Dr Byron Villacorta
Honorary Fellow
School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering
Researcher biography
Dr. Villacorta is an Honorary Fellow in the School of Mechanical & Mining Engineering and in the Centre for Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing (AMPAM) at the University of Queensland (Australia). He is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Mississippi (USA).
He received his Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University (United States of America) and his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from José Simeón Cañas Central American University (El Salvador).
His research interests are in the fields of polymer formulation and processing, multifunctional composites, sustainable materials, and composites for extreme environments.
Publications
Book
Villacorta, Byron (2014). Electromagnetic shielding of carbon modifiers/polyethylene composites. Saarbrücken, Germany: Scholars' Press.
Book Chapter
Villacorta, Byron S. and Ogale, Amod A. (2016). Carbon nanoparticle-based flexible LLDPE composites for enhanced electromagnetic shielding effectiveness. Micro and nanostructured polymer systems: from synthesis to applications. (pp. 119-138) edited by Sabu Thomas, Robert A. Shanks and Jithin Joy. Oakville, ON, Canada: Apple Academic Press/CRC Press.
Journal Articles
Mohoppu, Madara, Ayan, Utsab, Kattel, Bibek, Oulhakem, Oussama, Hutchcraft, Winn Elliott, Ucak-Astarlioglu, Mine, Al-Ostaz, Ahmed and Villacorta, Byron S. (2025). Morphology-driven electromagnetic shielding performance of graphitic nanoparticles in segregated polypropylene nanocomposites via electromagnetic melt processing. Composites Communications, 60 102614, 1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.coco.2025.102614
Mohoppu, Madara, Ayan, Utsab, Nouranian, Sasan, Al-Ostaz, Ahmed, Ucak-Astarlioglu, Mine G. and Villacorta, Byron S. (2025). Rapid microwave bonding of thermoplastics substrates with electromagnetically susceptible graphene/poly(ether ether ketone) segregated nanoformulates. ACS Applied Engineering Materials, 3 (8), 2683-2696. doi: 10.1021/acsaenm.5c00520
Salavati, Masoud, Majdoub, Mohammed, Oulhakem, Oussama, Sengottuvelu, Dineshkumar, Villacorta, Byron S., Ucak-Astarlioglu, Mine G., Al-Ostaz, Ahmed and Nouranian, Sasan (2025). Transition Metal Catalyzed Carbonization of Polyetherimide/Graphite Nanocomposites. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 8 (30), 15060-15074. doi: 10.1021/acsanm.5c02237
Ucak-Astarlioglu, Mine G., Fernando, P. U. Ashvin Iresh, Spane, Spencer A., Rodriguez, Sulymar A., Kosgei, Gilbert K., Weiss, Charles A., Beckman, Ivan P., Villacorta, Byron, Nouranian, Sasan and Al-Ostaz, Ahmed (2025). FIMOFs: fiber-integrated metal–organic frameworks through electrospinning. Polymers, 17 (8) 1106, 1-16. doi: 10.3390/polym17081106
Ayan, Utsab, Mohoppu, Madara, Sebastian, John Adams, Elkanayati, Rasha, Toragall, Veeresh B., Wadi, Ahmed, Nouranian, Sasan, Werfel, Thomas and Villacorta, Byron S. (2025). Cytocompatible 2D graphitic carbon nitride-modified polybutylene adipate terephthalate/polylactic acid hybrid nanobiocomposites. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 8 (4), 3167-3184. doi: 10.1021/acsabm.4c02009
Ayan, Utsab, Mohoppu, Madara, Sebastian, John Adams, Shreyan, Bhoumik R., Toragall, Veeresh B., Maniruzzaman, Mohammed, Al-Ostaz, Ahmed, Werfel, Thomas and Villacorta, Byron S. (2025). Polylactic acid/polybutylene adipate terephthalate-carbon nanotube nanobiocomposites with a segregated toughening morphology yielding large ductility for biocompatible materials. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 8 (3), 1537-1556. doi: 10.1021/acsanm.4c06353
Mohoppu, Madara, Ayan, Utsab, Schwartz, Jacob, Al-Ostaz, Ahmed, Ucak-Astarlioglu, Mine G. and Villacorta, Byron S. (2024). Carbon nanotube-based segregated thermoplastic nanocomposites structured via electromagnetic melt processing. ACS Omega, 9 (49), 48546-48562. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4c07372
Villacorta, Byron, Ayan, Utsab, Mohoppu, Madara, Kattel, Bibek, Hutchcraft, Elliot, Ucak-Astarlioglu, Mine and Al-Ostaz, Ahmed (2024). Flexible polyethylene matrix carbon-based nanocomposites for electromagnetic compatibility. ACS Applied Electronic Materials, 6 (7), 5379-5390. doi: 10.1021/acsaelm.4c01045
Ayan, Utsab, Nouranian, Sasan, Majdoub, Mohammed, Al-Ostaz, Ahmed, Ucak-Astarlioglu, Mine G. and Villacorta, Byron S. (2024). Supertoughened polylactic acid/polybutylene adipate terephthalate blends compatibilized with ethylene-methyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate: morphology and mechanical properties by the response surface methodology. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 16 (20), 26833-26848. doi: 10.1021/acsami.4c06452
Bazli, Milad, Heitzmann, Michael and Villacorta Hernandez, Byron (2022). Durability of fibre-reinforced polymer-wood composite members: An overview. Composite Structures, 295 115827, 1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2022.115827
Basnayake, Asanka P., Hidalgo, Juan P., Villacorta, Byron, Dunn, Kameron G. and Heitzmann, Michael T. (2022). Investigation of ammonium polyphosphate dilution with ground eggshells and lignin through the study of natural fibre composite flammability. Fire and Materials, 47 (1), 28-50. doi: 10.1002/fam.3066
Bazli, Milad, Heitzmann, Michael and Villacorta Hernandez, Byron (2021). Hybrid fibre reinforced polymer and seawater sea sand concrete structures: a systematic review on short-term and long-term structural performance. Construction and Building Materials, 301 124335, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124335
Kudisonga, Christian, Villacorta, Byron, Chisholm, Harry, Vandi, Luigi-Jules and Heitzmann, Michael (2021). Curing kinetics of a siloxane pre-ceramic prepreg resin. Ceramics International, 47 (14), 20678-20685. doi: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.04.078
Aziz, Shazed, Villacorta, Byron, Naficy, Sina, Salahuddin, Bidita, Gao, Shuai, Baigh, Tajwar A., Sangian, Danial and Zhu, Zhonghua (2021). A microwave powered polymeric artificial muscle. Applied Materials Today, 23 101021, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.apmt.2021.101021
Zhuang, Wei, Quan, Xuebo, Wang, Zhenfu, Zhou, Wenfeng, Yang, Pengpeng, Ge, Lei, Villacorta Hernandez, Byron, Wu, Jinglan, Li, Ming, Zhou, Jian, Zhu, Chenjie and Ying, Hanjie (2020). Interfacial microenvironment for lipase immobilization: regulating the heterogeneity of graphene oxide. Chemical Engineering Journal, 394 125038, 125038. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2020.125038
Chang, Jiang, Qiu, Haoran, Wang, Jiawei, Lin, Rijia, Hernandez, Byron Villacorta, Ji, Chunmiao, Liu, Guoliang, Zhao, Xuan and Ge, Lei (2020). Efficient organic enrichment from sludge filtrate via a forward osmosis membrane process. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 8 (4) 104042, 104042. doi: 10.1016/j.jece.2020.104042
Humphry, J., Yang, N., Vandi, L -J., Hernandez, B. Villacorta, Martin, D.J. and Heitzmann, M.T. (2020). Isothermal differential scanning calorimetry analysis of the anionic polymerisation of polyamide-6: separation by dual asymmetric Gaussians. Materials Today Communications, 25 101473, 101473. doi: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2020.101473
Gao, Shuai, Ge, Lei, Villacorta, Byron S., Rufford, Thomas E. and Zhu, Zhonghua (2019). Carbon monoliths by assembling carbon spheres for gas adsorption. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 58 (12) acs.iecr.8b04891, 4957-4969. doi: 10.1021/acs.iecr.8b04891
Gao, Shuai, Hernandez, Byron S., Ge, Lei, Steel, Karen, Rufford, Thomas and Zhu, Zhonghua (2018). Effect of rheological properties of mesophase pitch and coal mixtures on pore development in activated carbon discs with high compressive strength. Fuel Processing Technology, 177, 219-227. doi: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2018.04.032
Zhu, Qianqian, Zhuang, Wei, Chen, Yong, Wang, Zhanke, Villacorta Hernandez, Byron, Wu, Jinglan, Yang, Pengpeng, Liu, Dong, Zhu, Chenjie, Ying, Hanjie and Zhu, Zhonghua (2018). Nano-biocatalysts of Cyt c@ZIF-8/GO composites with high recyclability via a de novo approach. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 10 (18), 16066-16076. doi: 10.1021/acsami.8b00072
Zhu, Qianqian, Zhuang, Wei, Niu, Huanqing, Ge, Lei, Villacorta Hernandez, Byron, Wu, Jinglan, Wang, Kai, Liu, Dong, Chen, Yong, Zhu, Chenjie and Ying, Hanjie (2018). Affinity induced immobilization of adenylate cyclase from the crude cell lysate for ATP conversion. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 164, 155-164. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.01.033
Qiu, Haoran, Peng, Yuelian, Ge, Lei, Villacorta Hernandez, Byron and Zhu, Zhonghua (2018). Pore channel surface modification for enhancing anti-fouling membrane distillation. Applied Surface Science, 443, 217-226. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.03.004
Lin, Rijia, Hernandez, Byron Villacorta, Ge, Lei and Zhu, Zhonghua (2017). Metal organic framework based mixed matrix membranes: an overview on filler/polymer interfaces. Journal of Materials Chemistry a, 6 (2), 293-312. doi: 10.1039/c7ta07294e
Gao, Shuai, Villacorta, Byron S. , Ge, Lei, Rufford, Thomas E. and Zhu, Zhonghua (2017). Effect of sonication and hydrogen peroxide oxidation of carbon nanotube modifiers on the microstructure of pitch-derived activated carbon discs. Carbon, 124, 142-151. doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2017.08.036
Ge, Lei, Lin, Rijia, Wang, Li, Rufford, Thomas E., Villacorta, Byron, Liu, Shaomin, Liu, Lian X. and Zhu, Zhonghua (2017). Surface-etched halloysite nanotubes in mixed matrix membranes for efficient gas separation. Separation and Purification Technology, 173, 63-71. doi: 10.1016/j.seppur.2016.09.015
Villacorta, Byron S., Hubing, Todd H., Ogale, Amod A. and McDowell, Andrew (2015). Polarized wave electromagnetic shielding of anisotropic carbon nanoparticle-based LLDPE composites. Polymer Engineering and Science, 55 (2), 299-307. doi: 10.1002/pen.23901
Villacorta, Byron S. and Ogale, Amod A. (2014). Morphological influence of carbon modifiers on the electromagnetic shielding of their linear low density polyethylene composites. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 131 (24) 41055, 41055-1-41055-11. doi: 10.1002/app.41055
Villacorta, Byron S., Hulseman, Sarah, Cannon, Andrew H., Hulseman, Ralph and Ogale, Amod A. (2014). Continuously extruded micro-textured polypropylene films. Polymer Engineering and Science, 54 (9), 2147-2154. doi: 10.1002/pen.23762
Villacorta, Byron S., Hubing, Todd H. and Ogale, Amod A. (2013). Influence of composite electrical properties on the VHF-UHF electromagnetic shielding characteristics of polyethylene-carbon nanoparticle composites. Composites Science and Technology, 89, 158-166. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2013.10.003
Villacorta, Byron S., Ogale, Amod A. and Hubing, Todd H. (2013). Effect of heat treatment of carbon nanofibers on the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of linear low density polyethylene nanocomposites. Polymer Engineering and Science, 53 (2), 417-423. doi: 10.1002/pen.23276
Conference Papers
Kattel, Bibek, Ayan, Utsab, Mohoppu, Madara, Villacorta, Byron and Hutchcraft, Winn Elliott (2024). Enhancing permittivity of 3D printing filaments via nanocompounding for electromagnetic applications. SoutheastCon 2024, Atlanta, GA, United States, 15-24 March 2024. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. doi: 10.1109/southeastcon52093.2024.10500220
Humphry, Jarrad, Villacorta, Byron S. and Heitzmann, Michael T. (2019). Carbon nanotube/polyamide 6 nanocomposites via in-situ anionic polymerisation. 22nd International Conference on Composite Materials ICCM-22, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 11-16 August 2019. Melbourne, VIC Australia: International Committee on Composite Materials.
Rufford, Thomas E., Gao, Shuai , Arami-Niya, Arash , Villacorta, Byron S., Ge, Lei and Zhu, Zhonghua (2018). Methane adsorption on pitch derived activated carbon monoliths. 8th Pacific Basin Conference on Adsorption Science and Technology, Sapporo, Japan, 3-6 September 2018.
Gao, Shuai, Villacorta Hernandez, Byron, Ge, Lei, Rufford, Thomas and Zhu, Zhonghua (2016). Effect of hydrogen peroxide oxidation of carbon nanotube additives on the microstructure of pitch-derived activated carbon foam. Carbon 2016, Penn State University, 10-15 July 2016.
Villacorta, Byron S., Hulseman, Ralph and Ogale, Amod A. (2014). Viscoelastic computational modeling of extruded micro-textured polymeric films. International Conference on Advances in Manufacturing and Materials Engineering (ICAMME), AMME 2014, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 23 - 25 September 2014. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.mspro.2014.07.465
Villacorta, Byron, Hulseman,, Cannon, Adrew, Hulseman, Ralph and Ogale, Amod (2013). Micro-patterned Polypropylene Films: Reduced Sliding Friction. 120th ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition 2013, Atlanta, GA United States, 23-26 June 2013.
Villacorta, Byron and Ogale, Amod (2013). Morphological influence of graphitic carbon-based nanoparticles on the electromagnetic shielding performance of their polymer nanocomposites. CARBON 2013, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 14-19 July 2013.
Villacorta, Byron, Ogale, Amod A. and Hubing, Todd (2013). Influence of melt-mixing on the EM shielding effectiveness of carbon nanofiber-based lldpe nanocomposites. 71st Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers 2013, ANTEC 2013, Cincinnati, OH, United States, 22-24 April 2013. Red Hook, NY, United States: Curran Associates.
Villacorta, Byron and Ogale, Amod (2012). Effect of the Processing on the Electromagnetic Shielding Effectiveness of Heat-treated Carbon Nanofiber-based LLDPE Nanocomposites. SPE ANTEC 2012, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL, USA, 2-4 April 2012.
Villacorta, Byron and Ogale, Amod (2012). Ultra-High Thermally Treated LLDPE Nanocomposites: Transport Properties and Electromagnetic Shielding. 70th Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers 2012 (ANTEC 2012), Orlando, FL, United States, 2-4 April 2012. Red Hook, NY United States: Curran.
Villacorta, Byron and Ogale, Amod (2011). Effect of Ultra-High Thermal Treatment of Carbon Nanofibers on EMI SE of LLDPE Nanocomposites. SPE ANTEC 2011, Boston, MA, United Staes, 1-5 May 2011.
Villacorta, Byron and Ogale, Amod (2011). Electromagnetic Shielding Mechanisms of Ultra-High Thermally Treated Carbon Nanofibers-LLDPE Nanocomposites. New Frontiers in Fiber Materials Science Symposium, Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston, SC United States, 11-13 October 2011.
Villacorta, Byron, Ogale, Amod A., Yang, Keqin and Rao, Apparao (2010). Carbon Fiber, Nanofiber and Nanospring-based LLDPE Composites: Effect of Processing Conditions on Electrical and Mechanical Properties. 68th Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers 2010, ANTEC, Orlando, FL United States, 16-20 May 2010. Newtown, Conn.: Society of Plastics Engineers.
Villacorta, Byron and Ogale, Amod (2010). Electrical and Thermal Properties of Carbon Nanofibers and Microfibers. Annual World Conference on Carbon 2010, Clemson, SC United States, 11-16 July 2010. Red Hook, NY United States: Curran Associates.
Research Reports
Villacorta, Byron and Hubing, Todd (2013). Analysis of the Electromagnetic Shielding Mechanisms of Plane Waves in Generally Lossy Materials. Technical Report: CVEL-13-044 Clemson, SC United States: Clemson University.
Villacorta, Byron and Hubing, Todd (2013). Analysis of the electromagnetic shielding mechanisms of plane waves in generally lossy materials. Clemson, SC, United States: Clemson University Vehicular Electronics Laboratory.