"Designing Polymer Sequences for Charge Transport and Catalytic Activity"

This event is sponsored by FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering.

Abstract: Just as nucleotide and amino acid sequences encode biological information, the monomer sequence of a synthetic polymer acts as a molecular code that dictates polymer’s structure, function, and behavior. However, achieving precise sequence control during polymer synthesis and accurately sequencing synthetic polymers remain challenging. New approaches are needed to navigate the vast sequence space of synthetic polymers and accelerate materials discovery. In this seminar, I will present two complementary approaches for understanding sequence effects in synthetic polymers. First, by precisely controlling monomer sequences in π-conjugated structures, we demonstrate how subtle geometric effects can modulate molecular conductance by over 10-fold. Second, by tuning segmental sequence characteristics, we design enzyme-mimicking heteropolymers with broad catalytic activity, processing compatibility, and an expanded substrate scope including environmentally persistent chemicals. Together, these findings provide a blueprint for constructing functional polymers from the bottom up by designing their primary monomer sequences.

Dr. Hao Yu

Postdoctoral Fellow

California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences

University of California, Berkeley

Speaker Bio: Hao Yu is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3) at UC Berkeley. Working in the laboratory of Prof. Ting Xu, his research leverages computationally guided sequence design to develop protein-mimicking polymers. Previously, Hao completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with Profs. Jeff Moore and Charles Schroeder. During his Ph.D., Hao worked on a variety of topics ranging from the single-molecule charge transport in π-conjugated molecules to the synthesis of sequence-defined polymers using ribosomes