Ph.D., Rutgers University (2006), United States

Current Research

• Precise nanostructuring organic/inorganic multi-component composites through supramolecular cooperation of orthogonal non-covalent interactions
• Pt-containing conjugated small molecules and polymers for applications in organic photovoltaics (OPVs)
• Design and synthesis of structurally diverse poly(chacolgenylene vinylene)s
• Unconventional conjugated polymers derived from a common set of trans-enediyene monomers
• Templated synthesis of metal-organic framework (MOF) nanostructures and tailored construction of charge-separated MOFs
• Anti-cancer and anti-microbial drug discovery

Professional Activities

Member: American Chemical Society
Member: Materials Research Society
Review Editor: Frontiers in Nanotechnology

Research Statement

The advancement of science and technology and improvement of life quality has always been propelled by the discoveries on, while limited by the availability of, materials. Compared with metallic and inorganic counterparts, organic and polymeric materials are unique in their molecular nature that allows meticulous structural designs for targeted properties and hierarchical assembly into applicable forms. Thus, understanding structure-property-function relationship and the synthetic ability to tailor chemical structures toward desired properties for specific applications are of central importance in chemical and material sciences. Our research is therefore focused on design and synthesis of conjugated organic and polymeric materials, organic/inorganic hybrid materials, and their applications in energy and environment. The research projects are highly interdisciplinary so that students get extensive training on organic and polymer synthesis under air-free conditions, on basic and advanced characterization techniques including TEM, SEM, XRD, and AFM, etc., and on device fabrication and engineering. Such multi-faceted experiences can help the students be better prepared to succeed in real-world settings, whether it is in the voyage of new scientific discoveries or the improvement of industrial processes.

Previous Positions

2020 – present	Associate Professor, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut
2017 – 2020	Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico
2010 – 2017	Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico

Awards & Honors

2018-2021	Sandia National Lab-UNM Alliance Award
2015	NSF CAREER Award
2013-2014	UNM Office of Vice President for Research Equipment Award
2011-2012	UNM Research Allocation Award

Recent Publications

“Hybrid Conjugated Polymer/Magnetic Nanoparticle Composite Nanofibers through Cooperative Non-Covalent Interactions.” Meng, L.; Watson II, B. W. and Qin, Y.* Nanoscale Adv. 2020, 2, 2462-2470.

“Bottom-Up Approaches for Precisely Nanostructuring Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Multi-Component Composites for Organic Photovoltaics.” Meng, L.; Fan, H.; Lane, J. M. D. and Qin, Y.* MRS Adv. 2020, 5, 2055-2065.

“X-Ray Diffraction and Electron Microscopy Studies of the Size Effects on Pressure-Induced Phase Transitions in CdS Nanocrystals.” Meng, L.; Fan, H.*; Lane, J. M. D.; Baca, L;^# Tafoya, J.^#; Ao, T.; Stoltzfus, B.; Knudson, M.; Morgan, D.; Austin, K.; Austin, K.; Park, C. and Qin, Y.* MRS Adv. 2020, ASAP.

“Shape Dependence of Pressure-Induced Phase Transition in CdS Semiconductor Nanocrystals.” Meng, L.; Lane, J. M. D.; Baca, L;^# Tafoya, J.^#; Ao, T.; Stoltzfus, B.; Knudson, M.; Morgan, D.; Austin, K.; Park, C.; Chow, P.; Xiao, Y.; Li, R.; Qin, Y.* and Fan, H.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 6505-6510.

“Charge-Separated Metal-Organic Frameworks Derived from Boron Centered Tetrapods.” Thapa, S.; Dickie D. A. and Qin, Y.* Cryst. Growth Des. 2020, 20, 1598-1608.

“Triplet Excited-State Energetics and Dynamics in Molecular “Roller Wheels”.” Livshits, M.; He, W.; Qin, Y.* and Rack, J. J.* J. Phys. Chem. C 2019, 123, 16556-16554.

“Large Excited-State Conformational Displacements Expedite Triplet Formation in a Small Conjugated Oligomer.” Datko, B. D.; Livshits, M.; Zhang, Z.;  Qin, Y.; Jakubikova, E.; Rack, J. J. and Grey, J. K.* J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2019, 10, 1259-1263.

“Cross-conjugated poly(selenylene vinylene)s.” Zhen Z. and Qin, Y.* Polym. Chem. 2019, 10, 1018-1025.

“Impact of side-chain extension on physical and electronic properties of cross-conjugated Poly(thienylene vinylene)s (PTVs).” Zhang, Z.; Zong, X.; Sun, Z.* and Qin, Y.* Polymer 2019, 166, 115-122.

“A Charge-Separated Diamondoid Metal-Organic Framework.” Thapa, S.; Hettiarachchi, E.; Dickie, D. A.; Rubasinghege, G.* and Qin, Y.* Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 12654-12657.

“Generating Photonastic Work from Irradiated Dyes in Electrospun Nanofibrous Polymer Mats.” Livshits, M. Y.; Razgoniaev, A. O.; Arbulu, R. C.; Shin, J.; McCullough, B. J.; Qin, Y.; Ostrowski, A. D.* and Rack, J. J.* ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2018, 10, 37470–37477.

“Unravelling the Enigma of Ultrafast Excited State Relaxation in Non-Emissive Aggregating Conjugated Polymers.” Datko, B. D.; Livshits, M. Y.; Zhang, Z.; Portlock, D.; Qin, Y.; Rack, J. J.* and Grey, J. K.*  Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2018, 20, 22159-22167.

“Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) Nanorods, Nanotubes, and Nanowires.” Arbulu, R.; Jiang, Y.-B.; Peterson, E. and Qin Y.* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 5813-5817.

“Unconventional Conjugated Polymers Derived from a Common Set of trans-Enediyne Monomers.” Qin Y.* SynLett 2018, 29, 999-1007.

“‘Roller-Wheel’ Pt-Containing Small Molecules and the Impact of ‘Rollers’ on Material Crystallinity, Electronic Properties and Solar Cell Performance.” He, W.; Livshits, M. Y.; Dickie, D.; Zhang, Z.; Mejiaortega, L. E.^#; Rack, J. J.*; Wu, Q.* and Qin Y.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 14109-14119.

“Polymer-assisted deposition of SrTiO3 film as cathode buffer layer in inverted polymer solar cells.” Wang, H.; Patterson, B.; Yang, J.; Huang, D.; Qin Y. and Luo, H.* Appl. Mater. Today 2017, 9, 402-406.

“Boron ‘Doped’ Polyacetylenes.” Hu, K.; Zhang, Z.; Burke, J.# and Qin Y.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 11004-11007.

“Core/Shell Conjugated Polymer/Quantum Dot Composite Nanofibers through Orthogonal Non-Covalent Interactions.” Watson II, B. W.; Meng, L.; Fetrow, C.^# and Qin Y.* Polymers 2016, 8, 408.

“A Molecular Tetrapod for Organic Photovoltaics.” Yang, J.; Zhang, Z. and Qin Y.* ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2016, 8, 22392-22401.

“A ‘Roller-Wheel’ Pt-Containing Small Molecule that Outperforms Its Polymer Analogs in Organic Solar Cells.” He, W.; Livshits, M. Y.; Dickie, D.; Yang, J.; Quinnett, R.^#; Rack, J. J.; Wu, Q. and Qin Y.* Chem. Sci. 2016, 7, 5798-5804.

“Structurally Diverse Poly(thienylene vinylene)s (PTVs) with Systematically Tunable Properties through Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET) and Postpolymerization Modification.” Zhang, Z. and Qin Y.* Macromolecules 2016, 49, 3318-3327.

“Polytriacetylenes (PTAs) Bearing Directly Attached Functional Groups with Tunable Physical and Electronic Properties.” Hu, K. and Qin Y.* J. Polym. Sci. Part A Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 1391-1395.