Ph.D., The University of Alabama (2004)

Current Research

• Multi-functional nanostructured materials for structural, functional, environmental, and energy related applications
• Wearable electronics and soft robotics
• Polymeric materials and new polymer processing development
• Layered compounds
• Green science and engineering
• Hydrates and porous materials for energy storage and CO₂ capture

Professional activities

Member: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Member: American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
Member: Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)

Research Statement

Our research covers a wide range of materials, including polymeric materials, ceramics and glasses, and composites. One of our main goals is to design materials with unique structure (down to nano- and molecular-scale) for specific applications, such as packaging, energy, catalysis, etc. In most cases, the structural design and control are the keys to the high performance of these materials.
Overall, we are engaged in four areas of materials research:

Multi-functional Nanostructured Materials

• Polymer nanocomposites
• Wearable electronics and soft robotics
• Stimuli responsive materials
• Synthesis of nanomaterials (nano-particles, tubes, platelets, porous materials, etc.)
• Bio-nanocomposites
• Layer-by-Layer self-assembly
• Thin films and fibers

 Solid State Chemistry

• Layered compounds and intercalation/exfoliation chemistry
• Porous materials and pillared layered compounds
• Functional ceramics and glasses

 Polymeric Materials and Polymer Processing

• Fluoropolymers
• Polyolefins and thermoplastic polyolefins (TPOs)
• Bio-polymers
• Polymer composites/nanocomposites and blends
• Polymer processing (injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming, biaxial stretching, new processing technique development, etc.)
• Coatings

 Green Science

• Synthesize/isolate/derive valuable materials from biomass
• Polylactic acid and other bio-based polymeric materials
• Ionic liquids and their applications

Previous Positions

Awards & Honors

Recent Publications

1. Zeng, S.; Yang, Z.; Hou, Z.; Park, C.; Jones, M. D.; Ding, H.; Shen, K.; Smith, A. T.; Jin, H. X.; Wang, B.; Jiang, H.; Sun, L. Dynamic Multifunctional Devices Enabled by Ultrathin Metal Nanocoatings with Optical/Photothermal and Morphological Versatility. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2022, 119 (4), e2118991119.
2. Zhang, B.; Liu, J.; Ren, M.; Wu, C.; Moran, T. J.; Zeng, S.; Chavez, S. E.; Hou, Z.; Li, Z.; LaChance, A. M.; Jow, T. R.; Huey, B. D.; Cao, Y.; Sun, L. Reviving the “Schottky” Barrier for Flexible Polymer Dielectrics with a Superior 2D Nanoassembly Coating. Advanced Materials 2021, 33 (34), 2101374.
3. Zeng, S.; Shen, K.; Liu, Y.; Chooi, A. P.; Smith, A. T.; Zhai, S.; Chen, Z.; Sun, L. Dynamic Thermal Radiation Modulators via Mechanically Tunable Surface Emissivity. Materials Today 2021, 45, 44-53.
4. Sun, Y.; Liu, S.; Sun, L.; Wu, S.; Hu, G.; Pang, X.; Smith, A. T.; Hu, C.; Zeng, S.; Wang, W.; Liu, Y.; Zheng, M. Ultralong Lifetime and Efficient Room Temperature Phosphorescent Carbon Dots through Multi-confinement Structure Design. Nature Communications 2020, 11(1), 5591.
5. Smith, A. T.; Ding, H.; Gorski, A.; Zhang, M.; Gitman, P. A.; Park, C.; Hao, Z.; Jiang, Y.; Williams, B. L.; Zeng, S.; Kokkula, A.; Yu, Q.; Ding, G.; Zeng, H.; Sun, L. Multi-color Reversible Photochromisms via Tunable Light-Dependent Responses. Matter 2020, 2, 680-696.
6. Wang, Z.; Smith, A. T.; Wang, W.; Sun, L. Versatile Nanostructures from Rice Husk Biomass for Energy Applications. Angewandte ChemieInternational Edition 2018, 57, 13722-13734.
7. Yu, J.; Wang, Q.; O’Hare, D.; Sun, L. Preparation of Two Dimensional Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets and Their Applications. Chemical Society Reviews 2017, 46, 5950-5974.
8. Ding, F.; Liu, J.; Zeng, S.; Xia, Y.; Wells, K. M.; Nieh, M.-P.; Sun, L. Biomimetic Nanocoatings with Exceptional Mechanical, Barrier, and Flame Retardant Properties from Large Scale One-Step Co-assembly. Science Advances 2017, 3, e1701212 (DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701212).
9. Zeng, S.; Li, R.; Freire, S. G.; Garbellotto, V. M. M.; Huang, E. Y.; Smith, A. T.; Hu, C.; Tait, W. R. T.; Bian, Z.; Zheng, G.; Zhang, D.; Sun, L. Moisture Responsive Wrinkling Surfaces with Tunable Dynamics. Advanced Materials 2017, 29, 1700828 (DOI: 10.1002/adma.201700828).
10. Zeng, S.; Zhang, D.; Huang, W.; Wang, Z.; Freire, S. G.; Yu, X.; Smith, A. T.; Huang, E. Y.; Nguon, H.; Sun, L. Bio-inspired Sensitive and Reversible Mechanochromisms via Strain-dependent Cracks and Folds. Nature Communications 2016, 7:11802 (DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11802).

    Please see Google Scholar for a complete list of publications from this group.  

Recent Patents

1. Patkar, M.; Musgrave, M.; Thierry-Mieg, J.; Sun, L.; Sun, L. K. Polypropylene for reduced plate out in polymer article production processes. S. Patent No. US 9,718,903, date of patent: August 1, 2017.
2. Sun, L.; Coffy, T.; Daniels, L. Polymer Compositions for Injection Stretch Blow Molded Articles. International Patent Application Publication WO 2012/134951, publicationdate: October 4, 2012; U.S. Patent No. US 9,505,920, date of patent: November 29, 2016.
3. Sun, L.; McLeod, M.; Ashbaugh, J.; Li, F.; Daniels, L. Solid-State Stretched HDPE. U.S. Patent No. US 9,505,161, date of patent: November 29, 2016.
4. Sun, L.; Wang, W. Silica Nanoaggregates and Organosilicon Complexes and Methods of Forming Them from Biomass Materials. International Patent ApplicationPublication No. WO2012/148561,publicationdate: November 1, 2012. S. Patent No. US 9,359,214, date of patent: June 7, 2016.
5. Patkar, M.; Musgrave, M.; Thierry-Mieg, J.; Sun, L.; Sun, L. K. Polypropylene for reduced plate out in polymer article production processes. International Patent Application Publication No. WO 2010/039726, publication date: April 1, 2010; U.S. Patent No. US 9,334,342, date of patent: May 10, 2016.