Phillip Rauscher

Rauscher Group

Our group is dedicated to “Practical Soft Matter Physics,” meaning we focus on research problems that are inspired by — and directly applicable to — industrial applications. Our methodology is a combination of mathematical theory and modeling, molecular simulations, and machine learning or artificial intelligence, tailored to the application at hand.

The main areas of focus at present are:

1. Thermophysical properties of complex formulations, including high-performance polymers, composite materials, biocondensates and more.
2. Nonequilibrium interfaces, such as those occurring in industrial separations, heterogeneous catalysis, and electrochemical systems.
3. Fluoropolymer replacement and remediation, using ML/AI in combination with molecular modeling to identify new chemistries able to facilitate the transition away from halogenated materials.

Our industrial collaborations have demonstrated the power and value that physics and applied mathematics can bring to the chemical industry when working closely with engineers and technologists. Visit our group’s website to learn more and connect with us.