New degrees of molecular engineering in the design of functional materials
Molecular engineering is a promising approach for discovering functional organic and soft materials that complement inorganic materials. These materials have significant applications in energy storage, sustainability, information technology, and other fields. Conventionally, molecular engineering is defined as using organic chemistry to design and synthesize soft materials at the molecular scale. In this talk, I will discuss how expanding the boundaries of molecular engineering enables precise control over ion, electron, and spin transport in functional materials. First, I will introduce fused macrocycle-cage molecules as a novel design motif for ion-conducting organic materials. These molecules self-assemble into crystals that exhibit fast lithium-ion transport. Second, I will present hybrid mixed ionic-electronic heterostructures for electrolyte memory transistors, which offer a platform for neuromorphic computing. Finally, I will discuss the large-scale synthesis of chiral 2D polymer thin films from achiral monomers, with potential applications in spintronic devices.
Bio:Yu Zhong earned his B.S. in chemistry (2011) from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). In 2017, he received a Ph.D. degree in chemistry from Columbia University under the supervision of Prof. Colin Nuckolls. His graduate research was centered on designing contorted molecules for electronic and energy applications ranging from organic solar cells, photodetectors to gas sensors. Afterward, he conducted his postdoctoral research in Prof. Jiwoong Park’s group at the University of Chicago, where he worked on the design and synthesis of 2D polymers for ultrathin electronic circuits and energy conversion. As of July 2022, he is an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Cornell University. His research interest is developing novel soft materials and nanomaterials (organic electronic materials, porous polymers, hybrid 2D materials, etc.) for electronics, energy, healthcare, and sustainability applications.