Lei Zhu (Macromolecular Science and Engineering, CWRU)

Date: Mon. September 8th, 2025, 12:45 pm-1:45 pm
Location: Rockefeller 221 (Foldy Room) & Zoom
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Fluorine-Free Strongly Dipolar Polymers Exhibit Tailor-Made Ferroelectricity

Lei Zhu

Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University

Abstract: Current research on ferroelectric polymers centers predominantly on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based fluoropolymers because of their superior performance. However, they are considered “forever chemicals” with environmental concerns. We describe a family of rationally designed fluorine-free ferroelectric polymers, featuring a polyoxypropylene main chain and disulfonyl alkyl side chains with a C3 spacer: -SO2 CH2 CHRCH2 SO2 – (R = -H or -CH3 ). Both experimental and simulation results demonstrate that strong dipole-dipole interactions between neighboring disulfonyl groups induce ferroelectric ordering in the condensed state, which can be tailored by changing the R group: ferroelectric for R = -H or relaxor ferroelectric for R = -CH3. At low electric fields, the relaxor polymer exhibits electroactuation and electrocaloric performance comparable to state-of-the-art PVDF-based tetrapolymers.

Host: Xuan Gao 

Biographic Sketch: Professor Lei Zhu received his B.S. degree in Materials Chemistry in 1993 and M.S. degree in Polymer Chemistry and Physics in 1996 from Fudan University. He received his Ph.D. degree in Polymer Science from The University of Akron in 2000. After a two-year postdoctoral experience at the Maurice Morton Institute, University of Akron, he joined the Institute of Materials Science and Department of Chemical, Materials, and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Connecticut as an Assistant Professor. In 2009, he moved to the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering at Case Western Reserve University as an Associate Professor. In 2013, he was promoted to full Professor. His research interests include high-κ dielectric and ferroelectric polymers, organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials for advanced electrical applications. He is a recipient of the NSF Career Award, 3M Non-tenured Faculty Award, DuPont Young Professor Award, Rogers Teaching Excellence Award, and University of Akron Department of Polymer Science Distinguished Alumni Award. He has co-authored 260 refereed journal publications and 10 book chapters, and he has delivered over 200 invited presentations.