Gentleman research group
Multifunctional coatings Laboratory
The research being investigated by the MFCL at Texas A&M University focuses on structure-property relationships for structural ceramics. In particular, we are interested in the performance of ceramic coatings for harsh environments including turbines, refrigeration, and biological applications. Most recently our research has focused on the use of non-destructive techniques for the evaluation and lifing of thermal and environmental barrier coatings including studies on toughening mechanisms in thermal barrier materials using Raman spectroscopy. We are also studying the adhesion of these surfaces and the fabrication of robust surfaces with tailored wettabilities. We are primarily a research lab, focusing on designing materials from the bottom up to meet the requirements of the given application.
Research
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
-Albert Einstein
Dr. Molly M. Gentleman
Points of Pride
Dr. Gentleman received a BS in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago in 2001. Following that she received her PhD in Materials from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2006. She then went on to take a position as a materials scientist at GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna, NY where she worked as a member of the Coatings and Surface Technology Laboratory and the Nanotechnology Advanced Technology program. Her work at GE resulted in eight currently issued patents as lead inventor and seven pending patent applications on wetting resistant materials and environmental barrier coatings. She joined the faculty in the Materials Division of the Mechanical Engineering Department of Texas A&M in the spring of 2010. She served as a visiting fellow at NIST in the Center for Nanaoscale Science and Technology during the summer of 2011.