Professor and Head of Department of Chemistry
MSU Advanced Composites institute
Fields of Research/Interest:
Our laboratory is focused on the design, synthesis, mechanism, structure/reactivity/property relationships, applications, and technology transfer/commercialization of monomers, polymeric materials and composites primarily targeted for the information, energy, and sustainability revolutions. Research areas include, but not limited to: (1) fluoropolymers from aromatic trifluorovinyl ethers and other fluoroolefins for optical, energy conversion, communication, and tailored surface applications; (2) polyarylene networks and carbon structures from micro- and nano-processable intermediates; (3) renewable and bioabsorable polymers based on aliphatic polyesters (e.g., PLA, PHA, and derivatives) for packaging, coatings, biomedical applications, and hybrid semi-fluorinated polymers and recycled rubber composites; (4) re-ground rubber recycling via functionalization, grafting, and composite formulation and carbonization; (5) novel acrylonitrile copolymers for carbon fiber precursors and the use of these polymers in wound healing, (6) thermally reversible crosslinkable resins for smart coatings, and (7) direct fluorination of various materials.
Education:
B.S Chemistry and Mathematics, Missouri State University
PhD Chemistry, University of Florida
Publications
"Acenaphthylene‐derived perfluorocyclobutyl aromatic ether polymers" Behzad Farajidizaji, Ketki E. Shelar, Ganesh Narayanan, Karl M. Mukeba, Bruno Donnadieu, Charles U. Pittman, Jr., Andrzej Sygula, Dennis W. Smith, Jr.* J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem., 2019 DOI: 10.1002/pola.29388
“Semi Fluorinated Polymer Surfaces as a Surface Energy Control Layer” Cheng, G.; Spraul, B.; Smith, Jr., D.W.; Perahia, D. Royal Soc. Chem. Adv. 2016, 6, 69412-69420.
“Synthesis and characterization of a biphenyl perfluorocyclobutyl (BP-PFCB) polyethylene glycol (PEG) blend compatibilizer” Brown, D. K.; Cracowski, J-M.; Iacono, S. T.; Christensen, K.; Smith Jr., D. W., Polym. Adv. Tech. 2016, 27, 1389–1396.
“Suzuki polycondensation and post-polymerization modification toward electro-optic perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) aryl ether polymers: Synthesis and characterization” Wu, J.; Lund, B.R.; Batchelor, B.; Deia, D.K.; Liff, S.M.; Smith, Jr., D.W. J. Flourine Chemistry 2015, 180, 227-233.
“Facile and Universal Method towards Functionalization of Partially Fluorinated Polyarylethers via Sequential Post-polymerization Modification Reactive and Functional Polymers” Wu, J.; Liou, J.-H.; Charles, S. Y.; Patel, Y.; Menon, R.; Santucci, C.; Iacono, S. T.; Smith, Jr., D. W.; Novak, B. M. J. React. Funct. Polym. 2015, 38, 93.
“Utilization of a Meldrum’s acid towards functionalized fluoropolymers possessing dual reactivity for thermal crosslinking and post-polymerization modification”, Wu, J.; Iacono, S. T.; McCandless, G. T.; Smith Jr., D. W.; Novak, B. M., Chem. Commun. 2015, 51, 9220-9222.
“Preparation of segmented semifluorinated poly(aryl ether)s from aromatic trifluorovinyl ethers and oligo(ethylene glycol)s”, Brown, D. K.; Cracowski, J-M.; Iacono, S. T.; Christensen, K.; Smith Jr., D. W., Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2015, 132, 41798. (featured on cover).
“Preparation of biphenyl perfluorocyclobutyl (BP-PFCB) polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymers by the formation of fluorinated arylene vinylene ether (FAVE)”, Brown, D. K.; Cracowski, J-M.; Iacono, S. T.; Christensen, K.; Smith Jr., D. W., Polym. Bull. 2015, 72, 1393-1405.
“High Performance and Multipurpose Triarylamine-Enchained Semifluorinated Polymers”, Dei, D.; Lund, B.; Wu, J.; Simon, D.; Ware, T.; Voit, W.; MacFarlane, D.; Liff, S.; Smith Jr., D. W., ACS Macro Letters 2013 2, 35-39.
Other
He was a Dow Chemical post-doctoral Fellow in Germany (1993), Dow Project Leader (1993-1998); Chair, Local ACS Section (1996); Professor of Chemistry and Material Science & Engineering (MSE); co-founder and Center Director at Clemson University (1998-2010), Co-Founder of Tetramer Technologies, LLC (2001), Visiting Professor - University of Heidelberg (2001), Robert A. Welch Distinguished Professor of Chemistry & MSE at the University of Texas at Dallas (2010-2014); Director of NSF-I/UCRCs; Chair, ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry (2009), Officer of IUPAC, founder of FLUOROPOLYMER (2000-2018), Editor of Polymer Bulletin, Journal of Nanoscience & Technology, and several other journal Boards. He is Fellow of the American Chemical Society (2010), IUPAC Fellow (2016), Cottrell Scholar of Research Corporation (2001), and ACS Charles Stone Award recipient (2008). Dr. Smith has published 146 refereed journal articles (H=45), 28 US patents issued or pending, 300+ conference papers, 5 book editorships, and 200+ invited lectures. He has graduated 22 Ph.D., 7 M.S. students, and mentored 20+ post-doctoral, and 80+ undergraduate, foreign exchange, and high school students and science teachers. Dr. Smith is a board director, consultant for organic & materials science, entrepreneurship, and expert opinion.