Francisco C Robles Hernández, Ph.D.
- University of Windsor, Materials Science and Engineering, Ph.D., 2004
- National Polytechnic Institute, Materials Science and Engineering, M.S., 1999
- National Polytechnic Institute, Materials Science and Engineering, B.S., 1996
- Advisor for Materials Technology Group
- University of Houston, Member of the Center of Advanced Materials (CAM), 2013-present
- University of Houston, MS Program Coordinator (Technology Department), 2009-present
- University of Houston, Assistant Professor (Technology Department), 2008-present
- Transportation Technology Center Incorporated (TTCI), Principal Investigator/Project Manager, 2005-2008
- NSERC/FORD-NEMAK/University of Windsor IRC, Research Assistant, 2000-2004
- IPN/Centre for Processing of Minerals and Advanced Materials, Research Assistant, 1997-1999
Nanostructured Materials
A major emphasis of Dr. Robles's research is given to nano-structured ceramic and metal matrix composites re-inforced with various types of carbon nanostructures. The intention of this research is to synthesize in-situ carbon nanostructures in the solid state. As a result it has been found a significant increase in properties including: hardness, electrical conductivity, fracture toughness among others.
Dr. Robles is conducting research in the area of sonochemistry for the synthesis of nanostructured titanium dioxide used for photocatalytic applications. The assisted synthesis of nanostructured titanium dioxide by means of sonochemistry has shown to be an ideal process to produce highly pure and nanostructured anatase and rutile that can be doped with various elements to have a direct effect on band-gap manipulation and hence photocatalytic efficiency. The recently developed methodology to produced titanium dioxide has proven to be effective to manipulate the band-gap in the range of 2-4 eV making this an ideal material for solar cell, sensors, and other photocatalytic uses.
Structural Materials
Dr. Robles through his career has been working with Ferrous (steels) and Non-Ferrous (e.g. aluminum) alloys and some of his areas of expertise and interest include alloy design, processing and post-processing, mechanical properties, etc. The main applications of structural materials include aluminum and steels for automotive and railroad applications.
- US Patent Number: US7559999, Publication Number: 20090053095 (2009), F. C. Robles Hernàndez, Daniel Hunter Stone, Railroad Steel Having Improved Resistant to Rolling Contact Fatigue.
- US Patent Number: US7591909, Publication Number: 20090051182 (2009), F. C. Robles Hernàndez, Daniel Hunter Stone, Railroad Wheel Steel Having Improved Resistance to Rolling Contact Fatigue.
- F. C. Robles Hernàndez, N. G. Demas, K. Gonzales, A. A. Polycarpou, Correlation
between Ball-on-disk Test and Full-scale Rail Performance Tests, Wear 270 (2011) 479-491. Feature as the 6th most downloaded paper from Jan-March 2011 and 17th place from Jan-Dec 2011. - Mohamed MA, Barnett B, Robles Hernàndez F.C., Eberth JF. "Quantifying Elastic Fiber Network Fragmentation Using Raman Spectroscopy," MAES 37th Annual Symposium, Oakland California (2011). Best Paper Award
- F. C. Robles Hernàndez, S. Cummings, S. Kalay, Dan Stone, "Development and Evaluation of Advanced Wheel Steels to Prevent Wheel Failures in North American Heavy Haul Operating Environment", International Heavy Haul conference, Shangai, China, June, 2009. Best Paper Award
- F. C. Robles Hernàndez, H. A. Calderon, COM conference held in Montreal, Canada 2002. Second Best Poster
- Scholarship: Master Degree Studies at the National Polytechnic in Mexico City by the "Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Techología" (CONACYT), 1996-1998, Mexico.
- Scholarship: PhD Degree Studies at the University of Windsor, Ontario Canada by the "Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Techología" (CONACYT), 2000-2004, Canada.
- Visa differential scholarship: for international students at the University of Windsor, Engineering Department, 2001-2004.
- Five Scholarships: American Foundry Society and Foundry Educational Foundation (USA) 2002-2004.
- Scholarship: North American Die Casting Association (NADCA), 2003.
- View Francisco Robles Hernández's Google Scholar Profile
Author's Contribution: Students are identified with an "§", Dr. F.C. Robles Hernandez listed as group leader "‡", and Dr. F.C. Robles Hernandez listed as main contributor "†".
Peer Review Papers
- A.M. Mitrasinovic, F.C. Robles Hernàndez, Comparison of solar silicon feedstock,
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 115, 1, 2014, 177-183. Doi:10.1007/s10973-013-3245-6. - C.N. Brysch§, M. Paterson§, R. Ordoñes Olivares, J. F. Eberth, F.C. Robles Hernàndez‡†, Chitosan and Chitosan Composites Reinforced with Carbon Nanostructures, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Accepted.
- L. X. Liao, Q. Zhang, Z. Su, X. Lu, D. Wei, G. Feng, Q. Yu, X. Cai, F.C. Robles Hernàndez, S. Baldelli, J. Bao, High-efficiency Solar Water Splitting by Nanocrystalline CoO Photocatalyst, Nature Nanotechnology, 9, 69-73-2014.
- A. J. Corsi§, F. C. Hernàndez Robles, Jack A. Neal, Electron Beam irradiation for the reduction of 2 4 6 trichloroanisole in wine cork, Journal of Food Quality Accepted.
Conferences (Presenter in Italics)
- F. C. Robles Hernàndez, H. A. Calderon, D. Barber§, A. Okonkwo§, J. Quintero§, R. Ordoñez Olivares, V. Hadjiev, F. Alvarez, Unprecedented elastic behavior induced by in situ reinforced all carbon composites, Monclova Coah., Mexico, "VII Congreso Internacional de Metalurgia y Materiales", April 3-4, 2014.
- I. Estrada-Guel, F.C. Robles Hernàndez, R. Martínez-Sànchez, A Green Method for Graphite Exfoliation Using a Mechanochemical Route, M&M 2014, August 3-7, Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT, 2014.
- I. Estrada-Guel, F.C. Robles Hernàndez, R. Martínez-Sànchez, A Green Method for Graphite Exfoliation, Effect of Milling Intensity, M&M 2014, August 3-7, Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT, 2014.
- Y. Wang§, S. Xing, X. Lu, F. Robles Hernàndez, S-S Pei, J. Bao, Twisted Bilayer Graphene with Controlled Rotation Angles, Bulletin of the American Physical Society, American Physical Society, Session B37: Focus Session: Graphene Stacking Sequence, Including Twisted Bilayers, March 3-7, 2014; Denver, Colorado.
Peer Review Proceedings
- H. A. Calderon, D. Barber, A. Okonkwo, R. Ordoñez Olivares, V. Hadjiev, F. C. Robles Hernàndez, Characterization of All Carbon Composites Reinforced with Insitu Synthesized Carbon Nanostructures, MRS Bulletin, Accepted, 2014.
Submitted
- A. K. P. D. Savio§, J. Fletcher§, R. Iyer, J. Bao, F. C. Robles Hernàndez‡†, Effective photodegradation of Paraoxon by means of doped TiO2, Submitted March 2014.
- I. Estrada-Guel, F.C. Robles Hernàndez, R. Martínez-Sànchez, A Green Method for Graphite Exfoliation Using a Mechanochemical Route, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 2014.
- I. Estrada-Guel, F.C. Robles Hernàndez, R. Martínez-Sànchez, A Green Method for Graphite Exfoliation, Effect of Milling Intensity, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 2014.
- Y. Wang§, Z. Su, W. Wu, S. Nie, X. Lu, H. Wang, K. McCarty, S.-S. Pei, F. Robles Hernàndez, V. G. Hadjiev, J. Bao, Four-fold Raman enhancement of 2D band due to quantum interference between two Raman pathways in twisted bilayer graphene
Under Review
- H. A. Calderon, D. Barber§, J. Quintero§, A. Okonkwo§, R. Ordoñez Olivares, F. Alvarez Ramirez, V. Hadjiev, F. C. Robles Hernàndez‡†, Elastic Phenomena and Effective Reinforcement by in situ synthesized Carbon Nanostructures, to be submitted to Nature Materials September 2013.
- F. C. Robles Hernàndez‡†, "Part 2: Metallurgy of the Al-Si Hypereutectic Alloys",
60 pages, to be submitted Fall 2014.