Christopher Evans
(he/him/his)
Associate Professor
Primary Affiliation
Artificial Intelligence for MaterialsAffiliations
Status Part-time Faculty
Home Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Phone 300-9949
Email cme365@illinois.edu
Address 3261 Beckman Institute, 405 North Mathews Avenue
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Biography
Christopher Evans is an associate professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. His primary affiliation is Artificial Intelligence for Materials.
Education
B.S., chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2008
Ph.D., Northwestern University, 2013
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Honors
2022: ACS PMSE Young Investigator Award
2020: 3M Non-tenured Faculty Award
2018: NSF CAREER Award
2017: American Chemical Society: Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator
2012: AkzoNobel Award Winner
2010: 3M Fellowship
2010: Ryan Fellowship
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Research
Research Interests
Polymer physics
Diffusion
Energy materials
Nanoscale
Interfacial physics
Research Areas
Polymers
The Evans group is interested in probing the physics of polymer networks with the incorporation of dynamic covalent bonds and added salts. We are pursuing a fundamental understanding of polymer properties such as energy dissipation, self-healing, crystallization, and transport of small molecules through the network. The group combines molecular design of precise polymers with advanced characterization approaches to determine structure-property relationships in dynamic, ionic networks. Application of networks in the group include supercapacitors, actuators, membranes, batteries, and shockwave dissipating polymers which are informed by our fundamental investigations.
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2019
- C. Shen, Q. Zhao, C. M. Evans "Ion Specific, Odd-Even Glass Transition Temperatures and Conductivities in Precise Network Polymerized Ionic Liquids" Molecular Systems Design and Engineering 2019, 4, 332-341.(Invited article)
- C. Shen, Q. Zhao, C. M. Evans "Precise Network Polymerized Ionic Liquids for Low-Voltage, Dopant-free Soft Actuators" Advanced Materials Technologies 2019, 4, 1800535.
2018
- G. E. Sanoja, N. S. Schauser, J. M. Bartels, C. M. Evans, M. E. Helgeson, R. Seshadri, R. A. Segalman "Ion Transport in Dynamic Polymer Networks Based on Metal–Ligand Coordination: Effect of Cross-Linker Concentration" Macromolecules 2018, 51, 2017-2026.
2017
- J. Bartels, G. E. Sanoja, C. M Evans, R. A. Segalman, M. Helgeson "Decoupling Mechanical and Conductive Dynamics of Polymeric Ionic Liquids via a Trivalent Anion Additive" Macromolecules 2017, 50, 8979-8987.
2016
- C. M. Evans, C. R. Bridges, G. E. Sanoja, J. Bartels, R. A. Segalman "Role of Tethered Ion Placement on Polymerized Ionic Liquid Structure and Conductivity: Pendant vs Backbone Charge Placement" ACS Macro Letters 2016, 5, 925-930.
- C. M. Evans, G. E. Sanoja, B. C. Popere, R. A. Segalman "Anhydrous Proton Transport in Polymerized Ionic Liquid Block Copolymers: Roles of Block Length, Ionic Content, and Confinement" Macromolecules 2016, 49, 395-404.
- C.-K. Mai, J. Liu, C. M. Evans, R. A. Segalman, M. L. Chabinyc, D. G. Cahill, G. C. Bazan "Anisotropic Thermal Transport in Thermoelectric Composites of Conjugated Polyelectrolyte/Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes" Macromolecules 2016, 49, 4957-4963.
- G. E. Sanoja, B. C. Popere, B. S. Beckingham, C. M. Evans, N. A. Lynd, R. A. Segalman"Structure–Conductivity Relationships of Block Copolymer Membranes Based on Hydrated Protic Polymerized Ionic Liquids: Effect of Domain Spacing" Macromolecules 2016, 49, 2216-2223.
- W. B. Chang, C. M. Evans, B. C. Popere, B. M. Russ, J. Liu, J. Newman, R. A. Segalman "Harvesting Waste Heat in Unipolar Ion Conducting Polymers" ACS Macro Letters 2016, 5, 94-98.
- W. B. Chang, H. Fang, J. Liu, C. M. Evans, B. Russ, B. C. Popere, S. N. Patel, M. L. Chabinyc, R. A. Segalman "Electrochemical Effects in Thermoelectric Polymers" ACS Macro Letters 2016, 5, 455-459.
2015
- C. M. Evans, M. R. Singh, N. A. Lynd, R. A. Segalman "Improving the Gas Barrier Properties of Nafion via Thermal Annealing: Evidence for Diffusion through Hydrophilic Channels and Matrix" Macromolecules 2015, 48, 3303-3309.
- C. M. Evans, S. Kim, C. B. Roth, R. D. Priestley, L. J. Broadbelt, J. M. Torkelson "Role of neighboring domains in determining the magnitude and direction of T g-confinement effects in binary, immiscible polymer systems" Polymer 2015, 80, 180-187.
- E. S. Cho, C. M. Evans, E. C. Davidson, M. L. Hoarfrost, M. A. Modestino, R. A. Segalman, J. J. Urban "Enhanced water vapor blocking in transparent hybrid polymer–nanocrystal films" ACS Macro Letters 2015, 4, 70-74.
- S. Askar, C. M. Evans, J. M. Torkelson "Residual stress relaxation and stiffness in spin-coated polymer films: Characterization by ellipsometry and fluorescence" Polymer 2015, 76, 113-122.
2014
- M. A. Modestino, K. A. Walczak, A. Berger, C. M. Evans, S. Haussener, C. Koval, J. S. Newman, J. W. Ager, R. A. Segalman "Robust production of purified H 2 in a stable, self-regulating, and continuously operating solar fuel generator" Energy and Environmental Science 2014, 7, 297-301.
2013
- C. M. Evans, H. Deng, W. F. Jager, J. M. Torkelson "Fragility is a key parameter in determining the magnitude of T g-confinement effects in polymer films" Macromolecules 2013, 46, 6091-6103.
- C. M. Evans, K. J. Henderson, J. D. Saathoff, K. R. Shull, J. M. Torkelson "Simultaneous determination of critical micelle temperature and micelle core glass transition temperature of block copolymer–solvent systems via pyrene-label fluorescence" Macromolecules 2013, 46, 4131-4140.
2012
- C. M. Evans, J. M. Torkelson "Determining multiple component glass transition temperatures in miscible polymer blends: Comparison of fluorescence spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry" Polymer 2012, 53, 6118-6124.
- C. M. Evans, J. M. Torkelson "Major Roles of Blend Partner Fragility and Dye Placement on Component Glass Transition Temperatures: Fluorescence Study of Near-Infinitely Dilute Species in Binary Blends" Macromolecules 2012, 45, 8319-8327.
- C. M. Evans, S. Narayanan, Z. Jiang, J. M. Torkelson "Modulus, confinement, and temperature effects on surface capillary wave dynamics in bilayer polymer films near the glass transition" Physical Review Letters 2012, 109, 038302.
2011
- C. M. Evans, R. W. Sandoval, J. M. Torkelson "Glass transition temperature of a component near infinite dilution in binary polymer blends: determination via fluorescence spectroscopy" Macromolecules 2011, 44, 6645-6648.
2009
- A. J. Meuler, C. J. Ellison, J. Qin, C. M. Evans, M. A. Hillmyer, F. S. Bates "Polydispersity effects in poly(isoprene-b-styrene-b-ethylene oxide) triblock terpolymers" Journal of Chemical Physics 2009, 130, 234903.
- C. J. Ellison, A. J. Meuler, J. Qin, C. M. Evans, L. M. Wolf and F. S. Bates "Bicontinuous Polymeric Microemulsions from Polydisperse Diblock Copolymers" Journal of Physical Chemistry 2009, 113, 3726-3737.
2007
- A. J. Meuler, C. J. Ellison, C. M. Evans, M. A. Hillmyer, F. S. Bates "Polydispersity-Driven Transition from the Orthorhombic Fddd Network to Lamellae in Poly (isoprene-b-styrene-b-ethylene oxide) Triblock Terpolymers" Macromolecules 2007, 40, 7072-7074.