Focusing on polymer, surface, and colloid science, his group researches the surfaces and interfaces of advanced materials to find new ways to engineer materials useful to society and industry.

One area of focus for the group is leveraging chitin—a renewable, high-strength material derived from shellfish—to create new types of sustainable film and packaging. Their research efforts also examine colloids—specifically, foams—and the way that typical additives to foams can harm the environment and limit their applications. This area of study led to the discovery of a new type of soft matter called a capillary foam, which is composed of water, air, and a small amount of oil. Dr. Meredith’s lab also specializes in the study of adhesion dynamics in microparticles like pollen. Inspired by pollen’s unique and versatile adhesion abilities, the team has produced metallic, magnetic, and ceramic replicas of pollen for use in novel composite and sensor materials.

Overall, Dr. Meredith’s projects emphasize the utilization of renewable components and sustainable processing to achieve circular manufacturing, specifically in the areas of plastics, composites, foams, and coatings. His team studies natural dynamics to address societal needs like food security, renewables, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas reduction.

Research Goals

• Renewable packaging: Building biorenewable barrier materials using nanomaterials sourced from plants and food waste (like cellulose and chitin) for utilization in packaging food, medicine, and electronics
• Recycling: Developing new circular processes such as plastic upcycling and creating plastics from biomass
• Sustainable materials: Creating higher strength, lighter weight composites and low volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and coatings
• Surfactant-free foams: Enhancing multi-phase colloidal systems, with applications in energy, packaging, personal care, and food
• Surface adhesion: Mimicking pressure-dependent adhesion like in pollen to design particles that stick only to specific surfaces and vice versa

Activities

• Bioproducts: Extracting shellfish-derived chitin nanofibers for use in next-generation food packaging
• Colloidal systems: Developing capillary foam structure for incorporation of oil phases with applications in oil spill clean-ups
• Adhesion and transport in microparticles: Improving knowledge of natural particle adhesion for applications in food security, allergy asthma, and novel composite design

Leadership 

• Executive Director of the Georgia Tech Renewable Bioproducts Institute
• James Harris Faculty Fellow in the Georgia Tech School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering