Sumerlin Research Group

Group photo day!

This is the imaging setup behind a new @NatureMaterials study from IIN's Nathan Gianneschi, which let his team see a hydrogel in its native state for the first time, overturning decades of structural assumptions. Full story: bit.ly/4lol7u1 #Nanotechnology #Hydrogels

New paper in @angew_chem from @rhyswhughes6! The end-groups of RAFT/photoiniferter-made polymers were chemoselectively removed via electrolysis, enhancing their thermal stability! @Brent_Sumerlin @AustinMEvans @ButlerPolymer @SHAQ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/an…

I’m excited to share the first solo publication from my research group where we explore how branching influences the thermoresponsive behavior (LCST) of hyperbranched PNIPAM–PDMA block copolymers: authors.elsevier.com/a/1mZhe7NHxYJKr

Excited to have played a role in this work, led by Graham (@ImqGilly), where we report the first electrochemical depolymerization of a vinyl polymer.

@SwagatamN98989 @J_A_C_S @ERG_Chem @AustinMEvans @ButlerPolymer thanks

@LowDispersity @J_A_C_S @ERG_Chem @AustinMEvans @ButlerPolymer Congratulations

Our first publication of 2026 is out in @J_A_C_S now! #Graham and friends electrochemically depolymerized PMMA, with greater than 95% depolymerization observed! @ERG_Chem @AustinMEvans @ButlerPolymer pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja…

.@UF researchers created SHINE-VH, a synthetic hydrogel that mimics healthy vaginal mucus to help prevent bacterial vaginosis. The material blocks harmful bacteria, supports the microbiome, and may reduce recurrence without antibiotics. License today! 🔗: ufinnovate.technologypublisher.com/techcase/MP260…

.@UFChemistry researchers led by Dr. @Brent_Sumerlin developed a new way to turn everyday plastics into porous materials for batteries, filtration, and electronics. This "addition by subtraction" approach could enable future patents and cleaner tech! 🔗: innovate.research.ufl.edu/polymer-materi…

Ultra-High Molecular Weight polymers enable self-supported late stage thermal curing of crosslinked thermoplastics. @ACSPublications @LowDispersity @ChemMater pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ac…

Excited to share our perspective on using decarboxylation as a tool to deconstruct polymers is out now in ACS Polymers Au. Shout-out to all my coauthors for getting this over the goal line. @ERG_Chem @LowDispersity pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ac…

Ever found yourself lost in a sea of papers about decarboxylative polymer deconstruction? Well you're in luck! @seangitter96 and @cabelleades27 new perspective on that exact topic is out now in ACS Polymers Au! @MacroJrnls_ACS @Brent_Sumerlin @ERG_Chem pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ac…

📢Attention all POLY members: Be sure to vote in the POLY Election by November 16th. Your vote helps shape POLY's future! #2025POLYElection

The next saga of depolymerization is finally here: doing something with it! @KadenStevens12 new paper in @ACSCentSci uses depzn to etch polymerization-induced microphase separations (PIMS), giving mesoporous monoliths that uptake dye after PPM sulfonation! tinyurl.com/KadenSt

Alert! New paper from @lehothi and @KA_Stew in Advanced Materials @WileyGlobal! They used PISA as a tool to create nanoparticle-laden vitrimers with boosted creep resistance! @Brent_Sumerlin @ufchem @ButlerPolymer advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.10…

Proud of this one with co-first author @lehothi (who crushed it): pushing PISA beyond a chemistry curiosity into a potent strategy for bulk materials design—embedding reactive nanospheres in associative networks for enhanced creep resistance.@LowDispersity advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ad…

The plight of the phthalimide ester continues! Here, @Megan_Lottt details the simultaneous degradation and depolymerization of PMMA/PLA comb copolymers in our lab's newest @angew_chem paper! @Brent_Sumerlin @ufchem @tylenol onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/an…

Congratulations to @Brent_Sumerlin, Ph.D., @UFChemistry George Bergen Butler Professor, on being named an American Chemical Society fellow! 🏅 Visit the Sumerlin Lab (@LowDispersity) website to learn more about his work at UF. 👇 sumerlinlab.com

Congratulations to the 2025 ACS Fellows who are PMSE members. #ACSFall2025 #2025FallACS #ACSFellow #Award

Tuning Entanglement Molecular Weights with Ultrahigh-Molecular-Weight Polystyrenics | Journal of the American Chemical Society @LowDispersity @ERG_Chem @Brent_Sumerlin @AustinMEvans pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja…

yippee Brent :D