Interests:
My research interests are enzymatic treatment of cellulose substrates, environmental chemistry of textile processing and pyrolysis mechanisms in cellulose. Research on enzymes focuses on developing enzyme systems to provide scouring, dye penetration and bleaching. The systems include cellulases, pectinases, and oxidases. By using carefully engineered enzymes, more specific results can be produced with a reduction in chemical pollutants. Work in environmental chemistry of textile processing is concerned with toxicity, salt and heavy metal reduction, and modification of dyeing and treatment chemistries. Current pyrolysis research is on understanding the relationship between conventional thermal analysis and analytical pyrolysis when applied to cellulose.

Education:

Selected Publications/Presentations:
Y. Li and I. R. Hardin, "Enzymatic Scouring of Cotton: Effects on Structure and Properties", Textile Chemist and Colorist 29(8), 71-76, (1997).

I. R. Hardin, Y. Li and D. Akin, "Cotton Wall Structure and Enzymatic Treatments", Enzyme Applications in Fiber Processing, ACS Symposium Series 687, K-E. L. Eriksson and A. Cavaco-Paulo, Eds., 190-203, (1998).

Y. Li and I.R. Hardin, "Treating Cotton with Cellulases and Pectinases: Effects of Cuticle and Fiber Properties", Textile Research Journal 69(8), 671-679, (1998).

Y. Li and I.R. Hardin, “Enzymatic Scouring of Cotton - Surfactants, Agitation, and Selection of Enzymes”, Textile Chemist and Colorist 30(9), 23-29, (1998).

I.R. Hardin, H. Cao, S.S. Wilson and D.E. Akin, “Decolorization of Textile Wastewater by Selective Fungi”, Textile Chemist and Colorist 32(11), 38-42, (2000).

J. Kim and I.R. Hardin, “The Cuticular Structure of Cotton: What Does Enzymatic Scouring Do?”, Colourage Annual 2000, 43-48, (2001).

H. Cao, I.R. Hardin and D.E. Akin, "Optimization of Conditions for Microbial Decolorization of Textile Wastewater: Starch as a Carbon Source", AATCC Review 1(11), 37-42, October 2001.

I.R. Hardin and X. Zhao, “Progress in Developing Microbiological Treatments of Textile Waste Effluents and Natural Fibers”, 2002 International Conference on Advanced Fiber Materials, 123, September, 2002.

D.S. Himmelsbach, J. Kim, D.E. Akin and I.R. Hardin, “Chemical Structural Investigation of Cotton Seed Coat: Fourier-Transform Infrared Imaging and Histochemistry”, Textile Research Journal 73(4) 281-288, (2003).

D.E. Akin and I.R. Hardin, “Recent Research on Biotechnology in Textiles”, Colourage Annual 2004, 55-60, (2004).

X. Zhao, Y.P. Lu and I.R. Hardin, “Determination of Biodegradation Products from Sulfonated Dyes by Pleurotus ostreatus Using Capillary Electrophoresis Coupled With Mass Spectrometry”, Biotechnology Letters 27, 29-72, (2005).