Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
Hartquist Research Group (SNAP)
Led by Chase Hartquist · Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
What we study
This group studies how soft materials like polymer networks stretch and fail, from the molecular scale up, to design materials that resist breaking. Applications include medical devices.
What working here is like
- Building & testing
- Coding helps
- Papers
- 5
Recent papers, explained
- Extraordinarily high fractocohesive lengths in polymer-like networks
2026 · Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids
Shows how polymer networks resist cracks by dissipating energy over longer distances than expected.
- Loop closure grasping: Topological transformations enable strong, gentle, and versatile grasps
2025 · Science Advances
Designs a robotic gripper that changes shape to grasp objects gently and strongly.
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- Dynamic Rigidity Control for Supportive Sheaths in Endovascular Procedures
2025 · Journal of Biomechanical Engineering
Builds a flexible tube that stiffens on demand for medical procedures.
- Scaling Law for Intrinsic Fracture Energy of Diverse Stretchable Networks
2025 · Physical Review X
Finds a rule to predict how stretchy networks break, based on their structure.
- The Loop-Opening Model for the Intrinsic Fracture Energy of Elastomers
2025 · Macromolecules
Validates a model for how rubber breaks, using experiments on stretchy silicone.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
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