Robert J. Moon

500 10th St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30332-0620
United States
Dr. Moon is an internationally recognized researcher in cellulose nanomaterials (CN). He is an expert in processing-structure-property relationships as they apply in various aspects of CN research, such as, nanocomposites, hybrid composites, recyclable solar cells, multi-scale modeling, characterization, etc.. His research program on nanoscale science and engineering of CNs are highly collaborative with Purdue University and Georgia Institute of Technology (GT), where he holds Adjunct Professor appointments in both the School of Materials Engineering (at Purdue University), and in the School of Materials Science and Engineering (at GT). Dr. Moon a member of and is currently stationed at the Renewable Bioproducts Institute at GT.
Dr. Moon works to develop cellulose nanomaterials (CN) pre-structures (e.g. films, continuous fibers, spheres, etc.) combined with targeted CN surface treatments to produce industrially relevant CN composites with improved performance (thermo-mechanical properties, etc) and new functionality/capabilities (e.g., antimicrobial, current conduction, etc.). Resent work has been in the areas of new cement systems, flexible electronics, and functional fillers in various polymer systems.
Improved Fracture Toughness of Ceramics by Structural Design: 1997-2005
Ceramic materials are increasingly being used in applications with extreme environments (e.g., wear, high temperatures, etc.), but they are brittle, cracking easily. There is a need to improve their durability. During his PhD and Post Doctorial studies, the Dr. Moon completed cutting-edge research in knowledge discovery on making ceramics more difficult to break via ground breaking investigations into how cracks grow. Through design of ceramic composites, the Dr. Moon focused on three key mechanisms for impeding crack growth; weak interlayers, residual stress, and graded layers (e.g., change in composition vs position). This work resulted in 17 publications.
Knowledge Synthesis and Assessment of Cellulose Nanomaterials: 2010-2018
Dr. Moon strives to digest down the culmination of many studies and complex ideas regarding Cellulose nanomaterials (CN) into basic constructs, describe these in simple relevant terms, maintaining content consistency and integrity, and writing in a style that engages a wide spectrum of readers from various disciplines & level of expertise who are reading to be introduced to CNs or gain some new insights about the key concepts of these materials. Dr. Moon has co-lead three key publications in this area.
- Cellulose Nanomaterials Review: Structure, Properties and Nanocomposites. R Moon, A Martini, J Nairn, J Simonsen, and J Youngblood. . Chemical Society Reviews 40:3941-3994 (2011).
- Production and Applications of Cellulose Nanomaterials. Ed. MT Postek, RJ Moon, A Rudie, M Bilodeau, TAPPI Press. (June 2013).
- Current characterization methods for cellulose nanomaterials. EJ Foster, RJ Moon, U Agarwal, MJ Bortner, J Bras, S Camarero-Espinosa, KJ Chan, MJD Clift, ED Cranston, S Eichhorn, D Fox, W Hamad, L Heux, B Jean, M Korey, W Nieh, KJ Ong, MS Reid, S Renneckar, R Roberts, JA Shatkin, J Simonsen, K Stinson-Bagby, N Wanasekara, J Youngblood. . Chemical Society Reviews 47:2609-2679 (2018).
How Stiff and Strong are Cellulose Nanomaterial: 2007-2018
Cellulose nanomaterials (CNs) have big gaps and reliability issues in their reported properties, a consequence of their extremely small size, and the ordered bundling of cellulose chains along the CN length, which results in large differences in properties depending on the measurement direction (e.g. property anisotropy). Dr. Moon used Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and atomistic modeling to assess properties of nanoscale sized particles and elucidate the mechanisms giving rise to uncertainties. This work provided the first experimental measurement of stiffness in the transverse direction of CNs. This work resulted in 11 publications.
•Processing-Structure-Property Relationships
•Hierarchical Structure Effects on Properties
•Fracture and Wear of Materials
•Cellulose Nanomaterials: Composite Processing, Characterization, and Modeling
•Cellulose Nanomaterials: for cements, flexible electronics, and functional fillers in polymers
•Sustainable, Biodegradable, Carbon Neutral Materials
- Purdue University, Ph.D., Materials Engineering, 2000
- Purdue University, M.S., Metallurgical Engineering, 1996
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.S., Metallurgical Engineering, 1994
- Adjunct Professor-, Materials Science & Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2014 - Current
- Adjunct Professor-, Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2007 - Current
- Visiting Scientist, University of New South Wales, Australia, 2005 - 2005
- ARC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of New South Wales, Australia, 2002 - 2005
- Visiting Scientist, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan, 2002 - 2003
- Postdoctoral Researcher, University of New South Wales, Australia, 2000 - 2001
-
Chair,
TAPPI NanoDivision,
2014 -
Current
Dr. Moon provides the direction, vision, and sets the goals of the division, and plays a central role in directing/shaping the content of the NANO conference. The NANO conference is the NanoDivision’s annual conference “The International Conference in Nanotechnology of Renewable Materials”, which is the preeminent international technical conference on the production, research, development, and application of cellulose nanomaterials. Under Dr. Moon’s leadership, the NanoDivision (initiated in 2011) has grown in membership, become self-sustaining, expanded beyond the pulp and paper disciplines and industries, expanded informational outreach, and expanded the content and grew attendance of the annual NANO conference. Dr. Moon led the development of a new organizational structure consisting of a leadership team and 5 committees (e.g., Producers, End-Users, Research, Student, and Webinar) that execute specific functions of the NanoDivision, its outreach and the organization and plan
- Moon, Robert J.; Martini, Ashlie; Nairn, John; Simonsen, John; Youngblood, Jeff. 2011. Cellulose nanomaterials review: structure, properties and nanocomposites
- Foster, E. Johan; Moon, Robert J.; Agarwal, Umesh P.; Bortner, Michael J.; Bras, Julien ; Camarero-Espinosa, Sandra ; Chan, Kathleen J.; Clift, Martin J. D.; Cranston, Emily D.; Eichhorn, Stephen J.; Fox, Douglas M.; Hamad, Wadood Y.; Heux, Laurent ; Jean, Bruno ; Korey, Matthew ; Nieh, World ; Ong, Kimberly J.; Reid, Michael S.; Renneckar, Scott ; Roberts, Rose ; Shatkin, Jo Anne; Simonsen, John ; Stinson-Bagby, Kelly ; Wanasekara, Nandula ; Youngblood, Jeff. 2018. Current characterization methods for cellulose nanomaterials
- Zhou, Yinhua; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Khan, Talha M.; Liu, Jen-Chieh; Hsu, James; Shim, Jae Won; Dindar, Amir; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.; Moon, Robert J.; Kippelen, Bernard. 2013. Recyclable organic solar cells on cellulose nanocrystal substrates
- Cao, Yizheng; Zavaterri, Pablo; Youngblood, Jeff; Moon, Robert; Weiss, Jason. 2015. The influence of cellulose nanocrystal additions on the performance of cement paste
- Padalkar, Sonal; Capadona, J.R.; Rowan, S.J.; Weder, C.; Won, Yu-Ho; Stanciu, Lia A.; Moon, Robert J.. 2010. Natural biopolymers : novel templates for the synthesis of nanostructures.
- Diaz, Jairo A.; Wu, Xiawa; Martini, Ashlie; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.; Moon, Robert J.. 2013. Thermal Expansion of Self-Organized and Shear-Oriented Cellulose Nanocrystal Films
- Shang, ShunLi; Hector Jr., Louis G.; Saxe, Paul; Liu, Zi-Kui; Moon, Robert J.; Zavattieri, Pablo D.. 2014. Anisotropy and temperature dependence of structural, thermodynamic, and elastic properties of crystalline cellulose I<I><sub>β</sub></I>: a first-principles investigation
- Chen, Si; Schueneman, Greg; Pipes, R. Byron; Youngblood, Jeffrey; Moon, Robert J.. 2014. Effects of Crystal Orientation on Cellulose Nanocrystals−Cellulose Acetate Nanocomposite Fibers Prepared by Dry Spinning
- Wu, Xiawa; Moon, Robert J.; Martini, Ashlie. 2014. Tensile strength of Iß crystalline cellulose predicted by molecular dynamics simulation
- Reising, Alexander B.; Moon, Robert J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2012. Effect of particle Alignment on mechanical properties of neat cellulose nanocrystal films
- Stanciu, Lia Antoaneta; Padalkar, Sonal ; Moon, Robert John - 2011 - Surfactant-Assisted Inorganic Nanoparticle Deposition on a Cellulose Nanocrystals
- Kippelen, Bernard; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Zhou, Yinhua; Moon, Robert; Youngblood, Jeffrey - 2015 - Recyclable Organic Solar Cells on Substrates Comprising Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC)
- Youngblood, Jeffrey; Moon, Robert; Reising, Alex - 2016 - Method of Forming a Cellulose Nanocrystalline Film
- Moon, Robert; Youngblood, Jeffrey; Reising, Alex - 2018 - Method of Forming a Cellulose Nanocrystalline Film
- Clarkson, Caitlyn M.; El Awad Azrak, Sami M.; Forti, Endrina S.; Schueneman, Gregory T.; Moon, Robert J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2021. Recent Developments in Cellulose Nanomaterial Composites
- Forti, Endrina S.; El Awad Azrak, Sami M.; Ng, Xin Y.; Cho, Whirang ; Schueneman, Gregory T.; Moon, Robert J.; Fox, Douglas M.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2021. Mechanical enhancement of cellulose nanofibril (CNF) films through the addition of water-soluble polymers
- Forti, Endrina S.; Jimenez, Daniela B.; Schueneman, Gregory T.; Moon, Robert J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2021. Optimized mechanical and impact performance of high strength tempo oxidized cellulose nanofibril (TOCNF)—epoxy laminates
- Azrak, Sami M. El Awad; Gohl, Jared A.; Moon, Robert J.; Schueneman, Gregory T.; Davis, Chelsea S.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2021. Controlled Dispersion and Setting of Cellulose Nanofibril - Carboxymethyl Cellulose Pastes
- Yucel, Sezen ; Moon, Robert J.; Johnston, Linda J.; Yucel, Berkay ; Kalidindi, Surya R.. 2021. Semi-automatic image analysis of particle morphology of cellulose nanocrystals
- Haque, Ejaz ; Shariatnia, Shadi ; Jeong, Tae-Joong ; Jarrahbashi, Dorrin ; Asadi, Amir ; Harris, Tequila ; Moon, Robert J.; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki. 2021. Scalable coating methods for enhancing glass fiber–epoxy interactions with cellulose nanocrystals
- Li, Mei‐Chun ; Wu, Qinglin ; Moon, Robert J.; Hubbe, Martin A.; Bortner, Michael J.. 2021. Rheological Aspects of Cellulose Nanomaterials: Governing Factors and Emerging Applications
- Berman, Arielle ; DiLoreto, Edward ; Moon, Robert J.; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki. 2021. Hollow glass spheres in sheet molding compound composites: Limitations and potential
- Forti, Endrina S.; Moon, Robert J.; Schueneman, Gregory T.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2020. Transparent tempo oxidized cellulose nanofibril (TOCNF) composites with increased toughness and thickness by lamination
- El Awad Azrak, Sami M.; Costakis, William J.; Moon, Robert J.; Schueneman, Gregory T.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2020. Continuous processing of cellulose nanofibril sheets through conventional single-screw extrusion
- Goswami, Joyanta ; Haque, Ejaz ; Fox, Douglas M.; Gilman, Jeffrey W.; Holmes, Gale A.; Moon, Robert J.; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki. 2019. The effect of cellulose nanocrystal coatings on the glass fiber–epoxy interphase
- El Awad Azrak, Sami M.; Clarkson, Caitlyn M.; Moon, Robert J.; Schueneman, Gregory T.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2019. Wet-stacking lamination of multilayer mechanically fibrillated cellulose nanofibril (CNF) sheets with increased mechanical performance for use in high-strength and lightweight structural and packaging applications
- Asadi, Amir ; Baaij, Ferdinand ; Moon, Robert ; Harris, Tequila AL; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki. 2019. Lightweight alternatives to glass fiber/epoxy sheet molding compound composites: a feasibility study
- DiLoreto, Edward ; Haque, Ejaz ; Berman, Arielle ; Moon, Robert J.; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki. 2019. Freeze dried cellulose nanocrystal reinforced unsaturated polyester composites: challenges and potential
- Luo, Jeffrey ; Chang, Huibin ; Wang, Po-Hsiang ; Moon, Robert J.; Kumar, Satish. 2018. Cellulose nanocrystals effect on the stabilization of polyacrylonitrile composite films
- Semenikhin, Nikolay S.; Kadasala, Naveen Reddy; Moon, Robert J.; Perry, Joseph W.; Sandhage, Kenneth H.. 2018. Individually dispersed gold nanoshell-bearing cellulose nanocrystals with tailorable plasmon resonance
- Shishehbor, Mehdi; Dri, Fernando L.; Moon, Robert J.; Zavattieri, Pablo D.. 2018. A continuum-based structural modeling approach for cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs)
- Luo, Jeffrey; Semenikhin, Nikolay; Chang, Huibin; Moon, Robert J.; Kumar, Satish. 2018. Post-sulfonation of cellulose nanofibrils with a one-step reaction to improve dispersibility
- Luo, Jeffrey; Chang, Huibin; Bakhtiary Davijani, Amir A.; Liu, H. Clive; Wang, Po-Hsiang; Moon, Robert J.; Kumar, Satish. 2017. Influence of high loading of cellulose nanocrystals in polyacrylonitrile composite films
- Asadi, Amir; Miller, Mark; Singh, Arjun V.; Moon, Robert J.; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki. 2017. Lightweight sheet molding compound (SMC) composites containing cellulose nanocrystals
- Fu, Tengfei; Moon, Robert J.; Zavatierri, Pablo; Youngblood, Jeffrey; Weiss, William Jason. 2017. Cellulose nanomaterials as additives for cementitious materials
- Asadi, A.; Miller, M.; Moon, Robert; Kalaitzidou, K.. 2016. Improving the interfacial and mechanical properties of short glass fiber/epoxy composites by coating the glass fibers with cellulose nanocrystals
- Wagner, Ryan; Moon, Robert J.; Raman, Arvind. 2016. Mechanical properties of cellulose nanomaterials studied by contact resonance atomic force microscopy
- Peng, Shane X.; Chang, Huibin; Kumar, Satish; Moon, Robert J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2016. A comparative guide to controlled hydrophobization of cellulose nanocrystals via surface esterification
- Asadi, Amir; Miller, Mark; Sultana, Sanzida; Moon, Robert J.; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki. 2016. Introducing cellulose nanocrystals in sheet molding compounds (SMC)
- Moon, Robert J.; Schueneman, Gregory T.; Simonsen, John. 2016. Overview of Cellulose Nanomaterials, Their Capabilities and Applications
- Cao, Yizheng; Zavattieri, Pablo; Youngblood, Jeffrey; Moon, Robert; Weiss, Jason. 2016. The relationship between cellulose nanocrystal dispersion and strength
- Cao, Yizheng; Tian, Nannan; Bahr, David; Zavattieri, Pablo D.; Youngblood, Jeffrey; Moon, Robert J.; Weiss, Jason. 2016. The influence of cellulose nanocrystals on the microstructure of cement paste
- Sullivan, Erin; Moon, Robert; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki. 2015. Processing and Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals/Polylactic Acid Nanocomposite Films
- Diaz, Jairo A.; Braun, Julia L.; Moon, Robert J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2015. Iridescent cellulose nanocrystal/polyethylene oxide composite films with low coefficient of thermal expansion
- Wang, Cheng-Yin; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Liu, Jen-Chieh; Dindar, Amir; Choi, Sangmoo; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.; Moon, Robert J.; Kippelen, Bernard. 2015. Stable Low-Voltage Operation Top-Gate Organic Field-Effect Transistors on Cellulose Nanocrystal Substrates
- Dri, Fernando L.; Wu, Xiawa; Moon, Robert J.; Martini, Ashlie; Zavattieri, Pablo D.. 2015. Evaluation of reactive force fields for prediction of the thermo-mechanical properties of cellulose Iâ
- Liu, Jen-Chieh; Martin, Darren J.; Moon, Robert J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2015. Enhanced thermal stability of biomedical thermoplastic polyurethane with the addition of cellulose nanocrystals
- Zhou, Yinhua; Khan, Talha M.; Liu, Jen-Chieh; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Shim, Jae Won; Najafabadi, Ehsan; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.; Moon, Robert J.; Kippelen, Bernard. 2014. Efficient recyclable organic solar cells on cellulose nanocrystal substrates with a conducting polymer top electrode deposited by film-transfer lamination
- Goodsell, Johnathan E.; Moon, Robert J.; Huizar, Alionso; Pipes, R. Byron. 2014. A strategy for prediction of the elastic properties of epoxy-cellulose nanocrystal-reinforced fiber networks
- Liu, Jen-Chieh; Moon, Robert J.; Rudie, Alan; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2014. Mechanical performance of cellulose nanofibril film-wood flake laminate
- Diaz, Jairo A.; Moon, Robert J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2014. Contrast Enhanced Microscopy Digital Image Correlation: A General Method to Contact-Free Coefficient of Thermal Expansion Measurement of Polymer Films
- Diaz, Jairo A.; Ye, Zhijiang; Wu, Xiawa; Moore, Arden L.; Moon, Robert J.; Martini, Ashlie; Boday, Dylan J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2014. Thermal Conductivity in Nanostructured Films: From Single Cellulose Nanocrystals to Bulk Films
- Peng, Shane X.; Moon, Robert J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.. 2014. Design and characterization of cellulose nanocrystal-enhanced epoxy hardeners
- Wu, Xiawa; Moon, Robert J.; Martini, Ashlie. 2013. Crystalline cellulose elastic modulus predicted by atomistic models of uniform deformation and nanoscale indentation
- Snyder, Alexandra; Bo, Zhenyu; Moon, Robert; Rochet, Jean-Christophe; Stanciu, Lia. 2013. Reusable photocatalytic titanium dioxide-cellulose nanofiber films
- Dri, Fernando L.; Hector, Louis G. Jr.; Moon, Robert J.; Zavattieri, Pablo D.. 2013. Anisotropy of the elastic properties of crystalline cellulose Iß from first principles density functional theory with Van der Waals interactions
- Wu, Xiawa; Moon, Robert J.; Martini, Ashlie. 2013. Atomistic Simulation of Frictional Sliding Between Cellulose Iß Nanocrystals
- Moon, Robert. 2012. Transforming Glycoscience: A Roadmap for the Future
- Wagner, Ryan; Moon, Robert; Pratt, Jon; Shaw, Gordon; Raman, Arvind. 2011. Uncertainty quantification in nanomechanical measurements using the atomic force microscope
- Postek, Michael T.; Vladar, Andras; Dagata, John; Farkas, Natalia; Ming, Bin; Wagner, Ryan; Raman, Arvind; Moon, Robert J.; Sabo, Ronald; Wegner, Theodore H.; Beecher, James. 2011. Development of the metrology and imaging of cellulose nanocrystals
- Wu, Xiawa; Moon, Robert J.; Martini, Ashlie. 2011. Calculation of single chain cellulose elasticity using fully atomistic modeling
- Padalkar, Sonal; Capadona, Jeff R.; Rowan, Stuart J.; Weder, Christoph; Moon, Robert J.; Stanciu, Lia A.. 2011. Self-assembly and alignment of semiconductor nanoparticles on cellulose nanocrystals
- Lahiji, Roya R.; Xu, Xin; Reifenberger, Ronald; Raman, Arvind; Rudie, Alan; Moon, Robert J.. 2010. Atomic force microscopy characterization of cellulose nanocrystals
- Moon, Robert J.; Wells, Joseph; Kretschmann, David E.; Evans, James; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Frihart, Charles R.. 2010. Influence of chemical treatments on moisture-induced dimensional change and elastic modulus of earlywood and latewood
- Jakes, J.E.; Frihart, C.R.; Beecher, J.F.; Moon, R.J.; Resto, P.J.; Melgarejo, Z.H.; Saurez, O.M.; Baumgart, H.; Elmustafa, A.A.; Stone, D.S.. 2009. Nanoindentation near the edge
- Moon, Robert J.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Beecher, Jim F.; Frihart, Charles R.; Stone, Donald S.. 2009. Relating nanoindentation to macroindentation of wood
- Moon, Robert J.; Hoffman, Mark; Rödel, Jurgen; Tochino, Shigemi; Pezzotti, Giuseppe. 2009. Evaluation of crack-tip stress fields on microstructural-scale fracture in Al-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> interpenetrating network composites
- Jakes, Joseph E.; Frihart, Charles R.; Beecher, James F.; Moon, Robert J.; Stone, D. S.. 2008. Experimental method to account for structural compliance in nanoindentation measurements
- Moon, Robert J.. 2008. Nanomaterials in the forest products industry
- Frihart, Charles R.; Yelle, Daniel J.; Ralph, John; Moon, Robert J.; Stone, Donald S.; Jakes, Joseph E.. 2008. Enhanced understanding of the relationship between chemical modification and mechanical properties of wood
- Lahiji, R.R.; Reifenberger, R.; Raman, A.; Rudie, Alan W.; Moon, Robert J.. 2008. Characterization of cellulose nanocrystal surfaces by SPM
- Hofferber, Blake M.; Kolodka, Edward; Brandon, Rishawn; Moon, Robert J.; Frihart, Charles R.. 2006. Effects of swelling forces on the durability of wood adhesive bonds
- Moon, Robert J.; Frihart, Charles R.; Wegner, Theodore. 2006. Nanotechnology applications in the forest products industry

Rapid Production of High Strength and Translucent Cellulose Nanofibril Sheets

Cellulose Nanocrystals: Novel Templates for the Synthesis of Nanostructures

Cellulose Nanocrystals

New Process Fabricates Efficient Reclyclable Solar Cells Using Natural Substrates

Ceramic-Like Thermal Expansion Obtained from Cellulose Nanocrystal Films

Removing Organic Compounds from Water with Reusable Nanofiber Films
