Anne M. Mayes

Toyota Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
MacVicar Faculty Fellow
Prof. Mayes is on leave and not accepting new graduate students or post-docs.

SB Materials Science and Engineering, MIT, 1986
PhD Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 1991
amayes@mit.edu
Prof. Mayes' Research Group

Update

The Anne M. Mayes Fellowship Fund is well on its way to being fully funded in the near future. To make a donation to the Fund, please visit the MIT Giving Site.

Research

Prof. Mayes' research program seeks to harness the molecular self-assembly principles perfected by Mother Nature to create new nanostructured polymeric materials for technological use. Her research consists of integrated theoretical and experimental studies of self-organizing polymer systems, with particular emphasis on functional block copolymer materials and modification of polymer surfaces and interfaces via in situ surface segregation and electrostatic adsorption approaches. Applications interests include electrolytes and nano-templated electrodes for lithium rechargeable batteries, surface modification of biomaterials, high-performance filtration membranes for water purification and biofiltration, and highly recyclable "baroplastics" that can be processed by pressure-induced melting. Structural investigations involve a host of characterization techniques such as neutron and x-ray scattering and reflectivity, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and dynamic rheological testing. 

Selected Publications

M.J. Fasolka and A.M. Mayes, "Block copolymer films: physics and applications," Ann. Rev. Mat. Res. 31, 323 (2001).

A.-V.G. Ruzette and A.M. Mayes, "A simple free energy model for weakly interacting polymer blends," Macromolecules 34, 1894 (2001).

S.Y. Park, M.F. Rubner and A.M. Mayes, “Free energy model for layer-by-layer processing of polyelectrolyte multilayer films,” Langmuir 18, 9600–9604 (2002).

J.A. Gonzalez-Leon, M.H. Acar, S.-W. Ryu, A.-V.G. Ruzette and A.M. Mayes, “Low temperature processing of baroplastics by pressure-induced flow,” Nature 426, 424–428 (2003).

A. Akthakul, R.F. Salinaro and A.M. Mayes, “Antifouling polymer membranes with sub-nanometer size selectivity,” Macromolecules 37, 7663–7668 (2004).

P.E. Trapa, Y.-Y. Won, S.C. Mui, E.A. Olivetti, B. Huang, D.R. Sadoway and A.M. Mayes, “Rubbery graft copolymer electrolytes for solid-state, thin-film lithium batteries,” J. Electrochem. Soc. 152, A1–A5 (2005).

See Technology Insider's July 2003 issue for more information on Prof. Mayes' research on solid polymer electrolytes and their possible use as highly flexible batteries and the February 2004 issue for information on her group's work with baroplastics. in April 2004, Technology Insider wrote about her work with rechargeable lithium batteries. The April 2004 Technology Review also reported on Prof. Mayes' work with baroplastics.