Bin Zhao
Associate Professor
Polymer Chemistry
Environmentally responsive polymers and polymer brushes; "living"/controlled polymerization; polymer surface chemistry
B.S., University of Science and Technology
of China (1992)
M.S., University of Science and Technology
of China (1995)
Ph.D., University of Akron (2000)
Additional Information
Research
Our research involves the synthesis and study of environmentally responsive polymeric materials. These soft materials can undergo spontaneous structural changes and exhibit different properties upon application of external stimuli. Two classes of responsive polymeric systems, thermosensitive water-soluble polymers and environmentally responsive polymer brushes, are being developed and investigated in our laboratory. In general, we use "living"/controlled polymerization techniques (atom transfer radical polymerization, nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, ring-opening polymerization, etc.) to synthesize polymers and polymer brushes with controlled molecular weights, narrow polydispersities, and defined architectures. These materials have great potential in technological applications. In particular, we are pursuing the use of stimuli-sensitive soft materials in the development of novel supported catalysts..
Recent publications
Temperature- and pH-triggered reversible transfer of doubly responsive hairy particles between water and a hydrophobic ionic liquid. Horton, J. M.; Bao, C. H.; Bai, Z. F.; Lodge, T. P.; Zhao, B. Langmuir 2011, 27, 13324-13334.
Enzyme-induced formation of thermoreversible micellar gels from aqueous solutions of multireponsive hydrophilic ABA triblock copolymers. Woodcock, J. W.; Jiang, X. G.; Wright, R. A. E.; Zhao, B. Macromolecules 2011, 44, 5764-5775.
Tuning of thermo-triggered gel-to-sol transition of aqueous solution of multi-responsive diblock copolymer poly(methoxytri(ethylene glycol) acrylate-co-acrylic acid)-b-poly(ethoxydi(ethylene glycol) acrylate). Jin, N. X.; Woodcock, J. W.; Xue, C. M.; O'Lenick, T. G.; Jiang, X. G.; Jin, S.; Dadmun, M. D.; Zhao, B. Macromolecules 2011, 44, 3556-3566.
Rheological properties of aqueous micellar gels of a thermo- and pH-sensitive ABA triblock copolymer. O'Lenick, T. G.; Jin, N. X.; Woodcock, J. W.; Zhao, B. J. Phys. Chem. B. 2011, 115, 2870-2881.
Spontaneous phase transfer of thermosensitive hairy particles between water and an ionic liquid. Horton, J. M.; Bai, Z. F.; Jiang, X. M.; Li, D. J. Lodge, T. P.; Zhao, B. Langmuir, 2011, 27, 2019-2027.
Homo- and hetero-particle clusters formed by Janus nanoparticles with bicompartment polymer brushes. Wang, B. B.; Li, B.; Dong, B.; Zhao, B.; Li, C. Y. Macromolecules, 2010, 43, 9234-9238.
Microphase separation of high grafting density asymmetric mixed homopolymer brushes on silica particles. Jiang, X. M.; Zhao, B.; Zhong, G. J.; Jin, N. X.; Horton, J. M.; Zhu, L.; Hafner, R. S.; Lodge, T. P. Macromolecules 2010, 43, 8209-8217.
Janus gold nanoparticle with bicompartment polymer brushes templated by polymer single crystals. Wang, B. B.; Dong, B.; Li, B.; Zhao, B.; Li, C. Y. Polymer, 2010, 51, 4814-4822.
Evolution of phase morphology of mixed poly(t-butyl acrylate)/polystyrene brushes on silica particles with the change of chain length disparity. Jiang, X. M.; Zhong, G. J.; Horton, J. M.; Jin, N. X.; Zhu, L.; Zhao, B. Macromolecules 2010, 43, 5387–5395.
Dually responsive aqueous gels from thermo- and light-sensitive ABA triblock copolymers. Woodcock, J. W.; Wright, R. A. E.; Jiang, X. G.; O'Lenick, T. G.; Zhao, B. Soft Matter, 2010, 6, 3325-3336.
Thermosensitive aqueous gels with tunable sol-gel transition temperatures from thermo- and pH-sensitive hydrophilic ABA triblock copolymer. O'Lenick, T. G.; Jiang X. G.; Zhao, B. Langmuir 2010, 26, 8787–8796.
Biographical sketch
Dr. Zhao received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in polymer chemistry from the University of Science and Technology of China in 1992 and 1995, and his Ph.D. degree in polymer science from the University of Akron in 2000. After completing his postdoctoral research in Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Zhao joined the faculty of the University of Tennessee in 2002.
Bin Zhao
Department of Chemistry
509 Buehler Hall
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-1600
Phone: (865) 974-3399
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