Xinzhen Fan

Polymer chemistry and physics

Polymer Science

Polymer material and engineering

I synthesized a thermoresponsive complex of polymer/Ln³⁺ based on the synergy of ionic coordination and hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) through RAFT polymerization. This system integrates Ln³⁺ ions, which offer multicolor fluorescence, with a copolymer containing “antenna” ligands capable of dynamically coordinating with Ln³⁺. Through the antenna effect, the strong fluorescence of Ln³⁺ is activated via energy transfer from the antenna ligand under UV light. The response temperature of the poly(Am-co-MAUP)/Ln³⁺ complexes can be finely tuned by various factors synergistically, including polymer composition and Ln3+concentrations. This thermoresponsive system with tunable response temperature may be potentially used for multi-level information encryption and visual temperature sensing. This work is has been accepted by Science China Chemistry.

I reported a glassy-hydrogel approach to realize intrinsic RTP without the addition of luminophores or stiffening agents. The hydrogels are synthesized through copolymerization of a hydrophobic monomer, N-acryloyl-aminoundecanoic acid (NAUA), with a hydrophilic monomer, acrylamide (Am). The clustering of heteroatoms and electron-rich groups, induced by hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between the amide and the carboxylic acid, and H-bonds among carboxylic acid itself, has the potential to trigger phosphorescence emission. The hydrogel also exhibits shape memory with quick themo-softening behavior, which is induced by dissociation of H-bonds of amide and carboxylic acid groups in hydrophobic microdomain. The article of this work ‘Intrinsic Room-Temperature Phosphorescent Hydrogel Driven by Phase Separation and Glass Transition’ was published in Advanced Optical Materials.

I synthesized poly(N-acryloyl glycinamide) (PNAGA), an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) homopolymer, which was utilized to prepare core-shell microspheres. By copolymerizing NAGA with the hydrophilic comonomer acrylamide (AM), microspheres with soft shells were obtained, capable of assembling into colloidal crystals with bright iridescence at high concentrations. These colloidal crystals exhibited thermoresponsive properties governed by Bragg's law. The thermoresponsive behavior highlights their potential as temperature-sensing materials. The article of this work ‘Color-shifting Crystalline Colloidal Arrays from Polymers with Upper Critical Solution Temperature’ was published in Macromolecular Rapid Communications.

Inspired by the reversible luminescence of Euprymna scolopes based on the enrichment and efflux activities of Vibrio fischeri, we proposed a multifunctional RTP hydrogel information media with the capacity to reversibly modulate long-lived phosphorescence (lifetime of 396 ms, afterglow of 7 s). The mechanism of this achievement is the reversible introduction of Ca2+ions into the hydrogel system of polyacrylic acid/diethylenetriamine (PAA/DETA), which exhibits clustering-triggered emission of phosphorescence based on the multiple intermolecular interactions, including ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding (H-bonding), and charge-assisted H-bonding. The phosphorescence of the hydrogel presents thermoresponsiveness due to the dissociation of the intermolecular interactions at high temperature. Additionally, the design of local salt printing and water erasing enables the cyclic reversible edition of phosphorescence information. Furthermore, the shape memory and self-healing properties of the hydrogel enrich the multiple functions, rendering it a promising candidate as an information media. This work has been submitted to Nature Communications.

While both nanosilver and nanocopper have been reported to exhibit good antibacterial properties, each has its limitations. Silver-copper nanocomposites offer a broader-spectrum antibacterial effect. The antibacterial mechanism has been summarized as the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), destruction of bacterial cell walls, and the release of silver and copper ions. Silver-copper nanocomposites can be applied to metals such as stainless steel or polymers like polyurethane medical catheters through surface modification, introducing antibacterial properties. This project has been published in the journal Biology.

First author. Accepted by Science China Chemistry.

First author. Published in Advanced Optical Materials, 2402627, 2024.

First author. Published in Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 2401077, 2025.

First author. Published in the book Polymers at Nanoscale, 2024, pp. 171-201.

First author. Published in Biology, 137, 10, 2021.

Third author. Published in Giant, 100342, 20, 2024.

First author. Accepted by the book Encyclopedia of Aggregation-induced Emission.

Co-First author. Submitted to Nature Communications.

Responsible for teaching international chemistry curricula such as A-Level and IB.

Responsible for the research and development of polyurethane and polyester-based textile chemicals and dyeing auxiliaries.

1. Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Canada
2. Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Nature et Technologies Doctoral Fellowship, Government of Quebec, Canada
3. Bourse de Fin d'Études Doctorales scholarship, Université de Montréal, Canada.
4. Mobility grant for international research stay, Université de Montréal, Canada.
5. Team Leader, Undergraduate Innovation Experiment on "Polyurethane Wood Coatings," Northeast Forestry University, China
6. Third Prize, World Expo Special Competition, Heilongjiang Provincial Academic Competition For Undergraduate Students
7. Liangyou Wood Industry Enterprise Scholarship, Zhejiang Province, China
8. Recipient of First-Class or Second-Class Scholarship at Northeast Forestry University every semester