Jonathan Barnes is a synthetic organic chemist. His research is focused on stimuli-responsive materials, combination therapeutics, templated biomaterials and porous crystalline materials that serve as a platform for catalysis, chemical separation and energy storage applications.
Barnes constructs novel ‘smart’ materials with well-defined functions that will ultimately lead down research pathways in the areas of nanomaterials, biomedical engineering, and inorganic and environmental chemistries.
Working with 3-D materials on a centimeter scale, Barnes and researchers in his laboratory use electrons and other ways of changing the size and shape of hydrogels, a gelatin-like polymer consisting mostly of water. They are working to elicit such reactions from stronger, larger and more dense materials — such as a rubberish polymer (elastomer) that someday could help to produce fast-acting prosthetics and more.
Barnes is a Packard fellow.
