Brian Welch

Congratulations to Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholar Brian Welch (Alum), on the publication of his latest research in the current issue of Chemistry of Materials.

The paper, “Elucidating the Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Organic Vapor Phase Infiltration and Molecular Layer Deposition for Dissolution Resilient Polymers,”  Demonstrates how all-organic vapor phase infiltration (VPI) and molecular layer deposition (MLD) can create polymers that resist hydrolysis and dissolution — even at high pH — offering a new route to durable, functional materials.

Dr. Welch’s research emerged from his work in the Functional Nanostructures and Advanced Imaging Laboratory at Technion, where he continued to focus on atomic‐layer-deposited (ALD) membranes.

Abstract:
Vapor phase chemical synthesis techniques, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) and vapor phase infiltration (VPI), enable molecular-level tailoring of polymeric materials through deposition or incorporation of inorganic components. However, benefits are often paired with compromised mechanical stability and organic–inorganic bonds that are prone to degradation via hydrolysis.  This study demonstrates the potential of all-organic material deposition for synthesizing novel polymers with improved durability and solvent resilience.