Lorraine Francis

Lorraine Francis is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering. Her research focuses on the materials science and processing of coatings, ceramics, and composites, with emphasis on processing and microstructure control. She leads the Coating Process Fundamentals Program of IPRIME (Industrial Partnership for Research in Interfacial and Materials Engineering) and is principal investigator for the SCALE (Self-Aligned Capillarity Assisted Lithography for Electronics) research initiative.

Professor Francis's research interests span multiple areas of materials processing. Her primary focus is on coating and printing processes, which are fundamental to numerous products including adhesive tapes, magnetic storage media, and flexible electronics. She investigates processing and microstructure development of coatings prepared by liquid deposition followed by drying or curing. A significant research thrust involves printed electronics, where her group has developed innovative approaches for roll-to-roll manufacturing of electronic circuits from functional liquid inks. Additional research areas include liquid-based 3D printing, block copolymer modified epoxy composites, and ceramic/polymer composite materials. Her work frequently explores the connections between structure and properties in materials systems.

Analysis of Professor Francis's recent publications reveals strong trends in capillary flow phenomena, microstructure control in coatings, and printed electronics manufacturing. Her research demonstrates increasing integration of fundamental fluid mechanics with practical manufacturing challenges, particularly in roll-to-roll processes. The SCALE technology developed by her group represents a significant innovation that combines UV imprinting and inkjet printing to enable high-resolution, multilayer electronics on flexible webs. Her work consistently bridges fundamental scientific understanding with industrial applications through collaborations with IPRIME industry partners.

Professor Francis has mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, with recent advisees including Matt Hausladen, Annie Moorhead, and Jonathan Nyugen. Her research is supported through collaborations with industry partners via IPRIME and through grants from NSF and other funding agencies. She regularly presents her research findings at international conferences, including the International Coating Science and Technology Symposium.

Professor Francis leads the Francis Research Group, which maintains strong collaborations with other faculty including Professors Dan Frisbie, Frank Bates, Uwe Kortshagen, Xiang Cheng, and Satish Kumar. The group's facilities support research in coating process fundamentals, printed electronics, and materials characterization. Current research directions include advancing SCALE technology for printed electronics manufacturing, exploring fundamental aspects of capillary flow, and developing novel composite materials with tailored properties.