Peter Polyak, Ph.D.

Peter Polyak, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
The Ohio State University
polyak.10@osu.edu
Office: 
FABE Building Room 220
Phone: 
330-347-1905
Biography: 
  • 2025: Research Assistant Professor, The Ohio State University
  • 2024: Research Scientist, The Ohio State University
  • 2020: Assistant Professor, Budapest University of Technology and Economics
  • 2020: Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences, Graduated Summa Cum Laude

Research Profile - Google Scholar

 

Professional Information

Degrees & Credentials
Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, George Olah Doctoral School
M.S. in Polymer Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics 
B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Areas of Academic interest
Microbial polyesters (synthesis and depolymerization), application of biopolymers in the medical and pharmaceutical industry, manufacturing of drug carrier matrices, quantitative analysis and prediction of release kinetics, gene recombinant enzyme expression, enzyme catalysis and genetic engineering, enzyme kinetics, mathematical modeling of reaction kinetics, computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided engineering (CAE).

 

Professional Experience

Research Assistant Professor, 2025 - present
Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The Ohio State University

Research Scientist, 2024-2025
Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The Ohio State University

Assistant Professor, 2020-2023
Laboratory of Plastics and Rubber Technology
Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science
Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Lecturer, 2017-2020
Laboratory of Plastics and Rubber Technology
Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science
Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Intern, 2013
Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Chemical and Process Engineering
Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials
Technische Universität Graz

 

Additional Information: 

Relevant Publications

1. Articles in Refereed Journals

  1. Molnar, K., Kaszas, G., Polyak, P., Puskas, J.E., Comparative Macrostructural Characterization of Natural Rubbers from Transgenic Guayule by High Resolution Size Exclusion Chromatography, Rubber Chemistry and Technology, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5254/rct.25.00038
  2. Polyak, P., Chaber, P., Musioł, M., Adamus, G., Kowalczuk, M., Puskas, J.E., El Fray, M., Estimation of the Average Molecular Weight of Microbial Polyesters from FTIR Spectra Using Artificial Intelligence, Analytical Sciences, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44211-025-00780-2
  3. Devney, E., Polyak, P., Kaszas, G., Amstutz, N., Puskas, J.E., Cornish, K., Molnar, K., Microcompounding of Small Samples of Natural Rubber, Rubber Chemistry and Technology 98, 78-89, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5254/rct.24.00033
  4. Polyak, P., Sasidharan Pillai, A., Molnar, K., Mijowska, E., El Fray, M., Puskas, J.E.: Synthesis of biodegradable polydisulfides from renewable resources, Journal of Molecular Liquids 411, 125677, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2024.125677
  5. Polyak, P., Vadász, K.F., Tátraaljai, D., Puskas, J.E.: Preparation of surgical meshes using self-regulating technology based on reaction-diffusion processes, Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-024-03141-9
  6. Bordoloi, S., Devney, E.P., Polyak, P., Cornish, K., Sharma, B.K., Rajagopalan, N., Puskas, J.E., Baroi, C.: Reducing the carbon footprint of Hevea rubber carbon composites using surface-modified fly ash, Industrial Crops and Products 220, 119190, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.119190
  7. Virág, Á.D., Tóth, C., Polyak, P., Musioł, M., Molnár, K., Tailoring the mechanical and rheological properties of poly(lactic acid) by sterilizing UV-C irradiation, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 277, 134247, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134247
  8. Polyak, P., Mackei, F., Tóth, Á., Bredács, M.: Estimation of the mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) from IR data, Journal of Polymers and the Environment 31, 5185-5197, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-023-02934-7
  9. Polyak, P., Tóth, Á., Tátraaljai, D.: Preparation of highly porous scaffolds with controllable pore size from microbial polyesters, Periodica Polytechnica Chemical Engineering 67, 592-602, 2023. https://doi.org/10.3311/PPch.22771
  10. Polyak, P., Nagy, K., Vértessy, B., Pukánszky, B.: Self-regulating degradation technology for the biodegradation of poly(lactic acid), Environmental Technology & Innovation 29, 103000, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2022.103000
  11. Polyak, P., Móczó, J., Pukánszky, B.: Separation of monodisperse poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) particles by fractionation: Theory and practice, Powder Technology 403, 117383, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2022.117383
  12. Cui, L., Yi, L., Wang, Y., Zhang, Y., Polyak, P., Sui, X., Pukánszky, B.: Rheology of PLA/regenerated cellulose nanocomposites prepared by the pickering emulsion process: Network formation and modeling, Materials & Design 206, 109774, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2021.109774
  13. Polyak, P., Bartha, K., Pukánszky, B.: Quantitative determination of release kinetics from fibrous poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) scaffolds, Materials Science and Engineering: C 114, 111026, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2020.111026
  14. Hegyesi, N., Hodosi, E., Polyak, P., Faludi, G., Balogh-Weiser, D., Pukánszky, B.: Controlled degradation of poly-epsilon-caprolactone for resorbable scaffolds, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 186, 110678, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.110678
  15. Polyak, P., Tilinger, D.M., Pukánszky, B.: A simple spectroscopic method for the determination of the release kinetics of drugs from PHB, Polymer Testing 81, 106269, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2019.106269
  16. Menyhárd, A., Molnár, J., Horváth, Zs., Horváth, F., Cavallo, D., Polyak, P.: Self-organization of micro reinforcements and the rules of crystal formation in polypropylene nucleated by non-selective nucleating agents with dual nucleating ability, Polymer Crystallization 3, 10136, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/pcr2.10136
  17. Hegyesi, N., Zhang, Y., Kohári, A., Polyak, P., Sui, X., Pukánszky, B.: Enzymatic degradation of PLA/cellulose nanocrystal composites, Industrial Crops and Products 141, 111799, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.111799
  18. Polyak, P., Urbán, E., Nagy, G.N., Vértessy, B.G., Pukánszky, B.: The role of enzyme adsorption in the enzymatic degradation of an aliphatic polyester, Enzyme and Microbial Technology 120, 110-116, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enzmictec.2018.10.005
  19. Polyak, P., Dohovits, E., Nagy, G.N., Vértessy, B.G., Vörös, G., Pukánszky, B.: Enzymatic degradation of poly-[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]: mechanism, kinetics, consequences, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 112, 156-162, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.01.104
  20. Polyak, P., Szemerszki, D., Vörös, Gy., Pukánszky, B.: Mechanism and kinetics of the hydrolytic degradation of amorphous poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), Polymer Degradation and Stability 140, 1-8, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2017.03.021
  21. Polyak, P., Szemerszki, D., Benke, H.C., Pukánszky, B.: A novel method for the determination of diffusion coefficients in amorphous poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), Polymer Testing 63, 342-348, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2017.08.037
  22. Polyak, P., Rácz, P., Rózsa, P., Nagy, G. N., Vértessy, B.G., Pukánszky, B.: The novel technique of vapor pressure analysis to monitor the enzymatic degradation of PHB by HPLC chromatography, Analytical Biochemistry 521, 20-27, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ab.2017.01.004
  23. Hári, J., Polyak, P., Mester, D., Mičušík, M., Omastová, M., Kállay, M., Pukánszky, B.: Adsorption of an active molecule on the surface of halloysite for controlled release application: Interaction, orientation, consequences, Applied Clay Science 132-133, 167-174, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2016.06.001

 

2. Book Chapters

  1. Puskas, J.E., Polyak, P., Kaszas, G., Carbocationic Polymerization, in: Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Ed.: Matyjaszewski, K., 4th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 2025, ISBN: 9781118633892, eISBN: 9780471440260 https://doi.org/10.1002/0471440264.pst040.pub3
  2. Puskas, J.E., Polyak, P., Krisch, E., Molnar, K., Green Polymer Science: Enzyme-Catalyzed Structure Assembly - Mini Review of a Patented Method, in: Sustainable Green Chemistry in Polymer Research. Volume 1. Biocatalysis and Biobased Materials, Eds.: Cheng, H.N., Gross, R.A., American Chemical Society, Washington D.C., 2023, pp. 17-37. eISBN: 9780841296930 https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2023-1450.ch002