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School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

Kendra A. Erk
Associate Professor
Materials Engineering
Purdue University

Contact Prof. Erk, CV

The overall goal of the Soft Material Mechanics research group is to develop a better understanding of important structure-property relationships in a wide range of soft materials and complex fluids, from hydrogels and cement to surfactant-stabilized emulsions and agricultural biomass.

Characterizing the deformation and flow behavior (the rheology) of the materials by advanced measurement techniques is of primary interest, with an emphasis on understanding molecular-level phenomena.

Our work is motivated by fundamental knowledge gaps in the structure, properties, and performance of soft materials utilized in health care, personal care, energy and advanced material applications.

Link to recent group overview poster