Synthesis, analysis, processing, engineering, and applications of smart polymers

Polymers have emerged as an indispensable part of everyday life (clothing, paints, food packaging, etc) and also serve as a catalyst for the development of new technological advances in transportation, electronics, and food, water and energy security, development of drug-polymer conjugate devices and drug delivery systems. We do research on polymers, including their synthesis (via ATRP, RAFT, click chemistry, free radical polymerization method and so on), analysis, processing, engineering, and applications. Surface and interfacial phenomena, polymers modifications, engineering of functional π-conjugated systems for electronic, photonic, and energy applications, synthetic strategies for degradable polymers derived from natural resources, polymers grafted to surfaces, preparation of cyclic polymer, biopolymers and biopolymer composites, cellulosic fiber as reinforcement material, conductive polymers, and block-copolymers are being widely investigated. Self-healing is one of the most fundamental properties of living tissues that allows them to sustain repeated damage. Such healing material could also be useful in the field of energy conservation and recycling where self-healing materials could help reduce industrial and consumer waste