CV

Alexander V. Goponenko

8593 Reymont St
Orlando, FL 32827

agoponenko@gmail.com
(402) 314-3649

 

Education

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Karpov Institute of Physical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia, December 2000.

M.S., Chemistry/Materials Science, Department of Materials Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, January 1997.

B.S., Materials Science, Department of Materials Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, September 1995.

 

Experience

Research Assistant Professor. Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE (2007-2016)

  • Maintained and supervised Biomechanics, Biomaterials and Biomedicine (BM3) Instrumentation Facility of College of Engineering.
    • Performed accounting, billing; developed budget; generated status reports.
    • Updated, redesigned, and maintained web-site and web-calendar server.
    • Maintained and troubleshot all facility equipment, interacted with companies’ service departments and field specialists.
    • Trained and supervised staff.
    • Developed operating procedures and supervised their development by others.
    • Trained and certified users.
    • Consulted users on capability of facility equipment.
  • Developed and supervised nanofabrication and nanocharacterization facility.
    • Designed and supervised remodeling of a lecture room into lab space.
    • Moved equipment into new space: DSC, DMA, TGA, acoustic microscope, AFM, and others.
    • Led interaction with company representatives and other activities during site survey, installation, and maintenance of FEI Quanta 200 FEG SEM.
    • Participated in selection, acquisition, and/or activation of new equipment: high-temperature vacuum furnace with CVD capabilities, mechanical testing system NanoUTM, DMA, Raman microscope, high-rate electrospinning instrumentation, and others.
    • Maintained, repaired, and troubleshot TGA, DMA, SEM, optical microscopes, micro/nanomanipulators, NanoUTM, furnaces and ovens, vacuum equipment, and others.
  • Produced, characterized and developed electrospun materials, organic/inorganic hybrid nanostructured materials, 1D nanogels, nanocomposites (DWCNT, graphene oxide, etc.), and other nanomaterials.
    • Designed, acquired, assembled, and operated closed-environment apparatus for treatment of materials with reactive gaseous mixture to produce organic/inorganic hybrid nanostructured materials.
    • In collaboration with Environmental Health and Safety developed and implemented safety procedure for use of toxic and explosive gaseous mixture.
    • Investigated use of nanofibrous materials for oil spills clean-up.
    • Developed electrospinning techniques and post-processing techniques (thermal, oxidative, etc.) for electrospun materials.
    • Developed protocols for nanomechanical testing of single nanofibers and 1D nanogels.
    • Methods/equipment used: SEM, ESEM, AFM, XRD, DSC, TGA, NanoUTM, Raman microscopy, optical microscopy, FTIR, micromanipulators, vacuum and atmosphere furnaces, gas flow regulators.
  • Studied cell microinjection and micromanipulation, ESEM imaging and in-situ testing of cells.
    • In collaboration with Department of Biochemistry developed low-residue buffer for ESEM imaging of cells.
    • Developed and successfully employed protocols for ESEM imaging of plant cells, yeast cells, and mouse spermatozoa. Developed and performed ESEM in-situ puncturing of plant and yeast cells.
    • Developed and performed microinjection of mouse spermatozoa. Produced various types of glass micropipettes, and metal nanoprobes.
    • Methods/equipment used: SEM, ESEM, optical microscopy (brightfield, epi-fluorescent, confocal), FTIR, micromanipulators, microinjectors.

Research Associate. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE (2006-2007)

  • Studied block copolymer micelles and polymer complexes, and their application as drug delivery systems.
  • Prepared drug delivery nanoparticles, characterized them and investigated drug release profiles.
  • Methods/equipment used: SEM, FTIR, UV/Vis, particle size analyzers, HPLC, UPLC.

Research Associate. Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (2001-2005)

  • Studied experimentally and theoretically sensor applications of hybrid photonic crystal/hydrogel materials.
  • Produced and characterized stimuli-responsive photonic crystals by polymerization of hydrogel around self-assembled monodisperse nanoparticles.
  • Studied response amplitude, response rate, sensitivity and selectivity. Measured characteristics required for theoretical modeling.
  • Developed qualitative predictive models of stimuli-responsive gels. Implemented calculation of kinetics for volume change of gels of different shapes, diffusion of analyte into gel, concurrent reversible reactions in the gel.
  • Methods/equipment used: UV/Vis, FTIR, particle size and zeta potential analyzers, NMR.

Research Scientist. Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (1996-2001), Karpov Institute of Physical Chemistry (1997-2001), Institute of Synthetic Polymeric Materials, Russian Academy of Science (1999-2001), Moscow, Russia

  • Developed gel-spinning technology for manufacturing of polyacrylonitrile fibers with improved mechanical characteristics. Studied dependence of mechanical properties of fibers on structure formed on various stages of fiber preparation.
  • Characterized phase transitions in polymer systems, structure and morphology of polymer materials. Determined phase diagrams, established influence of phase separation conditions on morphology of thermoreversible gels.
  • Studied structure and properties of polymer-liquid crystal micro-composites.
  • Maintained WAXD, SAXS, DSC, optical microscopes.
  • Methods/equipment used: SEM, IR/UV/Vis spectrometers, WAXD, SAXS, and others.

 

Summary of Qualifications

  • Over 15 years of research experience in high-profile research of nanomaterials, drug-delivery systems, photonic crystals, high-strength polymer materials, soft materials including gels and hydrogels, sensing applications, thermodynamics of polymers, morphology, structure, mechanical properties, structure-properties relationships.
  • Extensive hands-on experience with WAXD and SAXS equipment; Raman, IR, VIS and UV spectrometers; DSC, TGA, DMA, and DTA; AFM, SEM, TEM, and optical microscopy equipment. Experience with instruments and systems for mechanical characterization of materials and nanoparticle size distribution equipment.
  • Extensive experience in maintenance of instrumentation for SEM, WAXD, mechanical testing, IR/VIS/UV spectrometers, DSC/TGA/DMA, vacuum/atmosphere furnaces, optical microscopes, nanoindentation, 3D imaging systems.
  • Expert computer skills: C/C++, Matlab, Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, VBA, AutoCAD, Web-design, etc.

 

Grants, Awards

  • Equipment grant: UNL CoE – Precision Electrospinning System, PI: Y. Dzenis, $25K, 2013-2014; Role: senior personnel (proposal preparation, and selection, installation, and activation of precision electrospinning system E-Spin Nanotech Super-ES-2)
  • Research grant: AFOSR Low Density Materials – Advanced Single-Polymer Nanofiber-Reinforced Composite: Towards Next Generation Ultralight Superstrong/Tough Structural Material, PI: Y. Dzenis, $893K, 2011-2014; Role: senior personnel (proposal preparation, collaborative research, and publication preparation)
  • Equipment grant: AFOSR DURIP – Advanced Raman Analysis System, PI: Y. Dzenis, $450K, 2012-2013; Role: senior personnel (proposal preparation, selection, installation, and activation of Labram HR Evolution Raman Microscope System by Horiba Scientific, vibration isolation table by Newport and DMA1 System by Mettler-Toledo)
  • Equipment grant: NSF MRI RAPID – Acquisition of High-Rate Nanomanufacturing System for Accelerated Development of Novel Materials and Processes for Oil Spill Remediation, PI: Y. Dzenis, $149K, 2011-2012; Role: senior personnel (proposal preparation, selection, installation, and activation of the high-throughput electrospinning system Elmarco Nanospider Lab 500 and modular CVD system by MTI)
  • Structure-Property Relationships in Supertough Nanofilamentary Structural Materials, Hard X-ray Nanoprobe facility at Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory, 2009; Role: PI
  • Promising Young Scientist Award, Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Russia, 2001; Role: recipient

 

Publications

  1. Tough Carbon Fibers: Is Poor Graphitic Structure Beneficial at a Small Scale? (in preparation)
  2. Andalib, M.N., Goponenko, A.V., Harris, F., Cheng S.Z.D., Dzenis, Y.A. Ultratough Strong Contnuous Nanofibers from Organosoluble Polyimides, (in preparation)
  3. Li, Z., Goponenko, A.V., Li, X., Dzenis, Y.A. Room Temperature Growth of Inorganic Nanowires on Continuous Organic Nanofibers: An Inexpensive Route to Hierarchical 1D Heteronanostructures, submitted
  4. Goponenko, A.V., Dzenis, Y.A. Role of Mechanical Factors in Applications of Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Gels – Status and Prospects. invited feature article, Polymer, 2016, 101, 415-449
  5. Jahan, K.I., Goponenko, A.V., Dzenis, Y.A. Electrospun Nanofibrous Materials as Stimuli‐Responsive Polymerized Hydrogels, Macromolecular Symposia, 2016, 365, 118-127
  6. Papkov, D., Maleckis, K., Zou, Y., Andalib, M., Goponenko, A.V., Dzenis, Y. Nano to Macro: Mechanical Evaluation of Macroscopically Long Individual Nanofibers. In: Prorok, B.C. and Starman, L. (eds.) MEMS and Nanotechnology. pp. 35–43. Springer International Publishing (2016)
  7. Papkov, D., Goponenko, A.V., Compton, O.C., An, Z., Moravsky, A., Nguyen, S.N., Dzenis, Y.A. Improved Graphitic Structure of Continuous Carbon Nanofibers via Graphene Oxide Templating. Funct. Mater., 2013, 23, 5763-5770
  8. Papkov, D., Zou, Y., Andalib, M.N., Goponenko, A.V., Cheng S.Z., Dzenis, Y.A. Dramatic Simultaneous Improvements in Strength, Modulus, and Toughness in Ultrafine Polymer Nanofibers. ACS nano 2013, 7 (4), 3324-3331
  9. Papkov, D., Beese, A., Goponenko, A.V., Zou, Y., Naraghi, M., Espinosa, H., Saha, B., Schatz, G., Moravsky, A., Loutfy, R., Nguyen, S., Dzenis, Y. Extraordinary Improvement of Graphitic Structure of Continuous Carbon Nanofibers Templated with Double Wall Carbon Nanotubes. ACS nano 2013, 7 (1), 126-142
  10. Li, X., Goponenko, A.V., Dzenis, Y.A., Li, Z., Wang, C. Structural Characterization of Cu2S Nanowires on Polyacrylonitrile Nanofibers by TEM. Microscopy and Microanalysis, 2012, 18 (Suppl. 2), 1470-1471. doi:10.1017/S1431927612009208
  11. Goponenko, AV., Hou, H., Dzenis, Y.A. Avoiding fusion of electrospun 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride-4,4′-oxydianiline copolymer nanofibers during conversion to polyimide. Polymer, 2011, 52(17), 3776-3782
  12. Goponenko, A.V., Boyle, B.J., Jahan, K.I., Gerashchenko, M.V., Fomenko, D.E., Gladyshev, V.N., Dzenis, Y.A. Use of environmental scanning electron microscopy for in situ observation of interaction of cells with micro- and nanoprobes. Micro & Nano Letters, IET, 2011, 6(8): 603-608
  13. Wu, X.F., Kostogorova-Beller, Y.Y., Goponenko, A.V., Hou, H., Dzenis, Y.A. Rippling of polymer nanofibers. Physical Review E., 2008, 78, 061804
  14. Xu, X., Goponenko, A.V., Asher, S.A. Polymerized PolyHEMA photonic crystals: pH and ethanol sensor materials. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2008, 130(10), 3113-3119
  15. Goponenko, A.V., Asher, S.A. Modeling of Stimulated Hydrogel Volume Changes in Photonic Crystal Pb2+ Sensing Materials. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2005, 127(30), 10753-10759.
  16. Geary, G.D., Zudans, I., Goponenko, A.V., Asher, S.A., Weber, S.G. Electrochemical Investigation of Pb2+ Binding and Transport through a Polymerized Crystalline Colloidal Array Hydrogel Containing Benzo-18-Crown-6. Analytical Chemistry, 2005. 77(1): 185-192.
  17. Alexeev, V.L., Sharma, A.C., Goponenko, A.V., Das, S., Lednev, I.K., Wilcox, C.S., Finegold, D.N., Asher, S.A. High ionic strength glucose-sensing photonic crystal. Analytical Chemistry, 2003. 75(10): 2316-2323.
  18. Asher, S.A., Sharma, A.C., Goponenko, A.V., Ward, M.M. Photonic Crystal Aqueous Metal Cation Sensing Materials. Analytical Chemistry, 2003. 75(7): 1676-1683.
  19. Asher, S.A., Alexeev, V.L., Goponenko, A.V., Sharma, A.C., Lednev, I.K., Wilcox, C.S., Finegold, D.N. Photonic crystal carbohydrate sensors: Low ionic strength sugar sensing. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2003. 125(11): 3322-3329.
  20. Gerasimov, V.I., Goponenko, A.V., Mashchenko, V.I., Ivanov, M.V., Schaumburg, K. Interaction of a polymer gel with a precipitating agent. Polymer Science B., 2003. 45(3-4): 59-61
  21. Gerasimov, V.I., Chvalun S.N., Chalih, A.E., Gerasimov, V.K., Kazarin, L.A., Goponenko, A.V., Mashchenko, V.I. Use of polyacrylonitrile gels for preparation of highly strengthened and highly oriented fibers. Russian Polymer News, 2003, 8(1): 27-34
  22. Mashchenko, V.I., Udra, S.A., Goponenko, A.V., Kazarin, L.A., Gerasimov, V.I. Interfacial interactions at the liquid crystal-polyacrylonitrile interface. Fiziko-Khimiya Polimerov, 2002. 8: 23-27 (in Russian).
  23. Mashchenko, V.I., Udra, S.A., Goponenko, A.V., Kazarin, L.A., Gerasimov, V.I. Interfacial interactions at the low-molecular-weight liquid crystal-poly(acrylonitrile) boundary. Polymer Science B., 2002, 44(11-12): 305
  24. Gerasimov, V.I., Chvalun, S.N., Kazarin, L.A., Goponenko A.V., Mashchenko, V.I., Filyakin, A.M. Thermoreversible Gels as Precursors of Polyacrylonitrile Fibres. Fibre Chemistry, 2001, 33(3): 183-188.
  25. Mashchenko, V.I., Goponenko, A.V., Udra, C.A., Filyakin, A.M., Kazarin, L.A., Grochovskaya, T.E., Gerasimov, V.I. Phase transitions of n-hexyloxybenzoic acid in matrix based on polyacrylonitrile. Physical Chemistry of Polymers, Tver State University, Tver, 2001. 7: 31-36 (in Russian).
  26. Mashchenko, V.I., Goponenko, A.V., Udra, C.A., Filyakin, A.M., Gerasimov, V.I. Use of polyacrylonitrile as promising material for matrix of liquid crystal composite. Proceedings of SPIE, 2001, 4511: 127-132.
  27. Gerasimov, V.I., Kazarin, L.A., Goponenko, A.V., Efimov, A.V., Lukhovitskii, V.I., Polikarpov, V.V. Morphology and properties of gels and xerogels based on the high-molecular weight polyacrylonitrile-propylene carbonate system. Polymer Science A, 1999. 41(4): 427
  28. Mashchenko, V.I., Burova, M.V., Goponenko, A.V., Gerasimov, V.I. Structure and Properties of LC-composites based on polyacrylonitrile. Physical Chemistry of Polymers, Tver State University, Tver, 1999, 5: 31-36 (in Russian).
  29. Gerasimov, V.I., Kazarin, L.A., Goponenko, A.V., Mironova, A.A., Lukhovitskii, V.I., Polikarpov, V.V. Kinetics of gel formation in the polyacrylonitrile-propylene carbonate system. Polymer Science A., 1998, 40(2): 184-188

 

  • Over 25 conference posters and presentations