Qing Wang | Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State

Qing Wang

Qing Wang
Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
N-322 Millennium Science Complex
(814) 863-0042
wang@matse.psu.edu
www.matse.psu.edu/wang

Biographical Sketch:

Coming soon.

Research Interests:

Functional polymers
Semiconducting polymers
Metal-containing polymers
Nanocomposites
Dielectric polymers
Organic thin films
Self-assembly
Molecular recognition
Supramolecular chemistry
Micro/nano-patterning
Optoelectronics
Molecular electronics
Sensors

Areas of Research:

The research programs in my laboratory are centered on using chemical and material engineering approaches towards the development of novel functional polymers and polymer nanocomposites with unique electronic, photonic and transport properties. The projects aim to improve fundamental understanding of polymers and polymer nanocomposites by investigating how molecular and multiple-scale assembled structures influence macroscopic physical properties. The research is highly multidisciplinary at the interface of several fields, including polymer and materials chemistry, structural characterization, materials processing, physical property measurement, and device engineering. Current interests involve the molecularly engineering dielectric properties of ferroelectric polymers for high-energy-density capacitors, developing polymer membranes with superb proton conductivity and electrochemical selectivity for fuel cells, and enhancing charge mobility in conjugate polymers for high-efficiency photovoltaic cells.
We are developing organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructures by incorporating inorganic nanoparticles into polymer matrix. These hybrids allow the remarkable physical properties of organic materials to be combined with their inorganic counterparts, thus presenting great opportunities for synergistic properties. By varying macromolecular architecture and utilizing the tailored interactions such as hydrogen bonding, molecular recognition, electrostatic, or dipolar associations, the nanoscopic organization and composition of functional components can be controlled to tune the functionality and property of the resulting composites. For instance, polymer nanocomposites have been prepared using ferroelectric polymers and surface-functionalized TiO2 and BaTiO3 nanoparticles. Substantial enhancements in electric displacement and energy density due to the interfacial polarization and the exchange coupling effect have been demonstrated in the nanocomposites. This work opens a new route towards high-performance dielectric nanocomposites by judiciously selecting a combination of polymer matrix and nanoparticles with balanced dielectric properties.

Technology Impacted By Research:

capacitors, photovoltaic cells, fuel cells, actuators, coatings, sensors, organic electronics, and polymer synthesis.

Journal Articles and Publications:

J. Li, J. Claude, L. E. Norena-Franco, S. I. Seok, Q. Wang, “Electrical Energy Storage in Ferroelectric Polymer Nanocomposites Containing Surface-functionalized BaTiO3 Nanoparticles,” Chem. Mater., 20, 6304 (2008).
Y. Lu, J. Claude, L. E. Norena-Franco, Q. Wang, “Structural Dependence of Phase Transition and Dielectric Relaxation in Ferroelectric Poly(vinylidene fluoride-chlorotrifluoroethylene-trifluoroethylene)s,” J. Phys. Chem. B, 112, 10411 (2008).
K. Xu, K, Li, P. Khanchaitit, Q. Wang, “Synthesis and Characterization of Self-assembled Sulfonated Poly(styrene-b-vinylidene fluoride-b-styrene) Triblock Copolymers for Proton Conductive Membranes,” Chem. Mater., 19, 5937 (2007).
K. Li, S. Liang, Y. Liu, Q. Wang, “Synthesis of Telechelic Fluoropolymers with Well-defined Functional End Groups for Cross-linked Networks and Nanocomposites,” Macromolecules, 40, 4121 (2007).
Y. Lu, J. Claude, B. Neese, Q. M. Zhang, Q. Wang, “A Modular Approach to Ferroelectric Polymers with Chemically Tunable Curie Temperatures and Dielectric Constants,” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 128, 8120 (2006).