Faculty Profiles

Michael Rubinstein
Michael Rubinstein
Professor of Chemistry
Office: 
Hudson Hall, Rm. 144, Box 90300, Durham, NC 27708
Phone: 
(919) 660-5365
michael.rubinstein@duke.edu
Rubinstein Lab
Research Interests: 

The research of the Rubinstein group is in the field of polymer theory and computer simulations. The unique properties of polymeric systems are due to the size, topology and interactions of the molecules they are made of. Our goal is to understand the properties of various polymeric systems and to design new systems with even more interesting and useful properties.

Our approach is based upon building and solving simple molecular models of different polymeric systems. The models we develop are simple enough to be solved either analytically or numerically, but contain the main features leading to unique properties of real polymers. Computer simulations of our models serve as an important bridge between analytical calculations and experiments.

Overview

Education:

Ph.D., Harvard University 1983

Dobrynin, Andrey V., et al. “Long-Range Multichain Adsorption of Polyampholytes on a Charged Surface.” Macromolecules, vol. 32, no. 17, American Chemical Society (ACS), Aug. 1999, pp. 5689–700. Crossref, doi:10.1021/ma990353m. Full Text

Dobrynin, Andrey V., and Michael Rubinstein. “Hydrophobic Polyelectrolytes.” Macromolecules, vol. 32, no. 3, American Chemical Society (ACS), Feb. 1999, pp. 915–22. Crossref, doi:10.1021/ma981412j. Full Text

Buhler, E., et al. “Light-Scattering Study of Diblock Copolymers in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide:  CO2Density-Induced Micellization Transition.” Macromolecules, vol. 31, no. 21, American Chemical Society (ACS), Oct. 1998, pp. 7347–55. Crossref, doi:10.1021/ma980442j. Full Text

Semenov, Alexander N., and Michael Rubinstein. “Thermoreversible Gelation in Solutions of Associative Polymers. 1. Statics.” Macromolecules, vol. 31, no. 4, American Chemical Society (ACS), Feb. 1998, pp. 1373–85. Crossref, doi:10.1021/ma970616h. Full Text

Rubinstein, Michael, and Alexander N. Semenov. “Thermoreversible Gelation in Solutions of Associating Polymers. 2. Linear Dynamics.” Macromolecules, vol. 31, no. 4, American Chemical Society (ACS), Feb. 1998, pp. 1386–97. Crossref, doi:10.1021/ma970617+. Full Text

Long, Didier, et al. “Electrophoresis of polyampholytes.” The Journal of Chemical Physics, vol. 108, no. 3, AIP Publishing, Jan. 1998, pp. 1234–44. Crossref, doi:10.1063/1.475485. Full Text

Semenov, A. N., and M. Rubinstein. “Dynamics of strongly entangled polymer systems: activated reptation.” The European Physical Journal B, vol. 1, no. 1, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Jan. 1998, pp. 87–94. Crossref, doi:10.1007/s100510050155. Full Text

Cooper, A. I., et al. “Extraction of a hydrophilic compound from water into liquid CO2 using dendritic surfactants.” Nature, vol. 389, no. 6649, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Sept. 1997, pp. 368–71. Crossref, doi:10.1038/38706. Full Text

Bowman, W. A., et al. “Polyelectrolyte−Gelatin Complexation:  Light-Scattering Study.” Macromolecules, vol. 30, no. 11, American Chemical Society (ACS), June 1997, pp. 3262–70. Crossref, doi:10.1021/ma961915u. Full Text

Obukhov, Sergei, et al. “Topologically Induced Glass Transition in Freely Rotating Rods.” Journal De Physique I, vol. 7, no. 4, EDP Sciences, Apr. 1997, pp. 563–68. Crossref, doi:10.1051/jp1:1997175. Full Text

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