Brian Welch

Congratulations to Brian Welch, Zuckerman Postdoctoral Alum Scholar at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, on the publication of Elucidating the Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Organic Vapor Phase Infiltration and Molecular Layer Deposition for Dissolution Resilient Polymers, which was featured on the November 2025 cover of Chemistry of Materials. 

Abstract:
Vapor phase chemical synthesis techniques, such as atomic layer deposition and vapor phase infiltration 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. To address these limitations, we investigate all-organic VPI and molecular layer deposition MLD chemistries as a strategy for enhancing polymer properties.