Alexei P. Sokolov

Alexei P. Sokolov is the UT-ORNL Governor's Chair and Professor of Chemistry and Physics at the University of Tennessee, with a joint appointment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). He leads the Soft Materials and Membranes group at ORNL and holds an adjunct professorship at Georgia Tech. Sokolov earned his M.S. in Physics from Novosibirsk State University (1981) and his Ph.D./Dr.Sci. from the Russian Academy of Sciences (1986/1993).

His research focuses on:

• Dynamics of soft materials (glass transition, polymer dynamics)
• Design of functional polymers for energy/sustainability
• Solid-state batteries and carbon-capture materials
• Self-healing/recyclable polymers and vitrimers

Recent publications emphasize polymer electrolytes, vitrimer mechanics, composite materials, and sustainable polymer design. His work consistently integrates fundamental physics with applications in clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

Honors:

• Fellow, American Physical Society
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Member, National Academy of Inventors

He advises ~30 researchers and has secured grants for projects on polymer electrolytes (DOE), sustainable composites (NSF), and battery technologies. His lab develops experimental tools for materials characterization and collaborates with national labs/industry.