William Gramlich

Polymer chemistry and materials science in Dr Gramlich’s laboratory explores new polymer synthesis, bio-derived materials, and the relation of macromolecular and nanoscale structure to macroscale properties. These fundamental methods are applied to solving worldwide challenges in the fields of sustainable materials, biomedical engineering, and the advanced manufacturing of materials, composites, and packaging. He and his laboratory are experts at utilizing bio-derived molecules, polymers, and nanomaterials as the building blocks for new syntheses and materials. The bio-based materials are often wood derived (e.g., lignin, cellulose, etc.) with the goal of this research leading to new materials and products in the future. Additionally, his research targets polymer structures and architectures, nanomaterial properties, and composite microstructures that yield new physical and chemical properties while focusing on understanding the fundamental material science. Overall, any project involving polymeric materials is of interest to his laboratory as these chemistries have implications in a wide array of fields. 

Recent publications

Mulligan, A.; Ahmad, A. A. L.; Kelly, P.V., Shams Es-haghi, S.; Cheng, P.; Hubbard, A. M.; Slavny, K.; Lamm, M. E.; Wasti, S.; Gramlich, W. M. “Strengthening poly(lactic acid) composites with poly(methyl methacrylate) functionalized flax nanofibrils” RSC Applied Interfaces 2026

Bones, D. X.; Kumar, A.; Nelson, E.; Fofie, B.; Hoy, E. P.; Gramlich, W. M. “Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer depolymerization of poly(methyl methacrylate) in toluene” Polym. Chem., 2025, 16, 4812 – 4827.

Dutta, A.; Gramlich, W. M. “Understanding and preventing the spontaneous gelation of thiol-norbornene hydrogels.” Biomacromolecules 2025, 26, 7, 4146–4157

Kelly, P.V., Shams Es-haghi, S.; Ahmad, A. A. L.; Lamm, M. E.; Copenhaver, K.; Alyamac-Seydibeyoglu, E.; Ozcan, S.; Gardner, D. J.; Gramlich, W. M.* “High-strength 3D printed poly(lactic acid) composites reinforced by shear-aligned polymer-grafted cellulose nanofibrils.” RSC Appl. Polym. 2025, 3, 111 – 124.

Ahmad, A. A. L.; Shams Es-haghi, S.; Gramlich, W. M. “Enhancing Poly(lactic acid) Composites with Polymer-Modified Bleached Softwood Kraft Pulp Before and After Fibrillation.” ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2024, 6, 20, 12575–12584.

Uchefuna, C.; Bousfield, D.; Gramlich, W. M. “Montmorillonite Pigment Effects on the Water Barrier Properties of Paper Coated with Latexes Synthesized through Surfactant and Pickering Emulsion Methods.” Progress in Organic Coatings 2024, 189, 108367.

Ahmad, A. A. L.; Gramlich, W. M. “Methacrylate and polymer grafting pulp pretreatments reduce refining energy to produce modified cellulose nanofibrils.” Cellulose, 2024, 31, 2865 – 2880.

Senkum, H.; Kelly, P. V.; Ahmad, A. A. L.; Shams Es-haghi, S.; Gramlich, W. M. “Strengthening polylactic acid (PLA) composites with poly(methyl methacrylate)-functionalized cellulose nanofibrils created through grafting-through emulsion polymerization.” RSC Appl. Polym. 2024, 2, 224-237.

Morrison, T. X.; Gramlich, W. M. “Tunable, thiol-ene, interpenetrating network hydrogels of norbornene-modified carboxymethyl cellulose and cellulose nanofibrils.” Carbohydrate Polymers 2023, 319, 121173.

Driscoll, M. E.; Kelly, P. V.; Gramlich, W. M. “Impact of Aqueous Grafting of Polystyrene through Methacrylate-Modified Cellulose Nanofibrils on Emulsion Stabilization and Drying Behavior.” Langmuir 2023, 39, 7079 – 7090.