TOPIC： Polymer nanocomposites for engineering and biomedical applications 
SPEAKER： Dr. Biqiong Chen, Senior Lecturer in Polymer Science, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK

TIME：OCTOBER 22 (Thursday)PM16:00   
LOCATION： 129 Room, Chemistry Building A (化学A楼129室) 
INVITER： Prof. Yong Zhang (张勇教授)
 

 Polymer Nanocomposites for Engineering and Biomedical Applications

Biqiong Chen

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom. Email: biqiong.chen@sheffield.ac.uk

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites have been a subject of research and innovation interests over the last two decades because additions of a small amount of nanoparticles, typically less than 10 wt.%, can provide significant enhancements on properties including mechanical, thermal and barrier properties. In this talk, I will give a brief introduction to the field of polymer nanocomposites and discuss our recent work on these materials. In particular, I will endeavor to explain why the presence of layered-structured nanoparticles such as clay and graphene in polymer matrices can improve the strength, stiffness, ductility and toughness concurrently, which is highly attractive in engineering applications. I will also introduce our recent research on the development of water-responsive polymer nanocomposites with shape-memory effects, biodegradable polymer nanocomposites, and nanocomposite foams and hydrogels for biomedical applications such as minimally invasive medical devices, tissue scaffolds and drug delivery.

Brief Biography

Biqiong Chen received her BSc from Donghua University, MSc from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and PhD from the University of London. Following her postdocotral research in London, she worked at Trinity College Dublin as a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) during 2008-2012. She is currently a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at the Universit yof Sheffield, leading the Polymer Nanocomposites Research Group in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Her research is focused on polymer nanocomposites, aiming to gain a better understanding of these materials and to explore their potential applications in engineering, energy and healthcare.