Continuing our series that profiles coatings professionals with diverse backgrounds in the industry, we interviewed Kyle Aidukas of California Polytechnic State University. With a double major in Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry, Kyle joined the graphene oxide research group of Dr. Shanju Zhang’s, assistant professor of Polymers, Physical Chemistry.  Additionally, Kyle participated in the Student Poster session at this year’s CoatingsTech Conference and won first place for his poster, “Graphene Oxide-Polyurethane Composites for Corrosion Inhibition.”  We asked him about his selected field of study, his perspective on the coatings industry, and more.

Q:  What is your specific field of study, and what drew you to it?

A:  I’m a Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry double major with a concentration in Polymers and Coatings student at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. I was drawn to the BMed field as a way to help people (I was originally a Biology major intending to pursue a MD, but I quickly realized that I could help more people by making the devices doctors use). I also learned during this switch from Chemistry to Biomedical Engineering that I liked chemistry and wanted to learn more about it. Once I was in Chemistry I wanted to do research and I was fortunate to be able to join Dr. Zhang’s group working on graphene oxide. From here, since a lot of our medical devices need to withstand the corrosive environment that is our bodies, I transferred to the graphene oxide and polyurethane composites project.

Q:  How did you come up with the theme “Graphene Oxide-Polyurethane Composites for Corrosion Inhibition” for the poster competition at the CoatingsTech Conference?

A:  A previous Masters student had worked on a polyurethane dispersion with graphene oxide without much success, but we knew from the literature and the many companies that produce graphene oxide that the composites can be made in solution-based polyurethane coatings. So, for over nine months we worked on the mechanical properties and corrosive resistant properties of our composites.

Q:  What contributions would you like to make to the paint and coatings industry?

A:  What I would like to contribute to the Coatings industry is a more interdisciplinary approach while designing products.

Q:  Where do you see the paint and coatings industry heading?

A:  I think that the future of this industry is bright. There are new synthetic materials that are being created that lessen environmental impacts, leading to more responsible sourcing while maintaining or increasing the performance of the coating.

Q:  What do you like to do in your spare time?

A:  In my free time I do a lot of stuff. For fun, I like to go running, biking, or rock climbing as San Luis Obispo has a lot of beautiful outdoor activities. Mostly though, I enjoy being in the lab during my free time, as it allows me to apply what I’ve learned in class and make sense of a little bit of the world.