2026 Advanced Technology Webinar - Adhesion Society (FREE)
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Event Details
This a Free to Attend webinar for everyone.
Overview
This webinar brought to you in collaboration with the Adhesion Society will highlight the award winners from the 2026 Adhesion Society meeting. The webinar will include an introduction from Michael Bartlett (Chair, Adhesion Society ) followed by presentations from Kathryn Wahl (Naval Research Laboratory) and Kevin Golovin (University of Toronto). Kevin Golovin received the 2026 Early Career adhesion Scientist Award sponsored by ASC on the research about creating non-toxic, PFAS-free, low surface energy materials . Kathryn Wahl received the 2026 Excellence in Adhesion Science award sponsored by 3M for her groundbreaking work on in-situ approaches to understanding complex phenomena in dynamic buried surfaces.
Presentation Details
"Brushrooms: surface properties and applications of grafted liquid-like polymer chains" by Kevin Golovin, U. Toronto
The use of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in engineered surfaces has been commonplace for many decades. However, recent evidence of their long-term toxicity has reignited the search for low surface energy materials, but ones safe for the environment and human health. Grafted linear chains of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) have shown promise as a potential replacement for PFAS in certain applications. The unique morphology of grafted PDMS chains imparts many interesting properties that crosslinked PDMS, commonly known as silicone rubber, does not exhibit. The purpose of this talk is to give an overview of some of the more interesting and anomalous properties of grafted PDMS chains that have been discovered over the last decade.
"Tackling Sticky and SLippery Situations - In situ Approaches to Understanding Complex Phenomena in Dynamic Buried Surfaces" by Kathryn Wahl, Naval Research Laboratory.
Agenda
"Brushrooms: Surface Properties and Applications on Grafted liquid-like Polymer Chains"
- Introduction to Advanced Liquid-Repellent Surfaces
- Key Surface Properties
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- Ultra-low contact angle hysteresis with low-surface-tension liquids
- Autophobicity toward chemically identical silicone oils
- Shear-induced sliding of adhered foulants
- Tunable contact line dynamics through chain-termination engineering
3. Mechanisms and Material Design
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- Surface chemistry and molecular architecture
- Controlling wetting and adhesion behavior
4. Applications
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- Liquid-repellent coatings for dense and porous substrates
- Ice-phobic and anti-icing surfaces
- Antimicrobial materials with self-delaminating residues
- Surface treatments to reduce microplastic release
Who Should Attend?
This is an ideal webinar for all adhesive and sealant professionals eager to learn about the latest developments in adhesion science. The webinar is applicable to both new and experienced professionals serving in various roles across the industry.
SPEAKERS
Kathryn Wahl
Kathryn Wahl received a bachelor's degree in Physics and Mathematics from St. Olaf College in 1987, and a doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University in 1992. She came to the NRL as a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow in the Tribology Section of the Chemistry Division and studied friction, wear and interfacial film formation of model solid lubricant coatings. At the Naval Research Laboratory, Dr. Wahl has pioneered the in situ characterization of the sliding interface within contacts of a variety of coatings by techniques including optical microscopy, interference fringe measurement, and Raman spectroscopy, enabling the coupled observation of third-body transfer film or wear particle presence with resulting frictional behavior.
Kevin Golovin
Kevin Golovin is an Associate Professor in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto. Golovin holds degrees in Material Science & Engineering from Cornell University (B.S.) and the University of Michigan (Ph.D.). He currently leads the Comfort Optimized Materials For Operational Resilience, Thermal-transport, and Survivability (COMFORTS) Micro-net, a large-scale, interdisciplinary network sponsored by DND, investigating improved soldier protection and comfort. In 2020 he was named an Emerging Leader in Chemical Engineering by the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (CSChE). Golovin has filed 9 patents, one of which is currently licensed.
Michael Bartlett
Michael Bartlett is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Virginia Tech. He is the current chair of Adhesion Society. His research group fosters an an interdisciplinary research environment where scientists and engineers explore fundamental and applied aspects of soft materials. This interdisciplinary and biomimetic approach aims to create advanced, multifunctional materials with novel combinations of mechanical and functional properties, including switchable and intelligent adhesives, stretchable electronics and soft robotics, and adaptive and morphing materials.