Demir honored at graduate scholars symposium

Demir

Buket Demir, graduate student in the department and native of Bursa, Turkey, received first place in the 2011 Graduate Scholars Symposium and was honored at an award ceremony last year. She also was chosen as this year’s outstanding international graduate student in polymer and fiber engineering. 

Demir is pursuing a doctorate under the supervision of faculty member Maria Auad. Her research, “Synthesis and Characterization of Antibacterial Polyurethane Films Modified with Quaternary Ammonium Compounds,” proposes a new type of antibacterial polyurethane suitable for a wide range of applications. 

She is studying synthesis of quaternary ammonium compounds that are not commercially available and suitable for polyurethane synthesis. Demir is also studying antibacterial waterborne polyurethane systems and the formation of polyurethane films as well as the evaluation of their mechanical, morphological and antibacterial properties.