PPG-MRL Graduate Research Assistantship awardees announced

Qian Ai, Nabila Ali, John Crockett, Bill Huang and Tarandeep Singh Thukral were each awarded a PPG-MRL Graduate Research Assistantship from the PPG Foundation to conduct research that is broadly related to coatings science and specialty materials. The award provides one year of support at 25 percent appointment and recipients receive a travel award of up to $2,000 to present their research accomplishments as a PPG-MRL Graduate Research Assistant at a major scientific meeting.   

PPG and the PPG Foundation aim to protect and beautify the world. In their partnership with Illinois, the company and foundation supports a diverse set of students preparing for in-demand careers that will shape global innovation and cutting-edge technologies in areas such as polymer science and engineering, chemical engineering, materials science and synthetic organic chemistry. This fellowship enables graduate students focused on organic and inorganic coating within the Materials Research Laboratory. 

Qian Ai
Ph.D. Candidate, Materials Science & Engineering

"Interfacial liquid layers—also called electrical double layers (EDLs)—are ubiquitous at solid–liquid interfaces and play a critical role in a wide range of interfacial processes. These layers significantly influence interfacial reaction kinetics and chemistry, making them central to the performance of systems such as coatings, batteries, and biological systems. For instance, a more disordered interfacial liquid structure may facilitate faster ion transport in metal corrosion, while the local liquid composition can dictate the components of initial surface reactions in batteries. Interfacial liquid structure has been investigated by 
three-dimensional atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM), yet most existing studies have focused on atomically flat, idealized surfaces. In contrast, real-world surfaces often exhibit complex features such as adsorbed molecules, surface clusters, and atomic step edges. The liquid structure of these non-ideal surfaces remains poorly understood. My research seeks to address this knowledge gap by examining how such realistic surface features influence the structure of interfacial liquids under more practical conditions." 

Dr. Yingjie Zhang
Advisor

"Qian has done many pioneering works on interfacial liquids. He is a master of both experimental measurements and theoretical modeling."

Nabila Ali
Graduate Student, Mechanical Science & Engineering

"My research is about transforming how we design wear-resistant metallic coatings by using additive manufacturing (AM) to unlock the potential of immiscible alloys like steel-copper. These alloys are uniquely capable of self-organizing into nanoscale structures under wear, giving them far superior resistance compared to conventional materials, but they have historically been impossible to scale due to casting and processing limits. By leveraging laser direct energy deposition (DED), I have successfully fabricated dense, tunable steel-copper alloys with complex microstructures, and my next step is to directly link these architectures to their wear behavior through advanced in-situ SEM testing. Ultimately, my goal is to develop coatings that achieve an order of magnitude improvement in wear performance, while also delivering broader benefits in durability, energy efficiency, and reduced maintenance costs for industries ranging from aerospace to automotive." 

Dr. Marie Agathe Charpagne
Advisor

"This fellowship is critical in enabling the exploration of a new direction in Nabila’s research, and solve outstanding science and engineering questions related to the synthesis of Copper-based immiscible alloys. Nabila is very determined and resilient. I am confident that she will take full advantage of this opportunity like only few people would and she has my fullest support."

John Crockett
Ph.D. Candidate, Materials Science & Engineering

"There are numerous academic papers describing the fascinating and fantastical properties of perfectly ordered periodic structures formed from metal nanoparticles with optical and plasmonic properties of great interest to theoretical physicists. None of them have made it to practical use due to the complexity and expense of producing such precise structures and the near impossibility of producing them at the scale and cost needed to make them a viable product for everyday use in every home or office. In my work I explore new methods to advance progress in nanometer, and sub-nanometer architecture of metamaterials for practical and large-scale usage. These techniques should be readily scalable for industry production of complex 2D and 3D structures with tunable mid-range order at the micro- and nanoscale.

Metallic nanostructured materials have applications ranging from lightweight and pigment-free colored surface coatings, and metamaterials with tunable mechanical properties, to materials for the manipulation or confinement of light and heat for optics, and computation, or even catalysis. The proposed work will develop a new colloidal route to clean, cheap, and durable surface coatings with properties useful for today’s problems and ready to address the needs of the future. Deeper understanding of the meniscus-guided printing technique alone and in conjunction with other simple solution methods provides a new route to cutting edge technologies such as transparent and flexible electronics with high biocompatibility, new surface coating for controlling reflectivity whether you want to reduce glare or trap light to improve enhance catalysis or improve efficiency of a solar cell. Multiple industrial applications are envisioned, including coatings for optical devices such as glasses and sensors, flexible and durable electronics, energy storage, and many more."

Dr. Qian Chen
Advisor

“John is a magician in the lab working on nanoparticle synthesis and self-assembly. His proposed automated blade-assisted printing platform builds on his long-time collaboration with Prof. Ying Diao's group and allows the usage of functional nanoparticle suspension as inks to make  large-scale, aligned, assembled coatings." 

Bill Huang
Graduate Student, Materials Science & Engineering

“Coating science plays a pivotal role in modern technology: coating materials—often as thin films—are not merely protective barriers but active interfaces engineered for specific functions. My research develops a novel solution-phase electrolytic method that directly deposits functional solid-state electrolyte coatings onto cathode materials under mild, industry-compatible conditions. These coatings can serve as solid electrolytes for anode-less batteries and as selective protective membranes for lithium-brine extraction. The process of electrodeposition offers multiple advantages including precise control over film thickness, uniformity, and area-specific growth while remaining inherently scalable. Because it assembles matter from solution rather than line-of-sight flux, the process avoids most geometric and capillary limitations that frustrate other techniques—making it ideal for electrodes with complex architectures and porous interfaces. What’s compelling about this project is how creative thinking can overturn conventional limits of electrodeposition to build an electronically insulating layer. By reimagining deposition pathways and interfacial chemistry, this work broadens the manufacturing landscape for advanced functional coatings.”

Dr. Paul Braun
Advisor

“Bill always comes to my office with new ideas, deep and thoughtful questions, and an unparalleled excitement for science and technology that makes every discussion with him a pleasure. He specifically is working on some of the hardest topics in energy storage, topics that require him to challenge established beliefs and develop new understandings. The PPG fellowship will provide Bill freedom to explore even more challenging topics in materials for energy storage with a focus on advanced coatings that enable high energy density rechargeable batteries.” 

Tarandeep Singh Thukral
Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Science & Engineering

"The overarching aim of my research is the development of durable interfaces for enhanced liquid-to-vapor (boiling) and vapor-to-liquid (condensation) phase change heat transfer. Phase change of the working fluid during condensation or boiling enables heat transfer with superior efficiency than single-phase processes and lies at the heart of building energy systems, power plants, thermal management of electronics, chemical processes, and many other industrial applications. However, despite decades of research, durability concerns and manufacturability constraints have prevented the industrial adoption of promising lab-scale surface enhancement techniques. By combining rational design and fabrication strategies with advanced surface characterization techniques for manufacturability, durability, and performance, my research aims to meet this ever-growing demand for industrially implementable technologies.

To achieve my goals, I am working on optimizing a polydimethylsiloxane-based coating with innate hydrophobicity to enable sustained durable dropwise condensation. The coating is free of per-fluoroalkyl substances, compliant with volatile organic compound regulation mandates of the Environmental Protection Agency and exhibits excellent corrosion and fouling durability under standard ASTM tests. I am also investigating ion implantation of metallic surfaces as an alternative to polymer coatings for fabrication of low-energy surfaces. In addition to coatings, my research leverages additive manufacturing to fabricate metastable stainless-steel alloys with interspersed 𝛿-ferrite particles. This unique microstructure enables surface structuring via a scalable chloride etchant while maintaining the mechano-chemical robustness of stainless steel. Such materials can be used to reliably produce high boiling heat transfer enhancements even in harsh, corrosive environments."

Dr. Nenad Miljkovic
Advisor

"Tarandeep’s work exemplifies the ideal balance of scientific rigor and industrial relevance that the fellowship seeks to support. In my lab, he has distinguished himself not only through his research but also through his ability to mentor students and foster collaborations with faculty and students across the campus. With an entrepreneurial vision and a track record of closely working with industrial partners, he is well-positioned to be a future leader in the mechanical and materials engineering community."

Yingjie Zhang is an Illinois Grainger Engineering assistant professor of materials science and engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and is affiliated with the Materials Research Laboratory and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. 

Marie Agathe Charpagne is an Illinois Grainger Engineering assistant professor of materials science and engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and is affiliated with the Materials Research Laboratory and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. 

Qian Chen is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of materials science and engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Chemistry. She is affiliated with the Materials Research Laboratory, the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. 

Paul Braun is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of materials science and engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He is also the director of the Materials Research Laboratory. Braun is affiliated with the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. He holds the Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering appointment. 

Nenad Miljkovic is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of mechanical science and engineering in the Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is also the director of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center. Miljkovic is affiliated with the International Institute of Carbon Neutral Energy Research, the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment, and the Materials Research Laboratory. He holds the Founder Professor appointment.