RESEARCH INTERESTS
Driven by new synthetic capability, rational molecular design, and often pure curiosity, we are interested in the design, synthesis, and manipulation of novel organic and polymeric materials. We use a combination of organic and polymer chemistry, catalysis, and various advanced characterizations to create, control, and investigate unusual (macro)molecular structures and organic materials with tailored conformations, nanostructures, properties, and functions, which advance our fundamental understanding of emerging topics in chemistry and polymer science as well as target important technological applications.
Our research combines vigorous function-driven syntheses, which allow a freedom of design to create novel (macro)molecular motifs, as well as rigorous investigation of molecular and macroscopic properties and their relationships, which allow a molecular design of innovative materials.
1. Function-Driven, Catalysis-Enabled Syntheses of Polymers and Organic Materials.
Powerful and versatile catalytic chemistry has continuously stimulated the emergence of novel molecular scaffolds and new types of organic materials.
Our research combines vigorous function-driven syntheses, which allow a freedom of design to create novel (macro)molecular motifs, as well as rigorous investigation of molecular and macroscopic properties and their relationships, which allow a molecular design of innovative materials.
1. Function-Driven, Catalysis-Enabled Syntheses of Polymers and Organic Materials.
Powerful and versatile catalytic chemistry has continuously stimulated the emergence of novel molecular scaffolds and new types of organic materials.
1.1 We have developed efficient and versatile Catalytic Arene-Norbornene AnnuLation (CANAL) to synthesize microporous rigid ladder polymers and conjugated molecules containing antiaromatic cyclobutadienoids ― two distinct types of unusual materials for important applications in membrane gas separation and organic electronics, respectively, and understanding many fundamental questions.
1.2 Exploring strain and sterics, we have discovered diverse and surprising reactivities of cyclopropenes in olefin metathesis, from living homopolymerization to selective single addition to alternating polymerization, which are used to control monomer sequence, chain ends, and polymer architectures with high precision and efficiency.
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Key publications:
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 9922; Chem. Commun. 2016, 52, 9097; ACS Macro Lett. 2018, 7, 656; Chem 2019, 5, 2691; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 9922; Chem. Commun. 2016, 52, 9097; ACS Macro Lett. 2018, 7, 656; Chem 2019, 5, 2691; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019
2. Mechanically Tunable and Responsive Materials.
Mechanical stimuli are ubiquitous and vital in nature, underlying tactile and auditory sensation, muscle contraction, and many other physiological processes. Many biomacromolecules have unique micro- and macroscopic mechanical behaviors; many biological processes rely on transducing mechanical stimuli to various signals. However, it still remains a challenge to understand and manipulate mechanotransduction in synthetic materials and design materials that respond to force and mimick mechanical behaviors of natural systems.
Capturing the interplay between chemistry, force, and mechanical properties, we have developed:
Mechanical stimuli are ubiquitous and vital in nature, underlying tactile and auditory sensation, muscle contraction, and many other physiological processes. Many biomacromolecules have unique micro- and macroscopic mechanical behaviors; many biological processes rely on transducing mechanical stimuli to various signals. However, it still remains a challenge to understand and manipulate mechanotransduction in synthetic materials and design materials that respond to force and mimick mechanical behaviors of natural systems.
Capturing the interplay between chemistry, force, and mechanical properties, we have developed:
2.1 Force-responsive polymers that transduce mechanical stimuli into multifold drastic changes in intrinsic material properties. We designed and discovered new mechanophore monomers, diverse polymechanophores and their block copolymers, stress-induced self-assembly, and non-equilibrium dynamic effects, opening exciting avenues for developing stress-responsive materials with effective mechano-transduction, multifaceted functions, and dramatic, amplified response.
2.2 Biocompatible dynamic hydrogels with tunable mechanics and dynamics mimicking those of natural extracellular matrices. Using chemistry to tune the dynamic mechanical properties, we develop these network materials to connect molecular and macroscopic scales and for biomedical applications.
Key publications: Adv. Mater. 2018, 30, 1705215; Biomaterials 2018, 154, 213 |
We embrace the interdisciplinary, dynamic nature of our research program and closely collaborate with many research groups within and outside Stanford on various aspects of these projects.
We are grateful for funding from the following sources:
We are grateful for funding from the following sources: