Abstract:

The intermolecular interactions and surface characteristics of materials mostly determine their physicochemical properties and functionalities. Characterization of the intermolecular and surface interaction mechanisms (e.g., adhesion) in soft materials (e.g., surfactants, polymers, biopolymers) and engineering systems (e.g. stabilization/destabilization of water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions, adsorption of proteins in bioengineering, and removal of pollutants in wastewater treatment) has attracted much research interest. In this talk, the basics of intermolecular and surface forces and some commonly used nanomechanical techniques, such as surface forces apparatus and atomic force microscope coupled with drop/bubble probe, will be briefly introduced. The recent progress on how we applied these advanced nanomechanical techniques for quantifying intermolecular and surface interactions of polymer materials, biological and engineering systems will be presented. The fundamental interaction mechanisms elucidated have been further applied for the development of advanced multifunctional soft materials (e.g., self-healing polymers/hydrogels, anti-fouling surfaces, wet adhesives) with important engineering, bioengineering and environmental applications (several examples will be given).

Hongbo Zeng picBiography:

曾宏波为加拿大阿尔伯塔大学化学工程和材料工程系终身教授, 加拿大工程院院士、国家讲席教授 、分子力与界面科学首席专家、加拿大皇家科学院青年院士。获清华大学工学学士和硕士学位，美国加州大学圣芭芭拉分校博士学位。目前研究和教学方向主要包括胶体与界面科学、高分子材料、分子和纳米力学、以及各种工程过程(化工、矿物、石油和环境工程)的界面现象等。其实验室能对各种复杂流体和材料体系中相关分子间和界面间作用力进行直接测量和分析, 部分仪器和实验方法为独立开发。已在高水平SCI期刊发表论文>256篇，撰写和主编专著一部。获Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award (2013)，Martha Cook Piper Research Prize (2016), The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering Lectureship Award (2016), 加拿大化学和化工学会 Hatch Innovation Award (2018)，国际杰出青年化学工程师奖 (2019), 加拿大自然科学与工程研究理事会(NSERC) E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship (2019)等，2017年被授予加拿大国家讲席教授(Canada Research Chair, Tier 1)，2018年当选加拿大皇家科学院青年院士，2019年当选加拿大工程院院士。

欢迎广大老师和同学们参加！