Sinan Keten
Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Northwestern University
2145 Sheridan Road, Room A133
Evanston, IL60208, USA

TEL: (847) 491-5282
FAX: (847) 491-3915

email: s-keten@northwestern.edu

BS Civil Engineering, Bogazici University (Turkey), 2005
MS Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006
PhD Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010

Research link: Nanoscale Mechanics and Dynamics

Honors and Awards

Research: Atomistic modeling and simulation, nano-scale mechanics and dynamics, bioinspired and biological materials

Professor Keten's research interests can be broadly defined in the field of computational mechanics and nanodynamics. Using tools of theoretical mechanics, atomistic simulation and multi-scale modeling, the aim of his research is to understand a variety of nano-scale phenomena related to structure, formation, deformation, fracture and degradation of soft materials. The approach is based on the molecular dynamics method, a powerful and versatile tool for simulating the time-dependent response of materials to external factors, such as mechanical forces, chemical reagents, or temperature variations. A common underlying theme of his research is bioinspiration, where synthesis processes and material design principles from nature are investigated to lay the conceptual foundation necessary for the development of novel organic polymers used in renewable energy, nanotechnology products and biomaterials.

In the classroom

Sinan Keten's teaching interests include mechanics of materials, statics and dynamics classes at the undergraduate level, as well as atomistic modeling and simulation of materials. He is also interested in the development of online simulation tools that provide for a hands-on, practical learning environment for students.

Selected publications

S. Keten, M. J. Buehler, "Nanostructure and molecular mechanics of dragline spider silk protein assemblies", Journal of the Royal Society - Interface, in press, published online June 2, 2010, doi: 10.1098/rsif.2010.0149

Andrea Nova, Sinan Keten, Nicola Pugno, Alberto Redaelli, and Markus J. Buehler, "Molecular and Nanostructural Mechanisms of Deformation, Strength and Toughness of Spider Silk Fibrils", Nano Letters, 2010, 10(7), p. 2626-2634

S. Keten, M. J. Buehler, "Atomistic model of the spider silk nanostructure", Applied Physics Letters, 2010, 96: p. 153701 (Cover article)

Keten, S. J. Bertaud, D. Sen, Z. Xu, T. Ackbarow, M.J. Buehler, "Computational scale linking in biological protein materials", Trends in Computational Nanomechanics: Transcending Time and Length Scales (series: challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry and Physics), Springer (Ed. T. Dumitrica), 2010, Volume 9, 473-533

S. Keten, Z. Xu, B. Ihle, M. J. Buehler, "Nanoconfinement controls stiffness, strength and mechanical toughness of β-sheet crystals in silk", Nature Materials, 2010, 9, p. 359-367

R. Paparcone, S. Keten, M.J. Buehler, "Nanomechanical properties of Alzheimer's Aβ(1-40) amyloid fibrils under compressive loading", Journal of Biomechanics, 2010, 43(6): p. 1196-1201

M. Srinivasan, S.G.M. Uzel, A. Gautieri, S. Keten, M. J. Buehler, "Alport Syndrome mutations in type IV tropocollagen alter molecular structure and nanomechanical properties". Journal of Structural Biology, 2010, 168(3): p. 503-510

M. J. Buehler, S. Keten, "Colloquium: Failure of molecules, bones, and the Earth itself", Reviews of Modern Physics, in press. Highlighted by M. Buchanan, "Learning from Failure", Nature Physics, 2009, 5(705)

S. Keten, J. F. R. Alvarado, S. Müftü and M. J. Buehler, "Nanomechanical characterization of the triple β -Helix domain in the cell puncture needle of bacteriophage T4 Virus", Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering, 2009, 2(1): p. 66-74

T. Ackbarow, S. Keten, and M.J. Buehler, "A multi-timescale strength model of alpha-helical protein domains". Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 2009, 21(3): p. 035111

M. J. Buehler, S. Keten, and T. Ackbarow, "Theoretical and computational hierarchical nanomechanics of protein materials: Deformation and fracture". Progress in Materials Science, 2008, 53(8): p. 1101-1241

S. Keten and M.J. Buehler, "Geometric confinement governs the rupture strength of H-bond assemblies at a critical length scale". Nano Letters, 2008, 8(2): p. 743-748

S. Keten and M.J. Buehler, "Asymptotic strength limit of hydrogen bond assemblies in proteins at vanishing pulling rates". Physical Review Letters, 2008, 100: p. 198301

S. Keten and M.J. Buehler, "Large deformation and fracture mechanics of a beta-helical protein nanotube: Atomistic and continuum modeling". Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 2008, 197(41-42): p. 3203-3214

S. Keten and M.J. Buehler, "Strength limit of entropic elasticity in beta-sheet protein domains". Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics), 2008, 78(6): p. 061913

M. J. Buehler and S. Keten, "Elasticity, strength and resilience: A comparative study on mechanical signatures of α-Helix, β-sheet and tropocollagen domains". Nano Research, 2008, 1(1): p. 63-71

T. Ackbarow, X. Chen, S. Keten, M. J. Buehler, "Hierarchies, multiple energy barriers, and robustness govern the fracture mechanics of alpha-helical and beta-sheet protein domains". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2007, 104(42), pp. 16410-16415 (Cover article)

H. Lus, C.O. Aydin, S. Keten, H. Unsal, A.R. Atilgan, "El Farol revisited", Physica A-Statistical Mechanics And Its Applications, 2005, 346 (3-4) p. 651-656