Abstract: Most of the conventional colloids and nanoparticles are homogeneous and spherical, however, we have invented new materials and structures utilizing anisotropic particles and molecules. One example is the amphiphilic Janus particles, which behave like small surfactant molecules. Another example is the biobased polymers that have distinctive confirmations. We have developed new technologies for building smart materials using these unique features.
Bio: Dr. Shan Jiang is an Associate Professor in the Materials Science and Engineering department at Iowa State University. He obtained his Ph.D. from 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 at the Dow Chemical Company Coating Materials as a research scientist before joining Iowa State University. Dr. Jiang has published more than 60 peer reviewed journal articles and 6 US patents. He has received multiple awards, including the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, the R&D 100 Award, ACS-PRF New Investigator Award, Miller Faculty Fellowship, 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award and the Siltech Best Paper Award.