Affiliations

• Chemistry

Education Profile

• Research Associate, Imperial College London, 2021-2024
• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, 2021
• BEng, Zhejiang University, 2016

Research Interests

Professor Wang’s research focuses on the function-led design and synthesis of polymeric materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion, aimed at facilitating the global transition to net-zero carbon emissions. Recognized in Forbes 30 under 30 Europe, he has also received the Energy Sector Award and the Horizon Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Future Faculty award from the American Chemical Society. His work explores the fundamental correlations between confined ionic and molecular transport and the polymer structures extending from the atomic scale to the macroscopic level. Research areas include: 1. Synthesis of nanoporous, ionic polymers with complex architectures (block, star, dendritic, and sequence-defined polymers) through exquisite monomer design and controlled, living polymerization, 2. Manufacturing these materials into functional forms like thin films, ion-selective membranes, and complex multi-component structures, 3. Structural control at all length scales, from covalent to higher-order structures, including nanoporosity, self-assembled microstructures, and interfaces in multicomponent composites, And ultimately, 4. Applications in electrochemical devices (batteries, fuel cells, and electrolyzers for hydrogen production), molecular separations, and pollution remediation for water purification.

Selected Publications

• Wang, Tan, Liu, Lu, Wei, Alvarez-Fernandez, Ye, Breakwell, Guldin, Kucernak, Jelfs, Brandon, McKeown and Song, 2023, Ion-selective microporous polymer membranes with hydrogen-bond and salt-bridge networks for aqueous organic redox flow batteries: Advanced Materials, 35.12, 2210098.
• Wang†, Tan†, Breakwell, Wei, Fan, Ye, Malpass-Evans, Liu, Zwijnenburg, Jelfs, McKeown, Chen and Song, 2022, Solution-processable redox-active polymers of intrinsic microporosity for electrochemical energy storage: Journal of the American Chemical Society, 144.37, 17198-17208.
• Ye†, Wang†, Breakwell, Tan, Bezzu, Hunter-Sellars, Williams, Brandon, Klusener, Kucernak, Jelfs, McKeown and Song, 2022, Development of efficient aqueous organic redox flow batteries using ion-sieving sulfonated polymer membranes: Nature Communications, 13, 3184.
• Ye†, Tan†, Wang†, Chen, Comesaña Gándara, Breakwell, Alvarez-Fernandez, Fan, Weng, Bezzu, Guldin, Brandon, Kucernak, Jelfs, McKeown and Song, 2022, Long-life aqueous organic redox flow batteries enabled by amidoxime-functionalized ion-selective polymer membranes: Angewandte Chemie International Edition, e202207580.
• Tan†, Wang†, Malpass-Evans, Williams, Zhao, Liu, Ye, Zhou, Darwich, Fan, Turcani, Jackson, Chen, Chong, Li, Jelfs, Cooper, Brandon, Grey, McKeown and Song, 2020, Hydrophilic microporous membranes for selective ion separation and flow-battery energy storage: Nature Materials, 19.2, 195-202.