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Hello!

I'm Gloria.

A Bit About Me

I am a materials scientist and engineer who is passionate about making the world a better place. My work revolves around using my expertise to develop new materials that have the potential to revolutionize various industries. I am also a firm believer in giving back to the community and I regularly volunteer for multiple social causes.

On this website, you can learn more about me and my work. Thank you for visiting!

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Papers

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Portfolio

3D printed degradable elastomers

Designing degradability into thermosets will allow us to improve recyclability of polymers without compromising on performance. These elastomers were designed with hemiacetal ester moieties in collaboration with the Bao Lab at Stanford.

Bis-silyl ethers

Bis-silyl ethers, typically known as protecting groups in chemistry, can be used as labile linkages in polymers. In this project, I synthesized diacrylate crosslinkers for use in 3D printing resins to produce polymers that were degradable in acidic conditions.

Biodegradable Vascular Devices

50% of saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) fail within 10 years after implementation, which could be attributed to the sudden increase in hemodynamic pressure for the vein. I prototyped different vein graft support devices in collaboration with bioengineering and cardiovascular experts.

Process Engineering

As a process engineer intern at SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions, I worked with the Wafer Bake Unit team to improve temperature uniformity across wafers. This internship took place in Hikone, Shiga, Japan.

NanoNYC - Superconductive MAterials

Intercalation of ions into layered metal chalcogenide materials may result in superconductivity by modification of the electronic properties of host atoms. I investigated the effects of intercalating Li, Na, and PF6 ions in various metal chalcogenide materials.

Topology of composite materials

Spirals are found all around nature. I combined soft and stiff materials in spiral structures to direct crack propagation and control failure modes in structural materials.

Publications

Stretchable, recyclable thermosets via photopolymerization and 3D printing of hemiacetal ester-based resins

You-Chi Mason Wu, Gloria Chyr, Hyunchang Park, Anna Makar-Limanov, Yuran Shi, Joseph M. DeSimone and Zhenan Bao

25 October 2023

Achieving a circular plastics economy is one of our greatest environmental challenges, yet conventional mechanical recycling remains inadequate for thermoplastics and incompatible with thermosets. The next generation of plastic materials will be designed with the capacity for degradation and recycling at end-of-use. To address this opportunity in the burgeoning technologies of 3D printing and photolithography, we report a modular system for the production of degradable and recyclable thermosets via photopolymerization. The polyurethane backbone imparts robust, elastic, and tunable mechanical properties, while the use of hemiacetal ester linkages allows for facile degradation under mild acid. The synthetic design based on hemiacetal esters enables simple purification to regenerate a functional polyurethane diol.

Review of high-performance sustainable polymers in additive manufacturing

Gloria Chyr and Joseph M. DeSimone

09 October 2022

Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly referred to as 3D printing, is viewed as a method of rapid prototyping and an alternative to traditional manufacturing. Recently, there has been increasing interest on sustainability of AM approaches and the materials that can be used. Advances in both AM technologies and polymer chemistry present multiple pathways for AM to become more sustainable, such as raw material sourcing, green synthesis, and end-of-life processing. This review provides a brief overview of AM techniques for polymers, sustainable sourcing of polymers in AM, and the advances of degradable/recyclable polymers in AM. It also provides a perspective of the potential role of AM in economic and chemical circularity, as well as opportunities for digital manufacturing for the future. Biodegradable materials for medical or other biological applications are beyond the scope of this review.

Patents

US Provisional Patent submitted for biomedical device related to stealth start-up. July 2023

Gloria Chyr

M.Sc. Materials Science, Stanford University

B.Sc. Materials Science, MIT

The Engineer

As a materials scientist and engineer, I am passionate about designing new materials and improving related processes for a sustainable future for all people. I have worked in multiple fields of materials including polymers, semiconductors, superconductors, and structural materials.

My laboratory skills include organic and inorganic synthesis, polymerization, 3D printing, and materials characterization (DSC, DMA, TGA, XRD, SEM, NMR, etc.). I love learning and am always honing my skills in science.

The Human Behind the Screen

I was born and raised in Hialeah, FL, a predominantly Cuban town just north of Miami. My biggest inspirations are my 3 older sisters who encouraged me to dream big and show the world what we're capable of. We were the first generation in our family to go to college. Now, we're a family of engineers, doctors, and scientists who are proud to represent #WomenInSTEM.

Outside of work, you can find me volunteering, gardening, gaming, and sewing. Currently, I am a volunteer with Minds Matter Bay Area to support high-achieving, low-income HS students apply to college.