Seminar Speaker: Shan Jiang, Iowa State University

Breaking the Symmetry: from Nanoparticle Self-Assembly to In-Space Manufacturing

Abstract

Most of the conventional colloids and nanoparticles are homogeneous and spherical. We have developed new platforms by utilizing anisotropic particles and molecules, which have shown interesting properties that have not been discovered. One example is the amphiphilic Janus particles, which behave like small surfactant molecules, adsorbing strongly at interface and assembling into clusters. Taking advantage of these features, we have developed novel coating materials with superior performance. Another example is the biobased polymers that have unique confirmations. By exploring the interactions between biobased polymers and nanoparticles, we have developed applications in surface modification and in-space manufacturing of electronics. These new technologies offer platforms for building smart materials that can be broadly applied in areas including surface protection, sensing, biomedical application, and additive manufacturing.

Biography

Dr. Shan Jiang is an Associate Professor in the Materials Science and Engineering department at Iowa State University. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working with Professor Steve Granick on Janus particles. After graduation, he furthered his study at MIT Langer lab as a postdoc. He then worked as a research scientist at the Dow Chemical Company Coating Materials. He was the Dow Certified Green Belt Project Leader and worked on binder platform development for different products. Dr. Jiang has published more than 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and 6 US patents. His work has been featured on the covers of journals including Materials Horizons and Nano Letters. Dr. Jiang was awarded the Racheff-Intel Award for Outstanding Graduate Research. The technology he participated in developing at Dow received the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award and the R&D 100 Award. He also received the ACS Younger Chemists Committee Leadership Development Award, ACS-PRF New Investigator Grant Award, Early Achievement in Teaching Award, Dean’s Excellence in Learning and Teaching Grant, Miller Faculty Fellowship, the Education Leadership Award, VentureWell Grant and the 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award and Siltech best paper award. His lab has received funding support from multiple federal agencies including NSF, USDA and NASA.