Injection Molding Engineering

*** ***** ****, ***,

Acton, MA *****

Phone (Cell): 603-***-**** Home : 978-***-****

Email: *******@*****.***

Amol Chandekar

Objective: Highly motivated individual seeking a research and development

and analytical position in surface science, materials science and

nanotechnology.

Education & Research:

> Ph.D. University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA.

Chemistry (Polymer Science and Plastic Engineering Program) (2007).

Dissertation: Micron and nano-scale patterning of materials using

alkanethiol and silane templates.

> B.Tech. Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, University of Nagpur,

India.

Chemical Engineering specialization in Plastic and Polymer

Technology. (August 2002)

Research Project: Chemical synthesis of polyaniline using different

sulfonic acids and the measurement of their conductivities. (National

Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India, June 2001)

Professional Summary

Results-oriented, high-energy, hands-on professional, with a successful

record of accomplishments in the material science, surface science and

nanotechnology as evident by several peer reviewed publications. Experience

in inventing new processes, trouble-shooting and scaling up the processes

from lab scale to pilot plant production with reduced production cost.

Major strengths include strong leadership, excellent communication

skills, excellent researcher with good problem solving skills, competent,

strong team player, attention to detail and quick learner. Thorough

knowledge and hands-on experience on surface and nano-scale

characterization techniques.

Skills and Accomplishments

Thin film treatments: Plasma cleaning, chemical and physical vapor

deposition, spin coating, vacuum deposition of gold, wet etching and

reactive ion etching (RIE) of silicon wafers.

Metal processing: Alteration of surface morphology metals by creating

nanostructures using several etching solutions including sulfuric,

hydrochloric acids piranha etch, RCA etch, etc. on lab scale to pilot plant

scale.

Thin films characterization techniques: X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron

spectroscopies (XPS and UPS) and profilometry.

Silicon processing: Etching silicon wafers with KOH and HF, and modifying

their surface properties using plasma treatment and silane self assembled

monolayers.

Self assembled monolayers: Fabrication of self assembled monolayers of

alkanethiols and silanes, and their characterization using X-ray

photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements.

Surface studies: Studies of segregation of polymer films and surface

modifications of polymer coatings using XPS, atomic force microscopy (AFM)

and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Micro- and nano- templates: Fabrication of micro- and nano- templates of

functionalized alkanethiols on gold surfaces and silanes on silicon dioxide

surfaces using microcontact printing and dip-pen nanolithography to pattern

block copolymers, conjugated oligomers and biomaterials such as proteins

and amino acids.

Patterning techniques: Microcontact printing, Dip-pen nanolithography and

UV lithography.

Solar hydrogen production: Successful fabrication of highly efficient

photoanode for hydrogen production from water using solar energy.

Optical and electrochemical characterization of semiconductor: UV-vis

spectroscopy, IV curves, photocurrent spectroscopy, bandgap measurements.

Electrochemistry: Studied electrolytes, solvents and cathode materials to

increase hydrogen production, electroplated several metals and

semiconductors such as CdS.

Semiconductor processing: Engineering electronic properties such as bandgap

of titanium and tungsten oxides using dopants for example nitrogen and

carbon.

Polymer nanocomposites: Formulation of polymer nanocomposites using surface

modified silicon carbide nanoparticles.

Chemical vapor sensor fabrication: Synthesis of gold nanoparticles

protected with thiophene- and methyl- terminated alkanethiols and

characterization using TEM. Fabrication and evaluation of the performance

of chemical sensors based on them.

Proficiency in understanding properties of semiconductors such as titanium

oxide and tungsten oxide.

Professional Experience

Senior Principal Scientist: Nanoptek Corporation, Maynard, MA.( February

2010- Present)

Successfully engineered a TiO2 photoanode for Nanoptek's solar renewable

hydrogen generators that is unique in its ability to absorb over the entire

ultraviolet spectrum as well as into the blue visible light with high

conversion efficiency. Also scaled up the photoanode fabrication process

from the lab scale to the pilot plant production. Continued research and

development efforts towards improving the efficiency of the TiO2

photoanode by engineering the bandgap with different dopants. Also

responsible for managing a chemical laboratory and overseeing chemical

waste treatment.

Senior Scientist: Nanoptek Corporation, Maynard, MA. (January 2008- January

2010)

Investigated several semiconducting materials as a candidate for

photocatalysis of water for hydrogen production. Explored several processes

such as sol-gel synthesis and thermal oxidation for the synthesis of

photocatalysts. Also, worked on improving the efficiency of a photocatalyst

by creating periodic nanostructures using several lithographic techniques

and random nanostructures using several etching solutions.

> Post Doctoral Fellow: University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA

(September 2007- December 2007)

Successful synthesis of gold nanoparticles protected with a several

functionalized alkanethiols and characterization with TEM and SEM.

Fabrication and evaluation of the performance of chemical vapor sensors

based on them.

> Research Intern: Saint Gobain, Northborough, MA (June 2007- September

2007).

Evaluated properties of silicon carbide nanoparticles and

investigated their applications in polymer composites and solar cells.

Altered silicon carbide nanoparticle surfaces by grafting silanes for

improved dispersion in polymer nanocomposites and characterized surface

treated nanoparticles using SEM and TEM.

Honors

Outstanding Graduate Student award, University of Massachusetts Lowell,

2005.

Tripathy Memorial Graduate Fellowship, 2006.

President, Polymer Science Graduate Students Association, University of

Massachusetts Lowell, 2005-2006.

Patents:

"Bandgap-shifted semiconductor surface and apparatus"

J.M. Guerra, L.M. Thulin, A.N. Chandekar, Nanoptek. Dec, 17 2009:

International Patent Application No. WO2009/152063

"Bandgap-shifted semiconductor surface and apparatus"

J.M. Guerra, L.M. Thulin, A.N. Chandekar, Nanoptek. Jan, 12 2012: Republic

of South Africa Patent No. 2010/08555

Publications:

"Thermal stability of thiol and silane monolayers: A comparative study", A.

Chandekar, S.K. Sengupta, J.E. Whitten, Appl. Surf. Sci, 256, 2742-2749

(2010).

"Anomalous Vapor Sensor Response of a Fluorinated Alkylthiol-Protected Gold

Nanoparticle Film." J.Im, A. Chandekar, J.E. Whitten, Langmuir. 25, 4288-

4292 (2009).

Peptide Surface Modification of P(HEMA-co-MMA)-b-PIB-b-P(HEMA-co-MMA) Block

Copolymers", U. Ojha, D. Feng, A. Chandekar, J.E. Whitten, R. Faust,

Langmuir, 25, 6319-6327 (2009).

"Fabrication of Stamps for Microcontact Printing by Injection Molding",

A. Chandekar, M. Alabran, S.K. Sengupta, J.S. Lee, J.L. Mead, C.M.F. Barry,

J.E. Whitten, S. Somu, A.A. Busnaina, Microelectronic Eng., 85, 187-194

(2008).

"Design and Lipase Catalyzed Synthesis of 4-Methylcoumarin-siloxane Hybrid

Copolymers". M. Pandey, A Chandekar, R.Tyagi, V. Parmar, V. Tucci, K.

Smit,; P. Westmoreland, R. Mosurkal, Jumar; Arthur C. Watterson. Journal of

Macromolecular Science, Part A: Pure and Applied Chemistry, 45, 925-930

(2008).

6. "Nanoscale Patterning of Conjugated Oligomer", A. Chandekar and J.E.

Whitten, Appl. Phys. Lett., 91-113***-****** (2007).

"Template-Directed Patterning of Polymers and Biomaterials", A. Chandekar,

S.K. Sengupta, J.E. Whitten, Micros. Res. Tech., 70, 506-512 (2007).

8. "Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-

hydroxyethyl methacrylate)- b-polyisobutylene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate-

co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)", D. Feng, A. Chandekar, J. E. Whitten and R.

Faust, Journal of Macromolecular Science, Part A: Pure and Applied

Chemistry, 44, 1141-1150 (2007).

9. "Synthesis, Properties and Surface Characterization of Polyisobutylene-

based Thermoplastic Elastomers Containing Poly(methylacrylate-co-

hydroxyethyl methacrylate) as Hard Blocks", D. Feng, A. Chandekar, J. E.

Whitten and R. Faust, Preprint ACS 2007.

10. "Peptide Surface Modification Of P(HEMA-co-MMA)-B-PIB-B-P(HEMA-co-MMA)

Block Copolymers to Enhance Endothelialization", U. Ojha, D. Feng, A.

Chandekar, J. E. Whitten and R. Faust, Preprint ACS 2007.

11. "Guided Assembly of Block Copolymers on Alkanethiol-Modified Gold

Surfaces", A. Chandekar, S. Sengupta, C. Barry, J. Mead, and J. E.

Whitten, Preprint ACS 2006.

12. "Template-Directed Adsorption of Block Copolymers on Alkanethiol-

Patterned Gold Surfaces", A. Chandekar, S. Sengupta, C. Barry, J. Mead, and

J. E. Whitten, Langmuir, 22, 8071-8077 (2006).

13. "Ultraviolet Photoemission and Electron Loss Spectroscopy of

Oligothiophene Films", A. Chandekar and J.E. Whitten, Synth.Met., 150, 259-

264 (2005).

14. "Comparison of Solubility and Vapor Sensing Properties of Methyl- and

Thiophene-Terminated Alkanethiol- Protected Gold Nanoparticle Films", H.

Ahn, A. Chandekar, B. Kang, C. Sung, and J.E. Whitten, J. Macromol. Sci.

Pure Appl. Chem. A, 42, 1477-1487 (2005).

15. "Electrical Conductivity and Vapor Sensing Properties of omega-(3-

thienyl)alkanethiol-Protected Gold Nanoparticle Films",H. Ahn, A.

Chandekar, B. Kang, C. Sung, and J.E. Whitten, Chemistry of Materials, 16,

3274-3278 (2004).

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