07/18/2025
By Danielle Fretwell
The Francis College of Engineering, Department of Plastics Engineering, invites you to attend a Doctoral Dissertation defense by Taiyo Yamaguchi on: "Parallel Electrospinning Electrospraying for Chemical Warfare Agent Protection and Antibacterial Instant Kill Filters."
Candidate Name: Taiyo Yamaguchi
Degree: Doctoral
Defense Date: Friday, Aug. 1, 2025
Time: 8 to 10 a.m.
Location: Plastics Library, Ball 202B
Committee:
- Advisor: Jay Hoon Park, Associate Professor, Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Akshay Kokil, Assistant Teaching Professor, Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Joey L. Mead, University Professor, Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Abstract:
The aim of this dissertation is to examine the viability of parallel electrospinning, electrospraying nonwoven fiber mats to contain and constrain Metal Organic Framework (MOF) nanoparticles for the purposes of neutralizing chemical warfare agents, alongside loading in a modified version of methylene blue to create instant kill antibacterial filters. Both of these agents are dangerous to the human body and require means to be neutralized, by utilizing UiO-66-NH2 MOF the chemical agents are neutralized via hydrolysis, biological agents neutralize bacteria via Antibacterial Photodynamic Inactivation (APDI). The combination of these nonwoven fiber mats creates a fabric that can be used to neutralize both chemical and biological warfare agents, these fabrics were tested via simulants and live agents and were created via a new processing method for the creation of heavily loaded fibermats, parallel electrospinning and electrospraying. This process can create new ways of mitigating dangerous chemical and biological agents in a variety of fields.