2/6/2018 Caitlin McCoy
Written by Caitlin McCoy
Beckman Institute
Anthony Griffin, a Ph.D. candidate in Autonomous Material Systems at the University of Illinois, recently received the 2017 Annual Innovation Award for Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis.
Griffin’s thesis, titled “Facile and Inexpensive Coatings for a Wide Range of Applications,” focuses on microvascular materials for adaptive electronic devices. He initially developed a polarization reconfigurable patch antenna using structural microfluidics. Microfluidic technologies hold the possibility for unprecedented smart materials through the integration of complex networks containing functional fluids into synthetic materials.
“The issues I encountered in my initial work led my research down a somewhat unexpected path –preventing wetting in microchannels through surface modification and coatings,” Griffin said. “My proposed idea was well-received: a grant from the Air Force Research Laboratory and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship were both awarded based on my proposed research… at the onset of this work, I looked to commercial systems for inspiration. How had industry approached the problem and what was in the realm of a commercially viable solution? I realized that currently, a good solution did not exist on the market.”
Professor Robert Maass presents Anthony Griffin with his Outstanding Thesis award.
Caitlin McCoy
In pursuing this research, Griffin says he has gained insight from current commercial systems’ failings. “I learned how and why nano-particles can be superhydrophobic, along with how they are dispersed and applied to surfaces. I used these lessons to develop my own 1-part coating system… In all cases, the coating prevents wetting by liquid metal for my specific application, but I also showed that it was non-wetting against aqueous solutions too. The implications for use in a wide range of microfluidic devices beyond my own application were apparent.”
“It is very impressive that a young researcher has the ability to turn fundamental research into something that immediately challenges existing commercial products,” Materials Science and Engineering Professor Robert Maass said. “I would be very proud to see an actual coating product for sale that comes directly out of our graduate program.”
Griffin isn’t new to entrepreneurial ventures — he won the university resources grand prize in the 2017 Cozad New Venture Competition, led EntreCORPS, a student consulting firm for startups, and received a graduate certificate in Strategic Technology Management through coursework and activities offered by the Technology Entrepreneurship Center.
“It is perhaps the unintended paths that reveal the greatest rewards,” Griffin said, referencing the serendipitous path his research has taken. “I am excited to bring my product to market and further my work in materials.”
Keep in touch to learn more about Anthony’s work and other exciting research.
Anthony Griffin's work centers on microvascular materials for adaptive electronic devices.
Anthony Griffin