Dr. Agustin Diaz is a recognized leader in the field of surface optimization for metal additively manufactured/3D-Printed (AM) components, with over 12 years of experience developing advanced post-processing technologies. He earned his Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico and conducted four years of postdoctoral research in Materials Science at Texas A&M University, working in both the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering departments.
At REM Surface Engineering, Dr. Diaz applies his deep expertise in chemical polishing (CP) and chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) to produce defect-free, high-performance metal AM parts, enhancing mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and reliability for critical applications. His work includes the development of tailored surface-finishing processes and the quantitative characterization of surface texture on components produced by powder-bed fusion and direct energy deposition methods.
Dr. Diaz is an accomplished researcher with 26+ peer-reviewed publications, 1,750+ citations (h-index = 22), multiple patents, and contributions to book chapters on AM surface science. He has served as a technical lead on SBIR programs funded by the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Energy, and NASA, advancing surface-finishing technologies toward industrial impact. He also contributes to standards development, including membership in the ASTM/ASME B46 Project Team 53 — Surface Finish for Additive Manufacturing.
In addition to his scientific and technological achievements, Dr. Diaz is Co-Founder and Marketing Editor of the LatinX Can Podcast, a bi-weekly series featuring interviews with Latinx professionals who share insights on how they turned their professional aspirations into reality in the United States.
Información de proyecto:
Drug Delivery Using Nanoparticles: Early in his career, Dr. Diaz researched the design and synthesis of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems. His work focused on controlling particle size, surface chemistry, and stability to enable targeted delivery and improved therapeutic efficiency. By tailoring the surface functionalization of inorganic and hybrid nanoparticles, Dr. Diaz explored strategies to enhance biocompatibility, regulate release behavior, and improve interaction with biological environments. This research laid a strong foundation in nanomaterials synthesis and characterization, bridging inorganic chemistry with biomedical applications.
Materials Science- Surface Modification and Nanoparticle Synthesis: Dr. Diaz has extensive experience in materials science research centered on surface modification and nanoparticle synthesis, particularly during his doctoral and postdoctoral work. His efforts included developing chemical routes to synthesize metallic and ceramic nanoparticles and engineering their surfaces to achieve controlled reactivity, stability, and functional performance. He employed advanced characterization techniques to correlate surface chemistry and morphology with material behavior, enabling the design of tailored surfaces for catalytic, structural, and functional applications.
Surface Finishing of Metal Additively Manufactured Components: Over the past 12 years, Dr. Diaz’s research has focused on the surface finishing and optimization of metal additively manufactured components to achieve superior mechanical and corrosion performance. He has led the development of chemical polishing (CP) and chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) processes that remove surface defects inherent to additive manufacturing, such as partially melted particles and surface-connected porosity. His work has demonstrated how controlled surface finishing significantly improves fatigue life, corrosion resistance, and reliability of components produced by powder-bed fusion and direct energy deposition methods. These technologies have been successfully transitioned through industry and government-funded programs, including SBIR projects for aerospace, defense, and energy applications.
