Kat Wakabayashi

Educational Background

• B.S.E., Chemical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
• B.S.E., Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
• M.A., Chemical Engineering, Princeton University
• Ph.D., Chemical and Materials Engineering, Princeton University
• Post-Doctoral, Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University

Teaching Specialties

• Materials science and engineering
• Materials and energy balance
• Introduction to chemical engineering
• Process and product design

Research Interests

• Polymer processing and characterization
• Nanoscale blends and composites
• Sustainable engineering
• Ionomers

Selected Publications

T. A. Will, Y. Lu, and K. Wakabayashi, “Effects of Polymer Properties on Solid-State Shear Pulverization: Thermoplastic Processability and Nanofiller Dispersibility”, ACS Applied Polymer Materials5, 1848 (2023).

R. W. Johnson, H. R. Scopelliti, N. T. Herrold, and K. Wakabayashi, “Solid-State Shear Pulverization of Post-Industrial Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene: Particle Morphology and Molecular Structure Modifications Toward Conventional Mechanical Recycling”, Polymer Engineering and Science63, 319 (2023).

P. R. Onffroy, N. T. Herrold, H. G. Goehrig, K. Yuen, and K. Wakabayashi, “Polylactic Acid Chemical Foaming Assisted by Solid-State Processing: Solid-State Shear Pulverization and Cryogenic Milling”, Polymers14, 4480 (2022).

S. J. Zack, N. T. Herrold, and K. Wakabayashi, “Mechanochemical Modification of Crosslinked Low-Density Polyethylene: Effect of Solid-State Shear Pulverization on Crosslinks, Branches, and Chain Lengths”, SPE Polymers3, 152 (2022).

P. R. Onffroy, E. V. Miu, W. J. Confer, C. M. Darkes-Burkey, W. C. Holler, and K. Wakabayashi, “Residence Time Distribution and Specific Mechanical Energy in Solid-State Shear Pulverization: Processing-Structure-Property Relationships in a Chilled Extruder”, Polymer Engineering and Science60, 503 (2019).

E. M. Blumer, B. B. Lynch, A. S. Fielding, and K. Wakabayashi, “Crystallinity and Property Enhancements in Neat Polylactic Acid by Chilled Extrusion: Solid-State Shear Pulverization and Solid-State/Melt Extrusion”, Polymer Engineering and Science59, E286 (2019).

K. Wakabayashi, S. H. E. Vancoillie, M. G. Assfaw, D. H. Choi, F. Desplentere, and A. W. Van Vuure, “Low-Temperature Compounding of Flax Fibers with Polyamide 6 via Solid-State Shear Pulverization (SSSP): Towards Viable Engineering Thermoplastic/Natural Fiber Composites”, Polymer Composites, 40, 3285 (2019).

E. V. Miu, S. H. Jubb, A. J. Fox, and K. Wakabayashi, “Morphology and Toughness Enhancements in Recycled High Density Polyethylene (rHDPE) via Solid-State Shear Pulverization and Solid-State/Melt Extrusion”, Journal of Applied Polymer Science 133, 43070 (2016).