Paul Kohl received a B.S. degree from Bethany College in 1974 and Ph.D. from The University of Texas, both in Chemistry. After graduation, Dr. Kohl was employed at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, NJ from 1978 to 1989. During that time, he was involved in the design and processing of electronic packages for Bell system components. He created new chemical processes for silicon, compound semiconductor, and MEMS devices. In 1989, he joined the faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, where he is currently a Regents’ Professor and holder of the Thomas L. Gossage/Hercules Inc. Chair. He is the past President of The Electrochemical Society and past Editor of Journal of The Electrochemical Society and past founding editor of Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters. He is the past Director of the Semiconductor Research Corporation/DARPA Interconnect Focus Center.
Dr. Kohl’s research interests include the the synthesis and use of self-immolative polymers for patterning of electronic devices and other transient polymer applications. The depolymerization of self-immolative polymers with a low ceiling temperature can be triggered by thermal, photo or other stimulus. Polymer depolymerization and evaporation can be used as a means to form dry-develop resists or release other active materials into a matrix.
New solid anion conducting polymers have been synthesized for use in anionic fuel cells, electrolyzers and dialysis devices. Poly(norbornene) copolymers have been shown to form the highest conductivity, chemically stable at high pH anion conducting membranes. Hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells with power levels of 3.5 W/cm2 have been demonstrated. Alkaline electrolyzers to produce hydrogen at high efficiency using these norbornene ionomers and membranes is a current focus.
Solid-state lithium ion batteries with new solid polymer electrolytes is a also a current focus. The new copolymer can have tethered anions for single ion conduction or use lithium ion salts. The effect of polymer architecture and monomer type on lithium ion conduction and electrode stability is being studies.
Workshop Participation in Collaboration with Pine Research
