About

Brian Love is a Professor in the Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois (1984), an M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering with a focus on Polymers from the same university (1986), and a Ph.D. in Applied Science (Materials Science) from Southern Methodist University (1990). His laboratory research is focused on characterizing the structure and properties of soft gels, including probing the kinetics of polymerization and tracking thermophysical changes in resin attributes as a function of conversion or hydration. He has been actively working on dewatering strategies and gel aging features, incorporating dynamic modeling in his studies. Additionally, his research encompasses the behavior of dispersions, examining particle dynamics in solution, stratification phenomena, adsorption phenomena on particles, and particle-particle interactions in dispersed ensembles. He investigates the phase structure, stability, and ordering in aqueous amphiphilic copolymer solutions and dispersions, with detailed studies of micelle formation and short-range ordering, often with applications in drug solubilization. His work also extends to biomass conversion, focusing on recycling, life cycle assessments, and sustainable production methods, with an international scope linked to natural fiber extraction and reprocessing. Prior to his current position, he served as a Professor at Virginia Tech from 1993 to 2007, with adjunct appointments at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Georgetown School of Medicine, and held a NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship at Georgia Tech. His professional contributions include editorial board memberships for the Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology and the Journal of Adhesion. He has been recognized for teaching excellence and has held visiting professorships in France.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Composite material
• Chemistry
• Chemical engineering
• Polymer chemistry

Selected publications

• Sedimentation of particles in photopolymerizable suspensions

  International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology · 2025-05-09 · 4 citations

  article

  Abstract An analytical centrifuge was used to examine the sedimentation of concentrated suspensions of refractory‐grade silica particles in acrylate monomer mixtures. Depths for significant dilution or effective particle denudation were determined as a function of sedimentation time, and related to particle size distribution, particle volume fraction, the viscosity of the liquid, and the presence of thixotropic agents. Results for these dispersions are consistent with the Richardson–Zaki equation for hindered settling. The implications on three‐dimensional (3D) printing of photopolymerizable suspensions are discussed.

  PublisherDOI

• Water Regulates Ionic Liquid Solvation and Can Fine-Tune the Rheological Behavior of Cellulose

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Guideposts and opportunities considering advances in dental adhesive materials and preparations

  The Journal of Adhesion · 2025-10-04

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Melt-blowing and crystallization of high-performance Polylactic acid (PLA) nonwovens for air filtration

  Separation and Purification Technology · 2025-12-29 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  The growing need for sustainable, high-efficiency filtration materials has driven interest in biodegradable alternatives to polypropylene (PP)-based nonwovens, which dominate global production but generate severe environmental burdens. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of additive-free, low-viscosity biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) melt-blown nonwovens, establishing relationships between processing parameters, fiber structure, crystallization, and electrostatic charging performance. Across 135 experiments, we reveal that die geometry, die-to-collector distance, polymer throughput, air pressure, and temperature jointly determine fiber morphology and crystallinity of PLA melt-blown nonwovens, thereby affecting the filtration performance. Clear process–structure–performance connections for PLA nonwovens were defined. PLA nonwovens with submicron fibers achieving >95% filtration efficiency at <160 Pa pressure drop were fabricated without post-charging, demonstrating the feasibility of scalable, biodegradable filter media. X-ray diffraction and thermal imaging reveal that in situ crystallinity can be tuned by air pressure, polymer throughput, and collection speed, which enhances thermal stability and supports long-term charge retention. Two-month charge decay tests further identify fiber diameter as the dominant factor in electret stability, with crystallinity playing a secondary but reinforcing role. By combining systematic experimentation with mechanistic insights, this work offers practical guidance for industrial-scale manufacturing of high-performance PLA nonwovens and advances the development of next-generation sustainable air filtration media. • Additive-free PLA melt-blown nonwovens fabricated with submicron fibers • Process parameters systematically linked to structure and filtration efficiency • In situ crystallization tuned by temperature, air pressure, and throughput • Crystallinity enhances thermal stability and supports long-term charge retention • PLA filters achieved >95% efficiency and <160 Pa pressure drop without post-charging

  PublisherDOI

• Water regulates ionic liquid solvation and can fine-tune the rheological behavior of dissolved cellulose

  Results in Engineering · 2025-10-04 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  • The presence of H 2 O in ionic liquid (IL) lowers cellulose’s capacity to dissolve • Cellulose fibrils are seen in water-IL mixture that affect rheology • The IL mediated precipitates are still relatively stiff and strong biopolymers Water contamination is difficult to control in the field given ambient humidity levels, rain, dew, and the hygroscopic quality of polar ionic liquids (ILs) like 1,8-Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene [DBUH][-OAc], a well-characterized ionic liquid. With water, there is a H-bond competition between it and [DBUH][-OAc] suggesting that the overall solubility of cotton can be throttled by trace amounts of water thus throttling rheological measurements. Here, 5 wt% cotton was dissolved in [DBUH][-OAc] solutions in the presence of 0-20 wt.% water. Gravimetric analysis, rheology and microscopy on regenerated cotton fibers were conducted to characterize water’s influence on cotton dissolution. We confirmed the lower cellulose solubility with increasing water content. Roughly 7% w/w water was enough to essentially eliminate the IL solubility for cotton. Zero-shear viscosities of ∼10 -20 Pa-s were found for extracts of the neat solutions in IL at 60°C. Cotton fibers re-formed by syringe precipitation resulted in modulus values of ∼1-6 GPa and tensile strengths between 60-160 MPa.

  PublisherDOI

• Oil/Water Separation for Isolating Microplastic Particles Dispersed in Water

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2024-01-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Laundry Effluents as Potential Interferences in Microplastic Remediation for a Polyacrylate Adhesive

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2024-01-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Surfactants can compete with microplastics for surfaces using adhesives as substrates for microplastic sequestration

  Environmental Pollution · 2024-11-22 · 2 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Mechanical property enhancement of flax fibers via supercritical fluid treatment

  Scientific Reports · 2024-08-13 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  The desire for lightweight, carbon-negative materials has been increasing in recent years, particularly as the transportation sector reduces its global carbon footprint. Natural fibers, such as flax fiber and their composites, offer a compelling combination of properties including low density, high specific strength, and carbon negativity. However, because of the low modulus and high variability in performance, natural fibers can’t compete with glass fibers as structural reinforcements in polymer composites. In this study, flax technical fibers were treated in supercritical CO2 (scCO2), and the effects of this treatment on the morphology and properties of flax fibers are reported. Treatment in scCO2 successfully resulted in higher fiber modulus and strength by 33% and 40%, respectively. Fiber porosity was reduced by 50% and morphological changes to the fibers were observed. Specifically, fiber lumen collapsed during treatment and micro/mesoporosity was reduced by 27%. Treated flax fibers were used to create 30 vol% unidirectional flax-epoxy composites. ScCO2 treatment raised composite modulus and strength by 33% and 25%, respectively. Because of the dependence between technical fiber size and mechanical properties, the relationship between fiber modulus and fiber size were created and applied to the rule-of-mixtures. This relationship were found to be viable representations of the fiber performance within each composite. Overall, the treatment developed in this study has the potential to significantly improve natural fiber properties, enabling their consideration for use in lightweight, semi-structural composites.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Ionic Liquid‐Mediated Biopolymer Extraction from Coffee Fruit

  Macromolecular Materials and Engineering · 2023-09-10 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Ionic liquids (ILs) are effective solvents for biomass. Refined cellulose is commonly used; however, recent interest has grown to consider woody and herbaceous biomass and industrial crop residues like fruit peels. Here, the authors report results on the dissolution and shaping of cotton and coffee fruit (cascara) in 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐inium acetate ([DBUH][OAc]). Cascara is a high‐volume, low‐value crop residue that poses an environmental and economic burden in producer countries leading to a high‐value proposition if recoverable. Fruit/ionic liquid solutions (0–15% w/w dissolved at 60 °C) were characterized with respect to biomass concentration and shaped into fibers and films coagulated in DI water and methanol. Rheology was assessed using parallel plate rheometry. Cotton/IL mixtures formed better fibers compared to cascara‐based solutions, which required 2.6× more biomass in solution for viable fiber formation. At 10% loading, fibers could be produced from untreated coffee fruit with diameters ranging from 18–100 microns. Coffee fruit residues and their precipitated films show that both cellulose and lignin dissolve in pure [DBUH][OAc]. Chemical characterization of cascara and cascara films demonstrates the conveyance of high concentrations of lignin and extracts that result in weaker mechanical properties. Further purification of cascara is required for effective use in structural applications.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R03DE015229

  NIH · $144k · 2007

Frequent coauthors

• Julie M. Rieland

  University of Colorado Boulder

  11 shared

• Aaron S. Goldstein

  Northwell Health

  11 shared

• Scott R. Trenor

  American Society of Plastic Surgeons

  10 shared

• Kiersten M. Batzli

  9 shared

• Jenni R. Popp

  National Institute of Standards and Technology

  9 shared

• Patricia I. Dolez

  University of Alberta

  8 shared

• Andre Thompson

  National Institute of Standards and Technology

  8 shared

• K. Anne Juggernauth

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  7 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Applied Science

  Southern Methodist University

  1990

• M.S., Metallurgical and Mining Engineering

  University of Illinois

  1986

• B.S., Chemistry

  University of Illinois

  1984

Awards & honors

• Nominee, WL Wine Award for Teaching Excellence (2007)
• Dean's list for Teaching Excellence based on Student percept…
• Visiting Professorship, Universite Claude Bernard, LYON Fran…
• NIH Post-doctoral Fellowship (1991-1993)