Faculty Recruiting Seminar - Hao Yu

The Department of Chemistry presents: Hao Yu

University of California, Berkeley 

Title: Designing Polymer Sequences for Charge Transport and Catalytic Activity

Location: WEL 2.122

Refreshments served at 3:15pm

Just as nucleotide and amino acid sequences encode biological information, the monomer sequence of a synthetic polymer acts as a molecular code that dictates polymer’s structure, function, and behavior. However, achieving precise sequence control during polymer synthesis and accurately sequencing synthetic polymers remain challenging. New approaches are needed to navigate the vast sequence space of synthetic polymers and accelerate materials discovery. In this seminar, I will present two complementary approaches for understanding sequence effects in synthetic polymers. First, by precisely controlling monomer sequences in π-conjugated structures, we demonstrate how subtle geometric effects can modulate molecular conductance by over 10-fold. Second, by tuning segmental sequence characteristics, we design enzyme-mimicking heteropolymers with broad catalytic activity, processing compatibility, and an expanded substrate scope including environmentally persistent chemicals. These findings provide a blueprint for constructing functional polymers from the bottom up by designing their primary monomer sequences.