Research
A general description of research scope of our group.
Polymeric materials provide integral structures in advanced technologies such as organic photovoltaics, nano-patterned devices, and smart pharmaceuticals. The unique physical properties of polymers arise from the structures of macromolecules and are remarkably enhanced by the confinement and interfacial effects which perturb glass transition dynamics in a length scale up to hundreds of nanometers. From a fundamental point of view, the glass transition of condensed matter including polymers is considered as one of the “most important outstanding questions in all of sciences”, many scientific challenges exist in the studies related to glass formation.
Our research group attempts to understand the thermodynamics and viscoelastic properties of nanoscopically confined polymers and to apply this understanding to the intelligent design of nanostructured polymeric materials with novel and intriguing properties for engineering applications in optics, energy, and other emerging technologies. The research program helps usher in a better understanding of polymers in nanoscale through the following activities:
- Explore the Dynamics and Thermoviscoelastic Behavior of Polymer Glasses under Nanoconfined Geometries;
- Design and Characterization of Nanostructured Ultra-stable Polymer Films for Applications in Optics and Energy.
There are some research topics that are of interest and will be pursued as well. Some of the topics of interest are:
- Anti-reflection coatings from nanostructured ultra-stable polymer films formed by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation;
- Measureing thermoviscoelastic properties of supported thin polymer films;
- Research of Micro Biomimetic Mechanical and Electrical System Based on Electroactive Polymer Gel.