Dr. James Mendez, an IU Columbus Assistant Professor in Chemistry, was awarded a 2017 Fulbright Scholarship last year. He spent the fall semester in Tallinn, Estonia, with his family. While abroad, Mendez taught a graduate class in bio-polymers while studying chitin, a naturally occurring polymer (plastic) in shellfish, mushrooms and insects.
Using a technique called electrospinning, chitin fibers can be pulled out of solution and combined with electrically active polymers to create a strong, conductive, and environmentally friendly material. While Mendez’s research focuses on the basic material properties of chitin, the applications are far reaching in modern medicine and electronics.
For more information on 3D printing on our campus or to create a 3D print request, please follow this link.
