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L. Catherine Brinson

Sharon C. and Harold L. Yoh, III Distinguished Professor
Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
3379 Fciemas Building, Box 90300, Durham, NC 27708
3379 Fciemas Building, Duke Campus, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


The Brinson lab’s research objective is to characterize and model advanced materials systems, bridging across scales, to develop new understanding of material mechanisms and transfer knowledge into FAIR datasets towards novel material design. The research activities include nanoscale experimental investigations, especially using AFM methodologies, computational predictions of material behavior using finite element analysis and micro mechanics approaches, and application of AI methods including surrogate modeling, optimization, and natural language processing. Target material systems include multiphase polymer systems, nancomposites, bioplastics, metamaterials and 3d printing materials.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Sharon C. and Harold L. Yoh, III Distinguished Professor · 2018 - Present Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Pratt School of Engineering
Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science · 2018 - Present Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Pratt School of Engineering

In the News


Published February 7, 2022
A Fun, Free Crash Course on How Modern Materials Shape Our World
Published January 13, 2022
Brinson Named 2022 A.C. Eringen Medalist
Published January 5, 2022
Innovative Textile Vents to Release Heat When You Sweat

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Recent Publications


Graph-based design of irregular metamaterials

Journal Article International Journal of Mechanical Sciences · June 1, 2025 In the field of metamaterial research, irregular structures offer a novel and less conventional approach compared to traditional periodic designs. Designing irregular metamaterials is challenging when it comes to ensuring interconnectivity, which is essent ... Full text Cite

A multiscale design method using interpretable machine learning for phononic materials with closely interacting scales

Journal Article Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering · May 15, 2025 Manipulating the dispersive characteristics of vibrational waves is beneficial for many applications, e.g., high-precision instruments. architected hierarchical phononic materials have sparked promise tunability of elastodynamic waves and vibrations over m ... Full text Cite

Pushing AFM to the Boundaries: Interphase Mechanical Property Measurements near a Rigid Body

Journal Article Macromolecules · January 28, 2025 Understanding the mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposite materials is essential for industrial use. Particularly, the determination of the polymer modulus at the nanofiller-polymer interphase is important for optimizing the interfacial mechanical p ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


MRI: Track 2 Acquisition of the Thermo Fischer Cryogenic Helios 5 CX DualBeam for Materials Science

EquipmentCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2023 - 2026

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Education, Training & Certifications


California Institute of Technology · 1990 Ph.D.
California Institute of Technology · 1986 M.S.
Virginia Polytech Institute and State University · 1985 B.S.

External Links


Brinson Lab