Nadarajah Vasanthan 
Professor
Polymer and Physical Chemistry


Biographical Sketch
Dr. Nadarajah Vasanthan (Nad) received his B.S (Hon) in chemistry at University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka and his Ph.D. from City University of New York with Prof. Arthur Woodward working in the field of crystallization and spectroscopy of polymers. He was a Postdoctoral Associate at North Carolina State University with Prof. Alan Tonelli where he conducted research in the area of inclusion compounds and solid state NMR spectroscopy. Dr. Nadarajah Vasanthan held research Scientist and senior scientist positions at Allied Signal and TRI/Princeton, where he studied crystallization and vibrational spectroscopic characterization of oriented polymers. He joined the faculty of chemistry at Long Island University in the fall of 2004 and he is currently serving as an Associate Professor of chemistry. Professor Vasanthan has been teaching various general, physical, inorganic and polymer chemistry courses at both graduate and undergraduate levels. He has published more than fifty peer reviewed article and presented extensively in scientific conferences.


Research Interest
Research in our group is in the general area of polymer science, crystallization and spectroscopic characterization of polymers. Our primary objective is to study the effect of hydrogen bonding in extensibility of hydrogen bonded polymers. Our second objective is to investigate crystallization and degradation behavior of various biodegradable polymers and their nanocomposite systems.

It is generally believed that hydrogen bonding makes polyamides important engineering plastics, because of the high strength it imparts. However, the interchain hydrogen bonds between amide groups are seen as a barrier to ultradrawing of high molecular weight polyamides and, therefore, to the achievement of high strength and high modulus fibers. The purpose of our research is to develop a new method to spin and draw high strength fibers and films by suppressing the interchain amide group hydrogen bonding. There is evidence in the literature that hydrogen bond suppression can be achieved by Lewis Acid - Base complexation of polyamides, and this may provide a way to temporarily eliminate hydrogen bonding during drawing, allowing orientation to the desired degree, followed by reformation of the hydrogen bonds in the oriented state. We are investigating the influence of hydrogen bonding on fiber formation in low and high molecular weight polyamides, and examine morphological characteristics such as molecular orientation in the crystalline and noncrystalline regions, degree of crystallinity and crystallite size.

Our second objective is to investigate new approaches to significantly improve the performance of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) derived materials and offer a biodegradable alternative for high performance fiber applications. The broad application of current commercial PLA products for semicrystalline, thermoplastic fiber markets is limited by their relatively low Tg (ca. 50-60oC), poor melt strength, low modulus, and unfavorable rate of hydrolysis above the Tg. Thus PLA-based materials have been targeted for predominantly biomedical applications from surgical sutures to drug delivery systems. We plan to address these limitations and expand the use of PLA by preparing hybrid inorganic nanocomposites of PLA with, for example, clays, sol-gels, and metal oxides. We are investigating the effect of microstructure of PLA and PLA nanocomposites on hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation.

Graduate Students Supervised

Mr. Mustafa Yaman (2007)Mr. Sebhattin. Ozkaya (2007)
Mrs Astrid Campo (2007)Ms. Hoang Ly (2008)
Mr. Hsin-I Ho (2010)Ms. Onah Ly (2008)
Ms Gabriela Sekosan (2009)Ms. Jyothi. Manne (2010)
Ms Hande Gezer (2010)Ms. Deepika Rangari (2012)
Ms Shakira Charles (2012)Ms. Fatima Raffique
Ms Sushma Kalyanapu (2013)Ms. Lakshmi Chittrapu (2013)
Mr Lawrence Smith (2014)Ms. Anusha Krishnama (2014)
Mr. Asish Tapadiya (2014)Ms. Rachel Schiller (2015)
Mr. Anil Bodempudi (2015)Mr. Keerthi Manos (2015)
Mr. Kalyani Palle (2016)Ms. Yulia Bestpalova (2016)
Ms. Alicia Blake (2017) Mr.. Saicharan Aitha (2017)
Mr. Murat Yamen (2018)

List of Publications

1. Infrared Spectroscopic Investigation of Bulk Crystallized Trans-1,4-Polyisoprene. N. Vasanthan, J. P. Corrigan and A. E. Woodward. Polymer, 1992, 34, 2270.

2. FTIR Spectroscopic and SEM Morphological Investigation of Trans-1,4-Polyisoprene and Copolymer Derivatives. N. Vasanthan, J. P. Corrigan and A. E. Woodward. Trends in Polymer Science, 1993, 2, 299.

3. Bulk Crystallization of Randomly Epoxidized Trans-1, 4-Polyisoprene. N. Vasanthan, J. P. Corrigan and A. E. Woodward. Makromol Cheme, 1994, 195, 2435.

4. Thermal Studies of Solution Epoxidized Trans-1,4-Polyisoprene. N. Vasanthan. Polymer Journal, 1994, 26, 1291.

5. NMR Observation of Isolated and Stretched Polymer Chain in Their Crystalline Inclusion Compound Formed with Small molecule Host Clathrates. N. Vasanthan, D. Shin and A. E. Tonelli. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry, 1994, 32, S61.

6. Conformational and Motional Characterization of Isolated Poly(-caprolactone) Chains in Their Inclusion Compounds. N. Vasanthan, D. Shin and A. E. Tonelli. Macromolecules, 1994, 27, 6515.

7. FTIR and NMR Observations of Inclusion Compounds. N. Vasanthan, C. Howe and A. E. Tonelli. PMSE Preprint, 1994, 71, 267.

8. The Inclusion Compound Formed Between Poly(-caprolactone)-Polybutadiene Diblock Copolymer and urea. N. Vasanthan, D. Shin and A. E. Tonelli. Macromolecules, 1994, 27, 7220.

9. Inclusion Compound Formed Between Poly(L-lactic acid) and Urea. N. Vasanthan, D. Shin and A. E. Tonelli. Macromolecules,1994, 27, 7443.

10. Fourier Transform IR and NMR Observation of Crystalline Polymer Inclusion Compounds. N. Vasanthan and A. E. Tonelli. Multidimensional Spectroscopy of Polymers, M. W. Urban and T. Provder, Ed, ACS Symposium Series, 1995, Volume 598, 517-534.

11. Structure, Conformation and Motion of Poly(tetrahydrofuran)(PTHF) in the Hexagonal PTHF-Urea Inclusion Compound. N. Vasanthan, D. Shin and A. E. Tonelli. J. Polym .Sci, Poly Phys, 1995, 33,1385.

12. Spectroscopic Investigation of the Structure and Motion of Poly(-caprolactone)-Polybutadiene Diblock Copolymer-Urea Inclusion Compounds. N. Vasanthan and A. E. Tonelli. Polymer Preprint, 1995, 72, 354.

13. FTIR Investigation of Inclusion Compound Formed Between Trans-1, 4-Polyisoprene and Urea. N. Vasanthan, D. Shin and A. E. Tonelli. Polymer, 1995, 36, 4887.

14. The Effect of Cross Link Length and Flexibility on the Elastic Properties of Polybutadiene Network. N. Amudiene, P. Eaton, L. Huang, N. Vasanthan and A. E. Tonelli. Computational Polym. Sci, 1995, 5, 165.

15. Structure, Conformation and Motion of Poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO) in the Trigonal PEO-Urea Inclusion Compound. N. Vasanthan, D. Shin and A. E. Tonelli. Macromolecules, 1996, 29, 263.

16. The Inclusion Compound Formed Between Poly(propylene) and Urea. P. Eaton, N. Vasanthan, D. Shin and A. E. Tonelli. Macromolecules, 1996, 29, 2531.

17. The Effect of Cross Link Length and Flexibility on the Elastic Properties of Polybutadiene Network. N. Amudiene, P. Eaton, L. Huang, N. Vasanthan and A. E. Tonelli. PMSE Preprint, 1996, 74, 222.

18. Oxygen barrier of nylon 6. Y. P. Khanna, E. D. Day, M. L. Tsai, R. G. Bray, N. Vasanthan and G. Vaiydianathan. Proceedings of Future Pak 96, 1996.

19. Polymer-Polymer Composites Fabricated by the In Situ Release and Coalescence of Polymer Chains from Their Inclusion Compounds with Urea into a Carrier Polymer Phase. L. Huang , N. Vasanthan and A. E. Tonelli. Polymer Preprint, 1997, 76, 882.

20. NMR Relaxation Observations of the Constrained Segmental Motions of Block Copolymers in the Narrow Channels of Their Inclusion Compound Crystals Formed with Urea. I. D. Shin, N. Vasanthan, S. Nojima, and A. E. Tonelli. PMSE Preprint, 1997, 76, 449.

21. Polymer-Polymer Composites Fabricated by the In Situ Release and Coalescence of Polymer Chains from Their Inclusion Compounds with Urea into a Carrier Polymer Phase. L. Huang , N. Vasanthan and A. E. Tonelli. J. Appl Polym Sci, 1997, 64, 281.

22. Formation, Characterization and Segmental Motions of Block Copolymers in Their Urea Inclusion Compound Crystals. N. Vasanthan, D. Shin, L. Huang, S. Nojima and A. E. Tonelli. Macromolecules, 1997, 30, 3014.

23. Investigation of Brill Transition of Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 by Infrared Spectroscopy N. Vasanthan, S. Murthy and R. Bray, Macromolecules, 1998, 31, 8433.

24. Structural and Conformational Characterization of Poly(ethylene naphthalate) by Infrared Spectroscopy. N. Vasanthan and D. R. Salem, Macromolecules, 1999, 32, 6319.

25. Infrared Spectroscopic Characterization of Poly(ethylene naphthalate). N. Vasanthan and D. R. Salem. Polymer Preprint, 1999, 81, 311.

26. Infrared Spectroscopic Characterization of Oriented Polyamide 66: Band Assignment and Crystallinity Measurement. N.Vasanthan and D. R. Salem. J. Polym. Sci, Polym Phy, 2000, 38, 502.

27. Molecular Characterization of Polyamide Fibers. N. Vasanthan and D. R. Salem. PMSE Preprint, 2000, 83, 487.

28. FTIR Spectroscopic Characterization of Structural Changes in Polyamide 6 Fibers During Annealing and Drawing. . N.Vasanthan and D. R. Salem. J. Polym. Sci, Polym Phy, 2001, 39, 536.

29. Effects of Heat Setting and Drawing on Structure and Morphology of Polyamide 66 Fibers. N.Vasanthan and D. R. Salem. Material Innovations, 2001, 4, 155.

30. Spectroscopic Methods: Infrared, Raman and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance." D. R. Salem and N. Vasanthan. Structure Formation in Polymeric Fibers, D.R. Salem Ed., Hanser Publishers: Munich (2001).

31. FTIR Investigation of the Ambient Dependent Photo damage in Hair. K. R. Ramaprasad, N. Vasanthan, and Y. Kamath. Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001, 52, 334.

32. Structure Development of Polyamide 66 fibers by X-ray Diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy. .N.Vasanthan and D. R. Salem. J. Polym. Sci, Polym Phy, 2002, 40, 1940.

33. Orientation and Structure Development in Polyamide 6 Fibers Upon Drawing .N.Vasanthan. J. Polym. Sci, Polym Phy, 2003, 41, 2870.

34. Effect of Polymer Microstructure on Dye Diffusion in Polyamide 66 Fibers N.Vasanthan and Huang, X. X. J. Appl Polym. Sci, , 2003, 89, 3803.

35. Orientation Induced Memory Effect in Polyamides and the Relationship to Hydrogen Bonding. N.Vasanthan. J. Appl. Polym. Sci, 2003, 90, 772.

36. Effect of Heat Setting Temperatures on Tensile Mechanical Properties of Polyamide Fibers N. Vasanthan. Textile Research Journal, 2004, 74, 545.

37. Lewis Acid-Base Complexation of Polyamide 66 to Control Hydrogen Bonding, Extensibility and Crystallinity. N.Vasanthan, R. Kotek, D. W. Jung, D. Shin, A. E. Tonelli and D. R. Salem. Polymer, 2004, 45, 4077.

38. Novel Methods for Obtaining High Modulus Aliphatic Polyamide Fibers. Kotek, R.; Jung, DongWook; Vasanthan, N.; Tonelli, A. E. Journal of Macromolecular Science, Part C, 2005, 45, 201.

39. Determination of Molecular Orientation of Uniaxially Stretched Polyamide Fibers by Polarized Infrared Spectroscopy: Comparison of X-ray Diffraction and Birefringence Methods. N. Vasanthan, Applied Spectroscopy, 2005, 29, 897.

40. Title of Invention: “High Modulus Polyamide 66 Fibers through Lewis Acid Base Complexation to Control Hydrogen Bonding and Enhance Drawing Behavior” Patent application filed 2005.

41. Structure Development of Poly (L-lactic acid) Fibers Processed at various Spinning Conditions. S. Ghosh and N.Vasanthan. J. Appl Polym. Sci, , 2006, 101, 1210.

42. Effect of the Microstructure on the Dye Diffusion and Mechanical Properties of Polyamide 6 Fibers. N.Vasanthan. J. Polym. Sci, Polym Phy, 2007, 45, 349.

43. Crystallization Studies of Poly (trimethylene terephthalate) Using Thermal Analysis and Far Infrared spectroscopy. N.Vasanthan and M. Yamen. J. Polym. Sci, Polym Phy, 2007, 45, 349.

44. Properties of Films and Fibers Obtained from Lewis Acid-Base Complexed Nylon 6,6. M. Afshari, A. Gupta, D. Jung, R. Kotek, A. E. Tonelli, and N. Vasanthan. Polymer, 2008, 49,1297.

45. Formation and Characterization of Thiourea Encapsulated Polyethylene Oxide. A.Campo, J. Fretti and N. Vasanthan. Polymer, 2008, 49,374.

46. Structural and Conformational Changes During Thermally Induced Crystallization of Poly (trimethylene terephthalate) by Infrared Spectroscopy. M. Yamen, S. Ozkaya and N. Vasanthan. J. Polym. Sci, Polym Phy, 2008, 46, 1497.

47. Effect of Microstructure on Hydrolytic Degradation of Poly (L-lactic acid) by FTIR Spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. N. Vasanthan and Oanh Ly. Polymer Degradation and Stability. 2009, 94, 1364.

48. Multiple Thermosetting of Partially Crystalline Polymers I: Polyamide 66 and Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Fibers. D. R. Salem and N. Vasanthan. Polymer, 2009, 50, 1790.

49. Structure Formation and Characterization of Polyamide Fibers, an Invited Chapter, in Press. M. Jaffe Ed, Woodhead Publishing: London (2009).

50. A study of Antimicrobial Propert of Textile Fabric Treated with Modified Dendrimers. S. Ghosh*, S. Yadeev, N. Vasanthan and G. Sekosan. J. Appl Polym. Sci, 2010, 115, 716.

51. Morphological Changes of Annealed Poly (ε-Caprolacton) Film with Lipase. G. Sekosan and N. Vasanthan. J. Polym. Sci, Polym Phy, 2010, 48, 202.

52. Morphological and Conformational Changes of Poly (trimethylene terephthalate) during Isothermal Melt Crystallization. N. Vasanthan, S. Ozkaya and M. Yaman. J. Phys. Chem B, 2010, 41, 13069.

53. Impact of Nanoclay on Cold Crystallization Kinetics and Polymorphism of Poly (L-lactic acid) Nanocomposites N. Vasanthan , H. Ly and S. Ghosh. J. Phys. Chem B, 2011, 115, 9556.

54. Unexpected Results from the Comparison of Solid-State Conformations and C-13 NMR Spectra of Poly (trimethylene terephthalate) and Its Model Compounds. N. Vasanthan, J. L. White, G. Gyanwali, I. D. Shin, J. Majikes, M. A. Pasquinelli and A. E. Tonelli. Macromolecules, 2011, 44, 7050.

55. Crystallinity Determination of Nylon 66 by Density Measurement and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. N. Vasanthan. J. Chem Edu, 2012, 89, 387.

56. Surface Modification of Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) Dendrimer as Antimicrobial Agents S. Charles, N. Vasanthan, Dong Kwon, G.Sekosan and S. Ghosh. Tetrahedron Lett, 2012, 53, 6670.

57. Study of Strain-Induced Crystallization and Enzymatic Degradation of Drawn Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) Films. D. Rangari and N. Vasanthan. Macromolecules, 2012, 45, 7397.

58. Effect of Crystallinity on Enzymatic Degradation of Solvent Cast Poly (L-lactic acid) Film. N. Vasanthan* and H. Gezer. J. Appl. Polym Sci, 2013, 127, 4395.

59. Strain-Induced Crystallization and Conformational Transition of Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) Films during Uniaxial Deformation Probed by Polarized Infrared Spectroscopy. N. Vasanthan and J. Manne. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2013, 52, 12596.

60. Effect of Molecular Orientation on the Cold Crystallization of Amorphous Crystallizable Polymers: The case of Poly(trimethylene terephthalate). N. Vasanthan, J. N. Mann, A. Krishnama. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry research. 2013, 52, 17920.

61. Crystallization, Crystal Structure, and Isothermal Melt Crystallization Kinetics of Novel Polyamide 6/ SiO2 Nanocomposites Prepared by Sol-Gel Technique. F. Rafique, N. Vasanthan. J. Phys. Chem B, 2014, 118, 9486.

62. Control-release of antimicrobial sophorolipid employing different biopolymer matrices. Solaiman, D.K.Y., Ashby, R.D., Zerkowski, J.A., Krishnama, A., Vasanthan, N. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 2015, 4, 342.

63. Formation of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) inclusion compound with urea and unusual crystallization behavior of coalesced PHB. P. Ravindran and N. Vasanthan. Macromolecules, 2015, 48, 3080.

64. Effect of hydrophilicity of clay on cold crystallization of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) nanocomposites. A. Krishnama, N. Vasanthan, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2015, 54, 8183.

65. Effect of clay on melt crystallization, crystallization kinetics and spherulitic morphology of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) nanocomposites. Thermochimica Acta, 2015, 617, 152.

66. Infrared and Raman Spectroscopic Characterization of Oriented Semicrystalline Polymer Films and Fibers. N. Vasanthan, Applied Spectroscopy, 2016, 11, 27.

67. Surface Modification and Antimicrobial Properties of Cellulose Nanocrystals. Y. Bespalova, N. Vasanthan. J. Appl Polym. Sci, 2017, 134, 44789.

68. Crystallization and alkaline hydrolysis of poly(3- hydroxybutyrate)films probed by thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy. A. Tapadiya, N. Vasanthan. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2017, 102, 1130.

69. Crystallization Studies of Poly (trimethylene terephthalate)/Silica Nanocomposites Prepared by Sol-Gel Technique. A. Bodempudi and N. Vasanthan. ACS Omega, 2018, 3, 17804.