USM School of Polymers and High Performance Materials

Kenneth A. Mauritz

Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering
School of Polymers and High Performance Materials
Polymer Science Building,Room 307
118 College Drive #10076
Hattiesburg,MS 39406-0001
Phone:(601)-266-5595
Fax:(601)-266-5504
Email: Kenneth.Mauritz@usm.edu
Research Group Web Page

Background

B.S., M.S., Physics, 1967, 1970, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Ph.D., 1975, Macromolecular Science, Case Western Reserve University; Postdoctoral Fellow, 1975-76, Case Western Reserve University; Research Chemist, 1976-83, Diamond Shamrock Corporation; Engineering Physics Program, 1983-84, Lakeland Community College; Visiting Scientist, 1983-84, Case Western Reserve University; Consultant to the Polymer Industry; Professor, School of Polymers and High Performance Materials; The University of Southern Mississippi, 1984-present.

Research Areas

Organic-inorganic nanocomposites created via polymer in situ sol-gel processes; Ionomers and functionalized multiphase block copolymer used as templates for in situ polymerizations of inorganic alkoxide monomers to create inorganic oxide or organically-modified silicate nanophases within targeted domains; High performance materials: permselective membranes, barrier materials and biodegradable polymers.

Recent Publications

1. Patil, Y.; Sambandam, S.; Ramani, V.; Mauritz, K., Model Studies of the Durability of a Titania-Modified Nafion Fuel Cell Membrane. Journal of the Electrochemical Society 2009, 156, (9), B1092-B1098.

2. Patil, Y.; Mauritz, K. A., Durability enhancement of Nafion fuel cell membranes via in situ sol-gel-derived titanium dioxide reinforcement. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2009, 113, (5), 3269-3278.

3. Kopchick, J. G.; Storey, R. F.; Jarrett, W. L.; Mauritz, K. A., Morphology of poly[(t-butyl acrylate)-b-styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene-b-(t-butyl acrylate)] pentablock terpolymers and their thermal conversion to the acrylic acid form. Polymer 2008, 49, (23), 5045-5052.

4. Hassan, M. K.; Wiggins, J. S.; Storey, R. F.; Mauritz, K. A., Broadband dielectric spectroscopic characterization of the hydrolytic degradation of hydroxyl-terminated poly(D,L-lactide) materials. ACS Symposium Series 2008, 977, (Polymers for Biomedical Applications), 153-169.

5. Rhoades, D. W.; Hassan, M. K.; Osborn, S. J.; Moore, R. B.; Mauritz, K. A., Broadband dielectric spectroscopic characterization of Nafion chemical degradation. Journal of Power Sources 2007, 172, (1), 72-77.

6. Osborn, S. J.; Hassan, M. K.; Divoux, G. M.; Rhoades, D. W.; Mauritz, K. A.; Moore, R. B., Glass Transition Temperature of Perfluorosulfonic Acid Ionomers. Macromolecules (Washington, DC, United States) 2007, 40, (10), 3886-3890.

7. Mauritz, K. A.; Hassan, M. K., Nanophase Separated Perfluorinated Ionomers as Sol-Gel Polymerization Templates for Functional Inorganic Oxide Nanoparticles. Polymer Reviews (Philadelphia, PA, United States) 2007, 47, (4), 543-565.

8. Kopchick, J. G.; Storey, R. F.; Beyer, F. L.; Mauritz, K. A., Poly[acrylic acid-b-styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene-b-acrylic acid] pentablock terpolymers: 1. Morphological characterization. Polymer 2007, 48, (13), 3739-3748.

9. Hassan, M. K.; Wiggins, J. S.; Storey, R. F.; Mauritz, K. A., Broadband dielectric spectroscopic characterization of the hydrolytic degradation of carboxylic acid-terminated poly(D,L-lactide) materials. Polymer 2007, 48, (7), 2022-2029.

10. Wiggins, J. S.; Hassan, M. K.; Mauritz, K. A.; Storey, R. F., Hydrolytic degradation of poly(D,L-lactide) as a function of end group: Carboxylic acid vs. hydroxyl. Polymer 2006, 47, (6), 1960-1969.

11. Hassan, M. K.; Mauritz, K. A.; Storey, R. F.; Wiggins, J. S., Biodegradable aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane based on poly(Îµ-caprolactone) and L-lysine diisocyanate. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2006, 44, (9), 2990-3000.

12. Rajan, G. S.; Stromeyer, S. L.; Mauritz, K. A.; Miao, G.; Mani, P.; Shamsuzzoha, M.; Nikles, D. E.; Gupta, A., Superparamagnetic nanocomposites based on poly(styrene-b-ethylene/butylene-b-styrene)/cobalt ferrite compositions. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 2005, 299, (1), 211-218.

13. Rajan, G. S.; Mauritz, K. A.; Stromeyer, S. L.; Kwee, T.; Mani, P.; Weston, J. L.; Nikles, D. E.; Shamsuzzoha, M., Poly(styrene-b-ethylene/butylene-b-styrene)/cobalt ferrite magnetic nanocomposites. Journal of Polymer Science, Part B: Polymer Physics 2005, 43, (12), 1475-1485.

14. Mountz, D. A.; Storey, R. F.; Mauritz, K. A., Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflectance analysis of water diffusion in poly[styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene] block copolymer membranes. Journal of Polymer Science, Part B: Polymer Physics 2005, 43, (7), 764-776.

15. Kwee, T.; Taylor, S. J.; Mauritz, K. A.; Storey, R. F., Morphology and mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of linear and star poly(styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene) block copolymers. Polymer 2005, 46, (12), 4480-4491.

16. Kwee, T.; Mauritz, K. A.; Beyer, F. L., Poly[styrene-b-maleated (ethylene/butylene)-b-styrene] (mSEBS) block copolymers and mSEBS/inorganic nanocomposites: I. Morphology and FTIR characterization. Polymer 2005, 46, (11), 3871-3883.

17. Blackwell, R. I.; Mauritz, K. A., Mechanical creep and recovery of poly(styrene-b-ethylene/butylene-b-styrene) (SEBS), sulfonated SEBS (sSEBS), and sSEBS/silicate nanostructured materials. Polymers for Advanced Technologies 2005, 16, (2-3), 212-220.

18. Taylor, S. J.; Storey, R. F.; Kopchick, J. G.; Mauritz, K. A., Poly[(styrene-co-p-methylstyrene)-b-isobutylene-b-(styrene-co-p-methylstyrene)] triblock copolymers. 1. Synthesis and characterization. Polymer 2004, 45, (14), 4719-4730.

19. Mauritz, K. A.; Mountz, D. A.; Reuschle, D. A.; Blackwell, R. I., Self-assembled organic/inorganic hybrids as membrane materials. Electrochimica Acta 2004, 50, (2-3), 565-569.

20. Mauritz, K. A.; Moore, R. B., State of understanding of Nafion. Chemical Reviews (Washington, DC, United States) 2004, 104, (10), 4535-4585.

21. Mauritz, K. A.; Blackwell, R. I.; Beyer, F. L., Viscoelastic properties and morphology of sulfonated poly(styrene-b-ethylene/butylene-b-styrene) block copolymers (sBCP), and sBCP/[silicate] nanostructured materials. Polymer 2004, 45, (9), 3001-3016.

22. Blackwell, R. I.; Mauritz, K. A., Dynamic mechanical properties of annealed sulfonated poly(styrene-b-[ethylene/butylene]-b-styrene) block copolymers. Polymer 2004, 45, (10), 3457-3463.