Doctoral Defence of Kourosh Hasheminejad
- Feb 6
- 1 min read
Kourosh Hasheminejad defended her doctoral dissertation on Friday, 6.2.2026, at Aalto University.
Title of the thesis: Computational modelling of block copolymer surface coatings at multiple length scales
Opponent: Professor Philip J. Camp, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Supervisor: Prof. Maria Sammalkorpi, Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering
The summary of the thesis: This doctoral thesis investigates how block copolymer coatings form on hydrophilic surfaces and how effectively they prevent water penetration. Such coatings are important for applications where moisture resistance and durability are required, including packaging and surface protection. Using multiscale computer simulations, the study shows that block copolymers with balanced hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments form continuous, well-organized coatings, while strongly asymmetric polymers lead to defective structures. The results also demonstrate that stable, defect-free coatings are obtained only within a limited range of material compositions. Overall, the thesis provides new insights into the relationship between polymer molecular design and coating performance.
The thesis will be available at: Computational modelling of block copolymer surface coatings at multiple length scales
