Current Research Projects:
1. Controlled Structure Polymers via the Convergence of Synthetic Organic and Polymer Chemistries
2. Supramolecular Nanoassemblies of Surfactants, Polymers, and Functional Nanoparticles: Mechanism, Kinetic Processes, and Their Microstructural Fixation Z. Y. Zhu, S. P. Armes and S. Y. Liu*, "pH-Induced Micellization Kinetics of ABC Triblock Copolymers Measured by Stopped-Flow Light Scattering", Macromolecules,
38, 9803-9812 (2005). [PDF] Z. Y. Zhu, H. X. Xu, H. W. Liu, Y. I. González, E. W. Kaler and S. Y. Liu*, "Stabilization of Catanionic Vesicles via Polymerization", Journal of Physical Chemistry B,
110, 16309-16317 (2006). [PDF] J. Xu, Z. Y. Zhu, S. Z. Luo, C. Wu and S. Y. Liu*, "First observation of two-stage collapsing kinetics of a single synthetic polymer chain", Physical Review Letters, 96, 027802 (2006).
[PDF] D. Wang, T. Wu, X. J. Wan, X. F. Wang and S. Y. Liu*, "Purely Salt-Responsive Micelle Formation and Inversion Based on a Novel Schizophrenic Sulfobetaine Block Copolymer: Structure and Kinetics of Micellization", Langmuir, 23, 11866-11874 (2007).
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The Liu Research Group,
last modified
Dec 25 2012 8:28 PM Hit Count
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering @ University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui Province 230026, China
On the contrary to linear homopolymers and block copolymers, the fundmental physics and potential applications of non-linear shaped polymeric materials have remained to be less well-known. This research direction is geared toward preparing functional polymers with complex structures, e.g., macrocyclic, star, star block, linear-ring, ring-ring, ABC and ABCD heteroarm star, H and super-H shaped polymers, via the combination of ring-opening polymerization, controlled radical polymerization (RAFT, ATRP, and nitroxide-mediated), high vacuum anionic polymerization, and 'click' methodologies. Most of the recent efforts have been devoted to stimuli-reponsive water-soluble polymeric building blocks, resulting in multi-functional supramolecular assemblies.
The goal of this research direction is to understand the structure-functionality relationship and explore the architectural effects of water-soluble polymers in research projects including surface patterning, controlled drug release and delivery, gene transfection, and responsive/recyclable catalysis.
Recent Publications:
J. Xu, Z. S. Ge, Z. Y. Zhu, S. Z. Luo, H. W. Liu and S. Y. Liu*, "Synthesis and Micellization Properties of Double Hydrophilic A2BA2 and A4BA4 Non-Linear Block Copolymers", Macromolecules, 39, 8178-8185 (2006).
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J. Xu, J. Ye and S. Y. Liu*, "Synthesis of Well-Defined Cyclic Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) via Click Chemistry and Its Unique Thermal Phase Transition Behavior", Macromolecules, 40, 9103-9110 (2007).
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Z. S. Ge, Y. L. Cai, J. Yin, Z. Y. Zhu, J. Y. Rao and S. Y. Liu*, "Synthesis and ‘Schizophrenic’ Micellization of Double Hydrophilic AB4 Miktoarm Star and AB Diblock Copolymers: Structure and Kinetics of Micellization", Langmuir, 23, 1114-1122 (2007).
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T. Wu, Y. F. Zhang, X. F. Wang and S. Y. Liu*, "Fabrication of Hybrid Silica Nanoparticles Densely Grafted with Thermoresponsive Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Brushes of Controlled Thickness via Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization", Chemistry of Materials, 20, in press (2008).
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The goal of this research direction is to fabricate functional nanoassemblies with or without hierarchical order
in a precisely controllable manner, starting from understanding the mechanism and kinetics of the self-assembling process. Four related projects are: (1) probing the kinetics of supramolecular self-assembly of/between surfactants, polymers, and functional nanoparticles; (2) The covalent and noncovalent 'locking-in' of supramolecular nanoassemblies and endowing them with permanent or stimuli-responsive stability; (3) Synchorizing the the spatial ordering and/or growth of functional nanoparticle with the self-organization of block copolymers and surfactants; (4) Nanocomposite materials consisting of block copolymers and quantum dots self-assembled at the nanoscale, serving as multifunctional
materials for potential applications in optical, optoelectronic, and
sensory materials and devices.
Recent Publications:
S. Z. Luo, J. Xu, Y. F. Zhang, S. Y. Liu* and C. Wu, " Double Hydrophilic Block Copolymer Monolayer-Protected Hybrid Gold Nanoparticles and their Shell Cross-Linking", Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 109, 22159-22166 (2005). [PDF]
3. Molecular Recognition via Non-Covalent Interactions Including Host-Guest Inclusion, Metallo-Terpyridine, and Multiple Hydrogen Bonding Interactions
The goal of this newly launched research direction is to fabricate responsive materials possessing structural regularity and flexibility, which can be finely tuned with reversible molecular interactions at the microscale.
Recent Research Progress:
