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Material Solutions
Gary Wnek's curiosity sends him in wide-ranging directions
Photo by Matt ShifflerGary Wnek stretches a versatile material his research team is developing made of multilayered rubbery polymers.Gary Wnek is always thinking about developing materials to address problems—from enhancing fire-retardant coatings to protecting older people from the devastating consequences of falls.
His broad interests stem from a desire to tackle research areas early.
"I'm not a bandwagon person," said Wnek, PhD, who chairs the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering at Case Western Reserve University and is the Joseph F. Toot Jr. Professor of Engineering. When he sees too many people in a field, he turns to a new direction. "First is the best," he said, "but you can't always be first."
The approach has led to 38 patents and nearly 215 studies that he has authored or co-authored. In December, the National Academy of Inventors honored him as a fellow for his patented contributions.
Wnek also cultivates a problem-solving mindset in introductory and upper-level courses. Instead of a final exam, for example, students identify unmet needs that can be addressed with new materials and present a three-minute pitch on their solutions.
"It's a life skill to think about a need," he said, "to evaluate how well it is being met and propose a solution."
Wnek recently discussed some current projects with Think.
FLAME-RETARDANT COATINGS
Wnek sees a huge need for flame-retardants that better protect everything from steel to plastics.
Fire-suppressing chemicals that could be used during production are increasingly under scrutiny because of potential environmental harm.
As a result, Wnek's research team is developing a new kind of "intumescent" coating, that is one that chars and expands when exposed to high tem- peratures, forming a thermal barrier to protect the material underneath.
The project began, Wnek said, with a challenge: Paints and coatings maker Sherwin-Williams wanted a new intumescent coating that omitted boric acid, a material of environmental concern in the European Union. The goal was to protect the steel used in buildings and structures that could weaken in a fire and thereby maintain the structural integrity.
Wnek is developing a similar coating to use on polyethylene, a common type of highly flammable plastic.
"It works so well," Wnek said, "that when we coat polyethylene and expose it to intense heat, the coating turns black and bubbles up, but the polyethylene doesn't even warp."
SAFETY-FOCUSED RUBBERY POLYMERS
Wnek also sees a need for materials that absorb the impact of falls or collisions. For him, the "why" is personal: His 91-year-old mother died in 2023 after falling in a nursing home.
His research group is developing multilayered rubbery polymers that could help absorb the kinetic energy from a collision. The material might be used in sports helmets to reduce the risk of concussions, Wnek said, or in wearable materials to better protect older people from injuries to their heads or hips from a fall.
With more people aging and falling, Wnek said, there's "a growing need for economical, stylish and comfortable products."
But ever inventive, Wnek isn't stopping there with uses for the versatile material.
"I see numerous creative opportunities," he said.
