Edgar A. O'Rear III

Research Interests

My research interests are in the two principal areas of surfactant science and biomedical engineering. Using an interfacial polymerization process very similar to emulsion polymerization, we are modifying the surfaces of commercially important materials and also exploring the technique as a means of forming unusual polymers. Our efforts focus on learning the range of versatility of the method and on characterizing these thin polymer films. Other projects in the surface science group involve surfactant-based separations and the synthesis and study of novel surfactants. One of these is a double tail surfactant with a hydrocarbon chain and a fluorocarbon chain. We believe this extraordinary surfactant will form striated reverse, rod-like micellar aggregates which we have called "candy cane" micelles.

Within biomedical engineering, my students and I are interested in biotransport phenomena and particularly in biorheology. We are investigating thrombolysis or the dissolution of blood clots by plasminogen activators. Aspects of this research include developing a rheologic test for the study of thrombolysis and examining another possible mechanism for the so-called "no-reflow" phenomenon. This work work be important in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular disorders.

Research Web sites

University of Oklahoma Bioengineering Center

Selected Publications

Distributed Intraclot Thrombolysis: Mechanism of Accelerated Thrombolysis with Encapsulated Plasminogen Activators (with J.K. Leach and E. Patterson) J. Thromb. Haemostasis 2: 1548-55, 2004.

Resistivity of Conductive Polymer-Coated Fabric (with P. Lekpittaya, N. Yanumet and B.P.Grady) Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 92, 2629-2636, 2004.

Thrombolysis in a Rabbit Model of Carotid Artery Thrombosis using Liposomal-Encapsulated and Microencapsulated Streptokinase (with J. K. Leach, E. Patterson, Y. Miao and A. E. Johnson) Thromb Haemostasis 90: 64-70, 2003

Alteration of Wettability and Inhibition of Corrosion on Aluminum 7075 by Thin Polymer Films (with O. M. Matarredona, K. Mach and M. M Rieger) Corrosion Science 45: 2541-2562, 2003.

Moisture Absorption and Wet-adhesion Properties of Resin Transfer Molded (RTM) Composites Containing Elastomer-Coated Glass Fibers (with H. J. Barraza, L. Aktas, Y. K. Hamidi, J. Long and M. C. Altan) J. Adhes. Sci. Technol. 17: 217-242, 2003

Controlled Synthesis of Polyaniline and Polypyrrole Nanostructures on Flat Surfaces: From Spheres to Wires to Flat Films (with A. D. W. Carswell and B. P. Grady) J. Am Chem. Soc. 125: 14793-14800, 2003

Surface Characterization of Cotton Coated by a Thin Film of Polystyrene With and Without a Cross Linking Agent (with T. Pongprayoon, W.E. Alvarez, D.E. Resasco and N. Yanumet), J. Colloid Interf. Sci, 281, 307-315, 2005.

Investigation of the Deformability, Viscosity and Aggregation of MPEG Modified Erythrocytes (with J.K. Leach and A. Hinman), Biomed. Sci. Instrument, 380, 333, 2002

Thin Polypyrrole Films Formed on Mica and Alumina with and without surfactant Present; Characterization by Scanning Probe and Optical Microscopy (with W.-L.Yuan, G. Cho, G. P. Funkhouser and D. T. Glazhefer), Thin Solid Films, 385, 19, 2001