We are always seeking creative and dedicated engineers and scientists! More information here.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Karen-Winey_06.08.22_DSC3554-scaled.jpg)
The Winey Lab at the University of Pennsylvania employs a variety of experimental and computational tools to probe the structural and physical properties of advanced polymers. We are studying and designing functional polymers to improve ion and proton conductivity targeting a variety of energy applications. In polymer nanocomposites our current interests focus on nanoparticle dynamics across a range of time and length scales. Our newest project focuses on polymer-to-polymer upcycling to convert waste polyolefins to higher value polymers.
Recent Publications
Eli J. Fastow, Anne N. Radzanowski, E. Bryan Coughlin, Karen I. Winey*, ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2025.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/images_large_ap4c03361_0011.jpeg)
Ikechukwu Martin Ogbu, Eli J. Fastow, Karen I. Winey* and Marisa C. Kozlowski*, Macromolecules, 2024, 57, 10767−10777.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/images_large_ma4c02074_0010.jpeg)
I. M. Ogbu, Eli J. Fastow, W. Zhu, L. A. Wells, R. J. Chethalen, Vivek Nair, Z. R. Hinton, A. H. Balzer, W. Hu, E. Bryan Coughlin, Karen I. Winey*, and Marisa C. Kozlowski*, Macromolecules, 2024.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/images_large_ma4c00771_0013-1.jpeg)
Eli Fastow, Roshni John Chethalen, E. Bryan Coughlin, and Karen I. Winey*, Giant, 17, 100231, 2024.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/image-1.png)
Determination of film thicknesses of metal oxides prepared by atomic layer deposition on SBA-15
Ching-Yu Wang, Ben T. Ferko, Kai Shen, Karen I. Winey, John M. Vohs, and Raymond J. Gorte*, Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 366,112945, 2024.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1-s2.0-S1387181123005218-ga1_lrg-1024x581.jpg)
Vehicular and Core–Shell Nanoparticle Diffusion in Attractive Entangled Polymer Melts
Kaitlin Wang and Karen I. Winey*, Macromolecules, 2024.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/images_large_ma4c00808_0004.jpeg)
Chien-Hua Tu, Eli J. Fastow, Roshni John Chethalen, George V. Papamokos, E. Bryan Coughlin, & Karen I. Winey*, Macromolecules, 2024.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/images_large_ma4c00983_0015.jpeg)
Nanoparticle Diffusion in Crowded Polymer Nanocomposite Melts
Kaitlin Wang and Karen I. Winey*. ACS Macro Letters, 13, 1192-1197, 2024.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/images_large_mz4c00438_0006.jpeg)
Nanoparticle Diffusion in Crowded Polymer Nanocomposite Melts
Jou-Tsen Ou, Margaret K. Brown, Jason D. Kaff, Rhys W. Hughes, Dale L. Huber, Brent S. Sumerlin, Karen I. Winey, Mercedes K. Taylor*. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2024.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/images_large_ap4c02012_0006.jpeg)
Vat photopolymerization of poly(styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene) triblock copolymers
Ren H. Bean, Garvit Nayyar, Margaret K. Brown, Jianheng Wen, Yiqun Fu, Karen I. Winey, Christopher B. Williams, Timothy E. Long. Additive Manufacturing, 92, 104391, 2024.
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1-s2.0-S2214860424004378-gr1.jpg)
Research
The Role of Local Structure and Dynamics on
Proton and Hydroxide Transport in Ion-Conducting Polymers
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DOE_NEW_2022.jpeg)
Polyolefin Upcycling through Dehydrogenation & Functionalization
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PolyUP-overview-image.png)
Bound Layer Exchange in Polymer Nanocomposite Melts
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DOE_Neutron_2020.jpeg)
Conductivity in Nanostructured Precise Polymers
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NSF_DMR_2022-edited.jpeg)
Nanoparticle Interactions and Nanoscale Transport in Polyelectrolyte Brushes
![](https://winey.seas.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/images_large_nn3c00212_0006.jpeg)