Vladimir Tsukruk Professor Georgia Institute of Technology Materials Science and Engineering 771 Ferst Drive, N.W. Atlanta, GA 30332-0245 Office:  M Bldg., Room 4100K Phone: 404.894.6081  | Fax: 404.894.9140 vladimir@mse.gatech.edu Website: polysurf.mse.gatech.edu Post-doctoral, Polymer Science Department, The University of Akron, OH, 1992-1993 Post-doctoral, Freiburg University, Germany, 1992 Post-doctoral Humboldt Fellow, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, 1990-1992 Ph.D.2 (D.Sc.), Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev 1988 Ph.D., Polymer Science (Yu. Lipatov), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev 1983 M.S., Molecular Physics, National University of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine 1978 Academic Experience Dr. Vladimir Tsukruk is a Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering and holds a joint appointment with the School of Polymer, Textile, and Fiber Engineering.  Before joining Georgia Tech in July 2006, he was a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State University, Ames. He also served as Chair and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering & Applied Sciences at Western Michigan University from 1996-1999. Research Interests Self-assembly of polymeric and organic films Dendritic macromolecules as building blocks for organized assemblies at functionalized interfaces Star and hyperbranched polymeric assemblies at interfaces Bio-hybrid and bio-inspired surface assemblies Biomimetics and biological thermal sensing Molecular lubricants for microelectromechanical systems Nanotribology and nanomechanical properties of polymeric surfaces Scanning Probe Microscopy of polymeric interfaces Polymer surfaces and interfaces: nanostructures and nanoproperties Honors and Awards NSF Special Creativity Award (2006) ISN-MIT Visiting Professorship (2005) MSE Departmental Research Award (2001) Visiting Professorship, Ecole des Mines de Nancy, France (2001) MSE Departmental Research Award (2001) Outstanding Service to Students Award, WMU (1995) Summer Faculty Research Fellowship, AFOSR (1995) Visiting International Scholarship, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan (1994) Research Initiation Award for Young Investigators, National Science Foundation (1994) Research Opportunity Award, National Science Foundation - Stanford University (1994) Humboldt Foundation Fellowship, AHF, Germany (1990) Award for the best research work among young investigators of Ukraine, Ukraine (1985) Award in competition among young investigators of Academy of Science of USSR, USSR (1984) Awards for the best research work at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Kiev, Ukraine (1982, 1983) Selected Publications Refereed Journals and Proceeding Articles: C. Jiang, V. V. Tsukruk, Free Standing Nanostructures via Layer-by-Layer Assembly, Adv. Mater. 2006, 18, 829-840. K. L. Genson, J. Holzmueller, M. Ornatska, Y.-S. Yoo, M.-H. Park, M. S. Lee, V. V. Tsukruk, Assembling of dense fluorescent supramolecular webs via self-propelled star-shaped aggregates, Nano Lett. 2006, 6, 435-440. M. C. LeMieux, M. McConney, Y.-H. Lin, S. Singamaneni, H. Jiang, T.J. Bunning, V. V. Tsukruk, Polymeric Nanolayers as Actuators for Ultra-Sensitive Thermal Bimorphs, Nano Lett., 2006, 6, 730-734. J.-H. Jang, C. K. Ullal1, T. Gorishnyy, V. V. Tsukruk, E. L. Thomas, Mechanically Tunable Three-Dimensional Elastomeric Network/Air Structures via Interference Lithography, Nano Lett. 2006, 6, 740-743. C. Jiang, M. E. McConney, S. Singamaneni, E. Merrick, Y. Chen, J. Zhao, L. Zhang, V. V. Tsukruk, Thermo-optical Arrays of Flexible Nanomembranes Freely Suspended over Microfabricated Cavities as IR Microimagers, Chem. Mater., 2006, 18, 2632-2634. H. Ko, V. V. Tsukruk, Liquid-crystalline processing of highly-oriented carbon nanotube arrays for thin film transistors, NanoLett. 2006, 6, 1443-1448. T. Choi, J.-H. Jang, C. K. Ullal, M. C. Lemieux, V. V. Tsukruk, E. L. Thomas, The elastic properties and plastic behavior of two-dimensional polymer structures fabricated with laser interference lithography, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2006, 16, 1324 H. Shulha, C. Wong, D. L. Kaplan, V. V. Tsukruk, Unfolding the Multi-length Scale Domain Structure of Silk Fibroin Protein, Polymer, 2006, 47, 5821-5830. C. Jiang, W. Y. Lio, V. V. Tsukruk, Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Monitoring of Chain Alignment in Freely Suspended Nanomembranes, Phys. Rev. Lett., 2005, 95, 115503. Y.-H. Lin, J. Teng, E. R. Zubarev, H. Shulha, V. V. Tsukruk, In-situ Observation of Switchable Nanoscale Topography for Y-shaped Binary Brushes in Fluids, NanoLett. 2005, 5, 491-495. C. Jiang, S. Markutsya, H. Shulha, V. V. Tsukruk, Freely Suspended Gold Nanoparticles Arrays, Adv. Mater.2005, 17, 1669-1673. C. Jiang, H. Ko, V. V. Tsukruk, Strain Sensitive Raman Modes of Carbon Nanotubes in Deflecting Freely Suspended Nanomembranes, Adv. Mater., .2005, 17, 2127-2131. C. Jiang, B. M. Rybak, S. Markutsya, P. E. Kladitis, V. V. Tsukruk, Self-recovery of Nanocomposite Nanomembranes, Appl. Phys. Lett., 2005, 86, 121912. S. Markutsya, C. Jiang, Y. Pikus, V. V. Tsukruk, Free-standing multilayered nanocomposites films as highly sensitive nanomembranes, Adv. Funct. Mater., 2005,15, 771-780. H. Ko, C. Jiang, H. Shulha, V. V. Tsukruk Carbon nanotube arrays encapsulated into freely suspended flexible films, Chem. Mater., 2005, 17, 2490-2493. J. Holzmueller, K. L. Genson, Y. Park, Y.-S. Yoo, M.-H. Park, M. Lee, V. V. Tsukruk, Amphiphilic Tree-like Rods at Interfaces: Layered Stems and Circular Aggregation, Langmuir, 2005, 21, 6392-6398 K. L. Genson, J. Holzmueller, I. Leshchiner, E. Agina, N. Boiko, V. P. Shibaev, V. V. Tsukruk, Organized Monolayers of Carbosilane Dendrimers with Mesogenic Terminal Groups, Macromolecules, 2005, 38, 8028-8035 K. L. Genson, J. Holzmuller, O. F. Villacencio, D. V. McGrath, D. Vaknin, V. V. Tsukruk, Monolayers of Photochromic Amphiphilic Monodendrons: Molecular Aspects of Light Switching at Liquid and Solid Surfaces, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2005, 109, 20393-20402. H. Ko, C. Jiang, V. V. Tsukruk, Encapsulating nanoparticle arrays into layer-by-layer multilayers by capillary transfer lithography, Chem. Mater. 2005, 17, 5489-5497. C. Jiang, S. Markutsya, Y. Pikus, V. V. Tsukruk, Freely Suspended Nanocomposite Membranes as Highly-Sensitive Sensors, Nature Mater.(Cover Story) 2004, 3, 721-728. V. V. Tsukruk, H. Ko, S. Peleshanko, Nanotube surface arrays: Weaving, bending, and assembling on patterned silicon, Phys. Rev. Let. 2004, 92, 065502. I. Luzinov, S. Minko, V. V. Tsukruk, Adaptive and Responsive Surfaces Through Controlled Reorganization Of Interfacial Polymer Layers, Prog. Polym. Sci. 2004,29, 635. C. Jiang, S. Markutsya, V. V. Tsukruk, Compliant, Robust, and Truly Nanoscale Free-Standing Multilayer Films Fabricated using Spin-Assisted Layer-by-Layer Assembly, Adv. Mater., 2004, 16, 157. A. Kovalev, H. Shulha, M. Lemieux, N. Myshkin, V. V. Tsukruk Nanomechanical probing of layered nanoscale polymer films with atomic force microscopy, J. Mater. Res. 2004, 19, 716. H. Ko, S. Peleshanko, V. V. Tsukruk, Combing And Bending Of Carbon Nanotube Arrays With Confined Microfluidic Flow On Patterned Surfaces, J. Phys. Chem., 2004, 108, 4385-4393. M. Ornatska, K. N. Bergman, B. Rybak, S. Peleshanko, V. V. Tsukruk Nanofibers from functionalized dendritic molecules, Angew. Chem. 2004, 43, 5246-5249. S. Peleshanko, J. Jeong, R. Gunawidjaja, V. V. Tsukruk, Amphiphilic heteroarm PEO-b-PSm star polymers at the air-water interface: aggregation and surface morphology, Macromolecules, 2004, 37, 6511-6522. S. Peleshanko, J. Jeong, V. V. Shevchenko, K. L. Genson, Yu. Pikus, S. Petrash, V. V. Tsukruk, Synthesis and Properties of Asymmetric Heteroarmed PEOn-b-PSm Star Polymers, Macromolecules, 2004, 37, 7497-7506. S. Peleshanko, R. Gunawidjaja, J. Jeong, V. V. Shevchenko, V. V. Tsukruk,  Surface behavior of amphiphilic heteroarm star block copolymers with asymmetric architecture, Langmuir, 2004, 20, 9423-9427. H. Ko, Y. Pikus, C. Jiang, A. Jauss, O. Hollricher, V. V. Tsukruk, High Resolution Raman microscopy of curled carbon nanotubes, Appl. Phys. Lett., 2004, 85, 2598-2600. V. V. Tsukruk, H. Shulha, X. Zhai Nanoscale stiffness of individual dendritic molecules and their aggregates, Appl. Phys. Lett., 2003, 82, 907. M. Ornatska, S. E. Jones, R. R. Naik, M. Stone, V. V. Tsukruk, Biomolecular Stress-Sensitive Gauges: Surface-Mediated Immobilization of Mechanosensitive Membrane Protein, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 12722-12723 H. Ahn, D. Julthongpiput, Doo-In Kim, V. V. Tsukruk, Dramatic enhancement of the tribological behavior of oil-enriched polymer gel nanolayers, Wear, 2003, 255, 801. D. Julthongpiput, Y-H. Lin, J. Teng, E. R. Zubarev, V. V. Tsukruk Y-shaped Amphiphilic Brushes with Switchable Micellar Surface Structures, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 15912-15921. V. Gorbunov, N. Fuchigami, M. Stone, M. Grace V. V. Tsukruk, Biological thermal detection: Micromechanical and microthermal properties of biological infrared receptors, Biomacromolecules, 2002, 3, 106. M. Lee, J.-W. Kim, Y.-S. Yoo, S. Peleshanko, K. Larson, D. Vaknin, S. Markutsya, V. V. Tsukruk Organization of Amphiphilic Molecular Disks with Branched Hydrophilic Tails and Hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene Core, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2002, 124, 9121. V. V. Tsukruk, Molecular Lubricants And Glues For Micro- and Nanodevices, Adv. Materials, 13, 95, 2001. N. Fuchigami, J. Hazel, V. V. Gorbunov, M. Stone, M. Grace, V. V. Tsukruk, Biological thermal detection. I: Ultra-microstructure of pit organs in infra-red imaging snakes, Biomacromolecules, 2, 757, 2001. Books or Chapters of Books: V. V. Tsukruk, N. D. Spencer, Eds. Advances in Scanning Probe Microscopy of Polymers, Macromolecular Symposium, v. 167, 2001. V. V. Tsukruk, K. Wahl, Eds. Microstructure and Microtribology of Polymer Surfaces, ACS Symposium Series, v. 741,  2000. B. Ratner, V. V. Tsukruk, Eds. Scanning Probe Microscopy in Polymers, ACS Symposium Series, 1998, v. 694. V. V. Tsukruk, V. V. Shilov, Structure of Polymeric Liquid Crystals, Kiev:Naukova Dumka, 1990 Return to top Non-Refereed Proceeding Articles: V. V. Tsukruk, V. V. Gorbunov, Nanomechanical Probing With Scanning Force Microscopy, Microscopy Today, 01-1, 8, 2001. A. Sidorenko, X. W. Zhai, S. Peleshanko, A. Greco, V. V. Shevchenko, V. V. Tsukruk, Adsorption Of Hyperbranched Polyesters On Functionalized Solid Surfaces, PMSE, 84, 755, 2001. A. Sidorenko, S. Peleshanko, C. Houphouet-Boigny, O. Villavicencio, D. V. McGrath, V. V. Tsukruk Dendrimer Photoresponsive Langmuir And Langmuir-Blodgett Monolayers PMSE, 84, 775, 2001. V. V. Tsukruk, I. Luzinov, D. Julthongpiput, Formation Of Nanodomain Microstructure In Tethered Elastomer Monolayers, PMSE, 84, 311, 2001. A. Sidorenko, X. W. Zhai, S. Peleshanko, A. Greco, V. V. Tsukruk Hyperbranched Polymer Grafted to a Functionalized Silicon Surface, PMSE, 85, 4, 2001. K. Larson, D. Vaknin, O. Villavicencio, D. McGrath, N. Stephenson, V. V. Tsukruk, Synchrotron Studies of Amiphiphiles with Crown Polar Heads at Air-Water Interface, PMSE, 85, 229, 2001. A. Sidorenko, H. Yang, V. V. Tsukruk Sandwiched Nanocomposite Coatings for Microdevices, PMSE, 85, 162, 2001. D. Julthongpiput, A. Sidorenko, I. Luzinov, V. V. Tsukruk, Oily Nanocoatings, PMSE, 85, 163, 2001. Several examples of recent results: Multi-scale force spectroscopy was applied to measure unfolding properties and the internal domain structure of Bombyx mori silk fibroin. We demonstrated that the complex multi-domain sequence and block design in this protein can be directly related to multi-stage unfolding behavior of the specific regions through the use of force extension measurements.  These new findings suggest relationships between polymer block chemistry and mechanical features, as origins of the remarkable mechanical properties of native silk fibers in general. We observed multiple consequential unfolding of hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains with characteristics that can be directly related to known molecular dimensions of the protein backbones. Future screening and selection approaches can be envisioned to exploit this approach to optimize specific material functional features for both biopolymers and synthetic polymers in relation to sequence chemistry, a capability not currently available. The elastic and plastic properties within a two-dimensional polymer structure with six-fold symmetry fabricated via interference lithography are studied with AFM. We observe a non-uniform spatial distribution in the elastic modulus with higher elastic modulus measured for nodes and lower elastic modulus observed for beams of the photopatterned films.  We suggest that such a non-uniformity and unusual plastic behavior observed are related to the variable material properties “imprinted” with interference pattern. Tsukruk’s group demonstrated a novel trilayered (ceramic-metal-polymer) design for highly sensitive thermally-responsive microcantilever arrays.  In this design, the topmost nanocomposite layer reinforced with carbon nanotubes and silver nanoparticles (see inside cover image) acts as a strong thermally-stress driven actuator to enhance conventional biomaterial performance.  These polymer-metal-ceramic microcantilevers with enhanced (four -fold) thermal sensitivity can serve as basis for the next generation of un-cooled thermal microsensor arrays with the outstanding thermal and spatial resolution. Return to top