Xinzhen Fan

Polymer chemistry and physics

Polymer Science

Polymer material and engineering

In 2023, I enrolled in a part-time program of Data Science offered by WeCloudData, which provided courses in SQL, Python, NumPy, Pandas, and Machine Learning, along with relevant projects over a six-month period.

The thermosensitive core-shell structured photonic crystals with upper critical solution temperature (UCST) can be applied as temperature indicators and contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanism of UCST. Photonic crystals are commonly found in nature, displaying vibrant and colorful appearances. Artificially synthesized nanoparticles, ranging in size from approximately 100 to 600 nanometers, can be arranged in a highly uniform and ordered fashion, enabling the production of photonic crystals for practical use. The core-shell structured photonic crystals have a polymer shell with UCST thermosensitivity. While LCST photonic crystals of this kind have been reported previously, UCST has remained underreported due to its higher sensitivity to external disturbances. In this study, photonic crystals with high size uniformity and excellent optical properties were prepared. Various UCST polymers, both homopolymers and copolymers, were tested as shells, and the study concluded that the molecular weight of the polymer has a significant impact on UCST properties. This research was published as a book chapter.

Room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) has emerged as a new direction in recent years, with potential applications in fields such as information encryption, medical imaging, and agricultural technology. While solid RTP materials have been reported, the sensitivity of phosphorescence to oxygen and water makes it easily quenched, making the preparation of RTP hydrogels difficult. This project successfully developed an intrinsic RTP hydrogel using a copolymerization method involving hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers. The synergistic effect of hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding helps form hydrophobic microdomains within the hydrogel, protecting the carbonyl and amide group-based heteroatom clusters from quenching by water molecules. This study represents the world’s first example of a simple RTP hydrogel without doping, dyes, or blending. The results of this project have been submitted to Science Advances.

Previous reports on UCST polymers have focused entirely on hydrogen bonds or ionic bonds within the polymer. This research adds valuable insight into the mechanism of UCST polymers. The fluorescence color of the polymer also changes with temperature. By synthesizing a coordinating monomer and RAFT copolymerizing it with acrylamide, a water-insoluble polymer was prepared. After adding a coordinating ion, Eu ion, the polymer exhibited UCST behavior, suggesting that ion coordination disrupts the hydrophobic interaction of the ligand and works in conjunction with hydrogen bonding to induce UCST behavior. Simultaneously, red fluorescence from the Eu ion can be generated through the antenna effect. When the temperature drops below the UCST, the polymer aggregates through ionic coordination and hydrogen bonding, causing the Eu ion to emit red fluorescence via the antenna effect. When the temperature rises above the UCST, the hydrogen and coordination bonds break, causing the Eu ion’s fluorescence to disappear, achieving a temperature-responsive fluorescence phenomenon suitable for temperature sensors. The manuscript for this project is under submission.

Traditional cluster-induced room-temperature phosphorescent polymer materials require water isolation and low temperatures. In contrast, this project developed a polymer hydrogel that triggers phosphorescence upon heating, overcoming the quenching effect of water and the harsh requirement of low temperatures. This hydrogel also possesses shape-memory and self-healing capabilities, along with excellent mechanical properties. It challenges the traditional methods for preparing phosphorescent materials and significantly expands the application range of phosphorescent polymer materials. This work is ongoing.

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. Published in Biology, 2021, 10(2): 137.

First author. Published in World Scientific

First author. Submitted to Science Advances

Forth author. Accepted by Giant.

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.

Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Canada

FRQNT Doctoral Fellowship, Government of Quebec, Canada

Outstanding Youth League Member, Northeast Forestry University

Organizational Committee Member, Party Branch for Polymer Major, Northeast Forestry University

Academic Representative, Polymer Major, Northeast Forestry University

Team Leader, Undergraduate Innovation Experiment on "Polyurethane Wood Coatings," Northeast Forestry University

Third Prize, World Expo Special Competition, Heilongjiang Provincial Academic Competition for University Students

Liangyou Wood Industry Enterprise Scholarship, Zhejiang Province

Recipient of First-Class or Second-Class Scholarship at Northeast Forestry University every semester