BS, MS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign PhD, Stanford University Society of Rheology Publication Award Fellow, American Physical Society Young Investigator Award, National Science Foundation McCormick Teaching Award Mortar Board Honor Roll of Outstanding Teachers Allan P. Colburn Lecturer, University of Delaware John H. Dillon Medal, American Physical Society Polymer science; rheology; non-Newtonian fluid mechanics

Research Group Web Site

We seek to understand the dynamics of complex fluids during flow. Many fluids encountered in chemical and materials processing exhibit non-Newtonian behavior, due to the presence of molecular or nanoscale structure that is perturbed by flow. Our research emphasizes in situ investigation of such flow-induced structural changes to elucidate the origins and mechanisms of complex rheology in polymers. These efforts also inform polymer processing technology, since microstructural changes induced by flow can have a strong influence on final product properties.

Our research is broadly divided between two thrusts. We have long-standing interest in how flow affects the macroscopic organization of structured fluids, such as surfactants, ordered block copolymers and liquid crystalline polymers. We are developing powerful x-ray scattering techniques for real-time measurements of polymer structure in both idealized shear flows and during processing, taking advantage of Northwestern's synchrotron research facility at the Advanced Photon Source. Our other theme is the application of unique flow birefringence techniques to interrogate stresses generated in polymer melts and solutions and to test nonlinear constitutive models for the rheological behavior of flexible polymers.

Recent Publications

M. E. Seitz, W. R. Burghardt, K. T. Faber and K. R. Shull, "Self Assembly and Stress Relaxation in Acrylic Triblock Copolymer Gels," Macromolecules 40, 1218-1266 (2007).

N. C. Zhou, C. Xu, W. R. Burghardt, R. J. Composto and K. I. Winey, "Phase Behavior of Polystyrene and Poly(styrene-ran-styrene sulfonate) Blends," Macromolecules 39, 2373-2379 (2006).

K. L. Brinker, A. H. Lebovitz, J. M. Torkelson and W. R. Burghardt, "Porod Scattering Study of Coarsening in Immiscible Polymer Blends," J. Polym. Sci.: Part B: Polym. Phys. 43, 3413-3420 (2005).

S. Rendon, W. R. Burghardt, R. A. Bubeck, L. S. Thomas, B. Hart, "Mechanical and Morpological Anisotropy in Injection Molding of Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Copolyesters," Polymer 46, 10202-10213 (2005).

M. L. Auad, M. D. Kempe, J. A. Kornfield, S. Rendon, W. R. Burghardt and K. Yoon, "Effect of Mesophase Order on the Dynamics of Side Group Liquid Crystalline Polymers," Macromolecules 38, 6946-6953 (2005).

W. R. Burghardt, E. F. Brown, M. L. Auad, and J. A. Kornfield, “Molecular Orientation of a Commercial Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer in Simple Shear and Complex Flow,” Rheol. Acta 44, 445-456 (2005).

R. A. Stile, E. Chung, W. R. Burghardt and K. E. Healy, "Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-Based Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Tissue Engineering Applications. Effects of Linear Poly(Acrylic Acid) on Rheology," J. Biomat. Sci. Polymer Ed. 15, 865-878 (2004).

Bryant, J. E.; Burghardt, W. R. "Extension of axisymmetric flow birefringence to a time-dependent stagnation flow." Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics (2002), 108(1-3), 257-273.

Prof. Wesley R. Burghardt
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Northwestern University
2145 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208-3120

tel: 847/467-1401
fax: 847/491-3728
E-mail Professor Burghardt