Mingjiang Zhong

Research Interests

• Materials Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry 

Research

The research conducted in the Zhong group relies on interdisciplinary applications of polymer science and engineering, synthetic and physical chemistry, catalysis, and materials characterization to address challenges in global health and sustainability. In particular, (macro)molecular design, site-specific modification, and precision characterization are used as tools to solve challenging limitations in these fields, yield basic knowledge of structure-property relationships for materials in specific applications, and generate next-generation materials. Current research interests are centered in: (1) developing scalable methods for the preparation of functional organic and hybrid materials; (2) applying polymeric and polymer-derived carbon materials for energy and environmental applications; (3) combining sophisticated molecular design and analysis techniques to understand complex soft matter behaviors.

Education

B.S. Peking University, 2008
Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon University, 2013
Postdoctoral Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013–2016

Honors

Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, 2022
3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award, 2020
National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2019
ACS PMSE Young Investigator, 2019
ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator, 2017
Guy C. Berry Graduate Research Award, Carnegie Mellon University, 2013
Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad, 2013
ACS POLY Award for Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research, ACS Polymer Division, 2013
Astrid and Bruce McWilliams Fellowship, Carnegie Mellon University, 2012

Recent Publications

Xue, Y.; Song, Q.; Liu, Y.; Smith, D.; Li, W.; Zhong, M., Hierarchically Structured Nanocomposites via Mixed-Graft Block Copolymer Templating: Achieving Controlled Nanostructure and Functionality. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 567–577.

Kaneda, M.; Dong, D.; Chen, Y.; Zhang, X.; Xue, Y.; Bryantsev, V.; Elimelech, M.; Zhong, M., Molecular Design of Functional Polymers for Silica Scale Inhibition. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2024, 58, 871–882.

Zhang, X.; Lin, F.; Cao, M.; Zhong, M. Rare Earth–Cobalt Bimetallic Catalysis Mediates Stereocontrolled Living Radical Polymerization of Acrylamides. Nat. Synth. 2023, 2, 855–863.

Liang, R.; Song, Q.; Li, R.; Le, A. N.; Fu, X.; Xue, Y.; Ji, X.; Li, W.; Zhong, M., Rapid Access to Diverse Multicomponent Hierarchical Nanostructures from Mixed-Graft Block Copolymers. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202210067.

Liang, R.; Xue, Y.; Fu, X.; Le, A. N.; Osuji, C. O.; Johnson, J. A.; Li, W.; Zhong, M., Hierarchically Engineered Nanostructures from Compositionally Anisotropic Molecular Building Blocks. Nat. Mater. 2022, 21, 1434–1440.

Cao, M.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, X.; Li, F.; Zhong, M., Expanding the Toolbox of Controlled/Living Branching Radical Polymerization through Simulation-Informed Reaction Design. Chem 2022, 8, 1460–1475.

Li, F.; Cao, M.; Feng, Y.; Liang, R.; Fu, X.; Zhong, M., Site-Specifically Initiated Controlled/Living Branching Radical Polymerization: A Synthetic Route Toward Hierarchically Branched Architectures. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 794–799.