Posts by Collection

portfolio

publications

Method for the production of high internal phase emulsion foams

Published in US Patent, 2017

In this patent we describe the production of poly-(high internal phase emulsion) foams in the form of fibers, which may be applied to the design of highly absortent fibrous materials.

Recommended citation: Foudazi, R., Bezik, C., Feke, D. L., Manas-Zloczower, I., Merrigan, S. R., & Rowan, S. J. (2017). METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH INTERNAL PHASE EMULSION FOAMS. https://patents.google.com/patent/US9574058B2/en

SSAGES: Software Suite for Advanced General Ensemble Simulations

Published in The Journal of Chemical Physics, 2018

This paper introduces a free energy sampling package implemented in C++ which integrates with any molecular dynamics engine to provide easy access to advanced methods to any user familiar with molecular simulations. More information is available at the MICCOM codes site.

Recommended citation: Sidky, H., Colón, Y. J., Helfferich, J., Sikora, B. J., Bezik, C., Chu, W., … de Pablo, J. J. (2018). SSAGES: Software Suite for Advanced General Ensemble Simulations. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 148(4), 044104. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5008853 https://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/1.5008853

Studying the effects of chemistry and geometry on DSA hole-shrink process in three dimensions

Published in Emerging Patterning Technologies 2018, 2018

My contributions to this paper include simulations of block copolymer directed self-assembly in the "hole-shrink" process, demonstrating that our coarse-grained simulations predict the same morphologies observed through direct imaging of 3D structures from experiments.

Recommended citation: Zhou, C., Kurosawa, T., Dazai, T., Doise, J., Ren, J., Bezik, C., … Nealey, P. F. (2018). Studying the effects of chemistry and geometry on DSA hole-shrink process in three dimensions. In E. M. Panning & M. I. Sanchez (Eds.), Emerging Patterning Technologies 2018 (p. 19). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2297461 https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/journal-of-micro-nanolithography-mems-and-moems/volume-17/issue-3/031203/Studying-the-effects-of-chemistry-and-geometry-on-DSA-hole/10.1117/1.JMM.17.3.031203.full?SSO=1

Mechanisms of Directed Self-Assembly in Cylindrical Hole Confinements

Published in Macromolecules, 2018

This paper uses the string method to investigate the mechanism of the formation of through film cylindrical morphologies in cylindrical confinements during block copolymer directed self-assembly. We find that the assembly process most critically depends on the interaction between the polymer and the confinement sidewall.

Recommended citation: Bezik, C. T., Garner, G. P., & de Pablo, J. J. (2018). Mechanisms of Directed Self-Assembly in Cylindrical Hole Confinements. Macromolecules, 51(7), 24182427. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.7b02639 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.macromol.7b02639

Influence of Homopolymer Addition in Templated Assembly of Cylindrical Block Copolymers

Published in ACS nano, 2019

My contributions to this paper were using Monte Carlo simulations of block copolymer self-assembly to build phase diagrams of block copolymers confined in elliptical templates. I helped demonstrate that there is a certain window of concentration of homopolymers that stabilize well-separated double cylinder structures in such confinements. My simulations also helped verify that the homopolymer preferentially segregates to certain regions of the film, lending credence to the experimental hypothesis of the mechanism of the homopolymer stabilization of a doublet structure.

Recommended citation: Doise, J., Bezik, C., Hori, M., de Pablo, J. J., & Gronheid, R. (2019). Influence of Homopolymer Addition in Templated Assembly of Cylindrical Block Copolymers. ACS Nano, acsnano.8b08382. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b08382 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.8b08382

Ultrathin initiated chemical vapor deposition polymer interfacial energy control for directed self-assembly hole-shrink applications

Published in Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena, 2019

My contributions to this paper were using Monte Carlo simulations of block copolymer self-assembly to find defect structures that correlated well with the ones observed experimentally, highlighting the validity of the 3D imaging technique used by the experimentalists.

Recommended citation: Dolejsi, M., Moni, P., Bezik, C. T., Zhou, C., de Pablo, J. J., Gleason, K. K., & Nealey, P. F. (2019). Ultrathin initiated chemical vapor deposition polymer interfacial energy control for directed self-assembly hole-shrink applications. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, 37(6), 061804. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.5121541 https://avs.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1116/1.5121541

Is the “Bricks-and-Mortar” Mesophase Bicontinuous? Dynamic Simulations of Miktoarm Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Blends

Published in Macromolecules, 2022

Recommended citation: Bezik, C. T., Mysona, J. A., Schneider, L., Ramírez-Hernández, A., Müller, M., & de Pablo, J. J. (2022). Is the “Bricks-and-Mortar” Mesophase Bicontinuous? Dynamic Simulations of Miktoarm Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Blends. Macromolecules. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01763 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01763

talks

Three-dimensional particle-based simulations of fluctuation-stabilized copolymer mesophases

Published:

In this talk I introduced preliminary results using molecular simulations to study the phase behavior of the bricks-and-mortar phase formed from a nonlinear block copolymers architecture (prior results can be found in https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.macromol.5b01210 and https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.macromol.7b01106); the primary innovation of our work is to use three-dimensional particle-based simulations to probe the phase diagram and dynamic properties of the mesophase.

In-Silico Dynamic Properties of the “Bricks-and-Mortar” Mesophase from Binary Miktoarm Star Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Blends

Published:

In this talk I elaborated on preliminary results first shown in the prior talk at APS, on using molecular simulations to study the phase behavior of the bricks-and-mortar phase formed from a nonlinear block copolymer architecture; this talk had a primary focus on calculations of mechanical properties (viscosity, dynamic modulus, and Young’s modulus especially).

Dynamical Simulations of the “Bricks-and-Mortar” Mesophase in Blends of Miktoarm Block Copolymers and Homopolymers

Published:

In this talk I followed up on my prior talk at AICHE on using molecular simulations to study the phase behavior of the bricks-and-mortar phase formed from a nonlinear block copolymer architecture; this talk had a primary focus on calculations of mechanical properties (viscosity, dynamic modulus, and Young’s modulus especially), with updates to my calculations where appropriate.

teaching

Teaching Assistant - Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Graduate course, University of Chicago, Institute for Molecular Engineering, 2017

In this course I had a slightly expanded role from the undergraduate counterpart in 2017. In addition to grading homeworks, collaborating on writing exams, and leading recitations, I also helped design assignments and filled in for occasional lectures.

Co-Instructor - Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Undergraduate course, University of Chicago, Institute for Molecular Engineering, 2018

In this course I shared some of the responsibilities I had held the previous year (collaborating on writing exams, grading homework, holding office hours) while also adding the responsibilities of designing a short series of lectures focusing on thermodynamic cycles and processes, which I also delivered. Additionally, I helped manage the course’s graduate teaching assistant.