Center for Polymer Nanocomposites

Polymer nanocomposites—a growing area of study at USC—are additives that improve plastics. After raising private matching funds, USC will receive $7 million for its Center for Polymer Nanocomposites.

Michael Myrick, a USC professor of chemistry and biochemistry, is working to develop stronger plastics with greater fire retardancy, impermeability to gases, strength, temperature tolerance, and durability.

David Pond is director of USC's NanoCenter. “South Carolina is among the top 10 states in the country for polymer manufacturing employment, with 6 percent of the state's gross domestic product coming from the polymer industry,” Pond said. International competition, especially from countries such as China, could erode the state's polymer manufacturing base in the same way that textile manufacturing has declined.

USC's research is aimed at improving the quality of plastics without increasing costs, a development that would help U.S. manufacturers maintain a competitive edge. The impetus to seek funding for the Research Center for Polymer Nanocomposites began after USC received a significant intellectual property donation from Voridian in 2002, which included patents for polymer nanocomposites.

As part of the emerging research center, USC is seeking candidates for a recently awarded Research Center of Economic Excellence professorship in polymer nanocomposite research.