Julia Oktawiec

My lab is interested in using peptides to chelate metal ions and control material growth. Peptides are chains of amino acids that are shorter versions of proteins and can be chemically synthesized, making them easier to use. We are interested in using these peptides to control the formation of materials and to bind metal ions of great importance to energy technologies (like the lanthanides that are used in strong magnets in electric motors). Generally, we want to improve the separation of energy-relevant gases and critical minerals. We also have a related project involving the synthesis of biomimetic polymers as scaffolds for medicine.