Associate Professor Ge Zhang
The Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics of Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, China
Title: Molecular Engineering of Conjugated Polymers: From Precise Design to Flexible and Intelligent Applications
Abstract:
The rapid advancement of flexible electronics—enabling human-machine interaction, wearable health monitoring, and soft robotics—is driving a paradigm shift from rigid to flexible systems. However, a critical bottleneck remains: the inherent trade-off between achieving high performance and ensuring long-term stability in flexible electronic materials. Our group addresses this challenge through precision molecular engineering, treating conjugated polymers as a “materials genome” to tailor properties via precise control over main chains, side chains, and heteroatom substitution.
Based on three major platforms—polyfluorenes, polythiophenes (PEDOT), and polyfluorene derivatives—we have developed three regulatory strategies: side-chain/functional group engineering for specific recognition and interface compatibility; atom substitution engineering (F-induced conformational locking and D-enhanced intrinsic bonding) dramatically improving cycling stability (deuterated PEDOT retains 95% stability after 300,000 cycles); and crosslinking/network engineering to construct robust three-dimensional frameworks that enhance mechanical integrity and ion transport.
Applications focus on three areas: (1) an ultra-sensitive, biodegradable fluorescence sensing platform for agricultural and environmental monitoring, achieving ppb-level detection of heavy metals (Cr(VI), Fe3+); (2) highly stable integrated electrochromic supercapacitors with specific capacitance exceeding 300 F/g, combining energy storage with real-time state visualization; (3) an intelligent resource recovery platform for national strategic needs, featuring an “electrostatic pre-enrichment and precise chelation locking” strategy for highly selective uranium extraction from seawater. Through our integrated pipeline of “molecular design—property modulation—device integration,” we aim to deliver core material solutions that combine high performance with exceptional stability for flexible intelligent systems.
Biography:
Dr. Ge Zhang is an Associate Professor and Master’s Supervisor at the Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics of Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University. She earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science from Shandong University and was a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Chemistry at Tsinghua University. Dr. Zhang is a recipient of the Jiangxi Provincial Outstanding Youth Science Foundation Award and has been honored with several titles, including “Outstanding Young Talents,” “Research Star,” and “Women’s Role Model” by her university.
She has published over 40 peer-reviewed papers as the first or corresponding author in prestigious international journals such as Advanced Materials, Energy Storage Materials, and Biosensors and Bioelectronics. Her work has been highlighted in three international science and technology news outlets. She holds nine authorized Chinese invention patents and has contributed one chapter to an English-language academic monograph. Her research focuses on the molecular design and performance modulation of novel conductive polymer materials to construct high-performance flexible optoelectronic devices, with applications extending to nuclear resource extraction and intelligent controlled release of nuclear medicines. Dr. Zhang has led two projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Young Scientists and Regional Programs), five provincial-level projects including the Jiangxi Provincial Outstanding Youth Science Foundation, and three industry-sponsored projects. She serves as the Executive Chair of the Expert Think Tank for New Quality Materials and is a member of the Chinese Chemical Society.
Dr. Zhang is also a dedicated educator, having supervised 14 master’s students and two doctoral students (with 10 master’s students already graduated). Her students have received numerous accolades, including five National Scholarships, three Provincial Scholarships, and one award for the Provincial Outstanding Master’s Thesis. Seven of her students have pursued Ph.D. studies at leading universities such as the University of Macau, Xiamen University, Dalian University of Technology, and South China University of Technology.