2005, 6, (1), 514-520.
22. Bennett, C.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and characterization of polyamides containing octadecanedioic acid: nylon-2,18, nylon-3,18, nylon-4,18, nylon-6,18, nylon-8,18, nylon-9,18, and nylon-12,18. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2005, 43, (5), 936-945.
23. Shemper, B. S.; Morizur, J. F.; Alirol, M.; Domenech, A.; Hulin, V.; Mathias, L. J., Synthetic clay nanocomposite-based coatings prepared by UV-cure photopolymerization. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2004, 93, (3), 1252-1263.
24. Shemper, B. S.; Mathias, L. J., Syntheses and characterization of statistical and block fluorinated copolymers with linear and star-like architectures via ATRP. European Polymer Journal 2004, 40, (4), 651-665.
25. Mathias, L. J.; Shemper, B. S.; Alirol, M.; Morizur, J.-F., Synthesis of New Hydroxylated Monomers Based on Methacrylate, Dimethacrylate, and Tetramethacrylate Michael Adducts and Photopolymerization Kinetics of Bulk Cross-Linkers. Macromolecules 2004, 37, (9), 3231-3238.
26. Mathias, L. J.; Davis, R. D.; Steadman, S. J.; Jarrett, W. L.; Redfearn, R. D.; Bunn, A., Evaluation of Reactions of a Dilute Cross-Linker Using Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy with Isotopically Labeled Cross-Linkers. Macromolecules 2004, 37, (10), 3699-3706.
27. Dizman, B.; Elasri, M. O.; Mathias, L. J., Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of new water-soluble bis-quaternary ammonium methacrylate polymers. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2004, 94, (2), 635-642.
28. Bennett, C.; Mathias, L. J., Linear unsaturated polyamides: Nylons 6 u18 and 18 u18. Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2004, 205, (18), 2438-2442.