The McCarthy group uses chemistry and pretty much any other tool we can find to try to understand and control materials properties. We have predilections for polymers, surfaces and interfaces so our labs are well equipped to address questions in these areas. But we don't hesitate to do organic, inorganic, polymer or organometallic synthesis if the situation requires it. Neither do we hesitate to use the expertise and strength of the other groups in PSE - many of our situations turn out requiring this. We've had particular interests over the past 3 decades that include (a) polymer surface modification, (b) polymer adsorption, (c) chemistry and processing of supercritical fluid - swollen polymers, (d) gas separation and barrier materials, (e) metal, metal oxide and graphite surface chemistry (usually involving polymer interfaces, but also covalently attached monolayers), (f) plasma polymerization and chemical vapor deposition, and (g) wetting physics. We've also dabbled in a few other areas including (h) small polymer objects, (i) magnetic particles/ferrofluids and (j) using ionic liquids for various tasks. Current interests include silicones, thermal spray coating, the surface chemistry of several inorganic materials, and using the controlled wetting of particles and surfaces to make new things.