Our group focuses on manufacturing and materials science, aiming to create sustainable solutions for a circular plastic economy. We develop industry-relevant manufacturing methods to upcycle commodity plastics into value-added products, addressing environmental challenges. Our research leverages an array of advanced characterization techniques, including X-ray, neutron, and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, to gain fundamental insights into polymer physics, such as chain dynamics, nanostructures, and interfacial assembly behaviors.
Representative publications from 2020-2025:
1) Additive manufacturing of carbonaceous materials:
P Smith, J. Wu, A. Griffin, K. Jones, J. Aguinaga, E. Bounds, D.L. Patton, Y. Xiang*, and Z. Qiang* “Transformative 3D printing of carbon-metal nanocomposites as catalytic Joule heaters for enhanced ammonia decomposition”
Advanced Science, 2025, 12(20), 2413149 Link
A. Griffin, J. Wu, A. Smerigan, P. Smith, G. Adedigba, R. Shi, Y. Xiang*, and Z. Qiang* “Upcycling of mixed polyolefin wastes to 3D structured carbon Joule heaters for decarbonized hydrogen production”
Materials Horizon, 2025, 18, 3827-3840 Link
P. Smith, J. Hu, A. Griffin, M. Robertson, A. Guillen Obando, E. Bounds, CB. Dunn, C. Ye, L, Liu*, and Z. Qiang* "Accurate additive manufacturing of lightweight and elastic carbons from plastic precursors"
Nature Communications, 2024, 15, 838 Link
P. Smith, A. Guillen Obando, A. Griffin, M. Robertson, E. Bounds, and Z. Qiang* “Additive manufacturing of carbons using commodity polypropylene”
Advanced Materials, 2023, 35(17), 2208029 Link
2) Polymer-derived porous materials:
M. Robertson, B.G. Lamb, A. Griffin, L. He*, B. Ma*, and Z. Qiang* “Critical role of pore size on perfluorooctanoic acid adsorption behaviors in carbonaceous sorbents”
Materials Horizon, 2025, 12, 2935-2944 Link
M. Robertson, A. Barbour, A. Griffin, J. Aguinaga, D.L. Patton, Y. Xiang, and Z. Qiang* "Harnessing the power of thermoplastic elastomer-derived ordered mesoporous carbons through functionalization"
Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2024, 12, 17229-17242 Link
A. Griffin, M. Robertson, P. Frame, G. Ma, K.A. Green, Z. Han, S.E. Morgan, X. Gu, M. Wang, and Z. Qiang* "A general strategy to prepare macro-/mesoporous materials from thermoplastic elastomer blends"
Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2024, 12, 13139-13152 Link
M. Robertson, A. Guillen Obando, A. Barbour, P. Smith, A. Griffin, and Z. Qiang* “Direct synthesis of ordered mesoporous materials from thermoplastic elastomers”
Nature Communications, 2023, 14, 639 Link
3) Covalent adaptive networks:
S.M. Valdez and Z. Qiang* “Catalyst influence on the crystallization behaviors and mechanical properties of polyethylene vitrimers”
Macromolecules, in press
S.M. Valdez and Z. Qiang* “Understanding non-isothermal crystallization behaviors of polyethylene-derived vitrimers”
Macromolecules, 2025, 58(17), 9348-9357 Link
M. Sadri, A. Barbour, T. Thornell, J. Newman, and and Z. Qiang* “Composition-structure-property relationships of polyethylene vitrimers crosslinked by 8-arm polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane
Soft Matter, 2025, 21, 2694-2703 Link
M. Sadri, S. Patil, J. Perkins, Z. Gunter, S. Cheng,* and Z. Qiang* “Polymeric dynamic crosslinker for upcycling of fragile and low-molecular-weight polypropylene”
ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2023, 5(6), 4056-4068 Link
4) Research-integrated chemical education:
J. Qian, M. Sadri, S. Valdez, C. Clemons, and Z. Qiang* “Integrating community service into student learning: A model event of a plastic waste cleanup"
Journal of Chemical Education, 2025, 102(2), 661-670 Link
S. Valdez, C.B. Dunn, M. D. Hullum, E. Harper, and Z. Qiang* "Reprocessable networks from vegetable oils, salts, and food acids: A green polymer outreach demonstration for middle school students"
Journal of Chemical Education, 2024, 101(7), 2947-2953 Link
A. Griffin, N. Smith, M. Robertson, B. Nunez, J. McCraw, H. Chen*, and Z. Qiang* "Research experiences via integrating simulations and experiences (REVISE): a model collaborative research project for undergraduate students in CO2 sorbent design"
Journal of Chemical Education, 2024, 101(3), 1096-1105 Link
M. Sadri, P. Smith, S. Spears, C. Dewitt, S. Savannah, C. Butler, and Z. Qiang* “Hands-on laboratory experiments for demonstrating mixed plastic recycling”
Journal of Chemical Education, 2023, 100(1), 321-326 Link
Z. Qiang*, A. Guillen Obando, Y. Chen and C. Ye “Revisiting distance learning resources for undergraduate research and lab activities during COVID-19 pandemic”
Journal of Chemical Education, 2020, 97(9), 3446-3449 Link
1) Additive manufacturing of carbonaceous materials:
P Smith, J. Wu, A. Griffin, K. Jones, J. Aguinaga, E. Bounds, D.L. Patton, Y. Xiang*, and Z. Qiang* “Transformative 3D printing of carbon-metal nanocomposites as catalytic Joule heaters for enhanced ammonia decomposition”
Advanced Science, 2025, 12(20), 2413149 Link
A. Griffin, J. Wu, A. Smerigan, P. Smith, G. Adedigba, R. Shi, Y. Xiang*, and Z. Qiang* “Upcycling of mixed polyolefin wastes to 3D structured carbon Joule heaters for decarbonized hydrogen production”
Materials Horizon, 2025, 18, 3827-3840 Link
P. Smith, J. Hu, A. Griffin, M. Robertson, A. Guillen Obando, E. Bounds, CB. Dunn, C. Ye, L, Liu*, and Z. Qiang* "Accurate additive manufacturing of lightweight and elastic carbons from plastic precursors"
Nature Communications, 2024, 15, 838 Link
P. Smith, A. Guillen Obando, A. Griffin, M. Robertson, E. Bounds, and Z. Qiang* “Additive manufacturing of carbons using commodity polypropylene”
Advanced Materials, 2023, 35(17), 2208029 Link
2) Polymer-derived porous materials:
M. Robertson, B.G. Lamb, A. Griffin, L. He*, B. Ma*, and Z. Qiang* “Critical role of pore size on perfluorooctanoic acid adsorption behaviors in carbonaceous sorbents”
Materials Horizon, 2025, 12, 2935-2944 Link
M. Robertson, A. Barbour, A. Griffin, J. Aguinaga, D.L. Patton, Y. Xiang, and Z. Qiang* "Harnessing the power of thermoplastic elastomer-derived ordered mesoporous carbons through functionalization"
Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2024, 12, 17229-17242 Link
A. Griffin, M. Robertson, P. Frame, G. Ma, K.A. Green, Z. Han, S.E. Morgan, X. Gu, M. Wang, and Z. Qiang* "A general strategy to prepare macro-/mesoporous materials from thermoplastic elastomer blends"
Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2024, 12, 13139-13152 Link
M. Robertson, A. Guillen Obando, A. Barbour, P. Smith, A. Griffin, and Z. Qiang* “Direct synthesis of ordered mesoporous materials from thermoplastic elastomers”
Nature Communications, 2023, 14, 639 Link
3) Covalent adaptive networks:
S.M. Valdez and Z. Qiang* “Catalyst influence on the crystallization behaviors and mechanical properties of polyethylene vitrimers”
Macromolecules, in press
S.M. Valdez and Z. Qiang* “Understanding non-isothermal crystallization behaviors of polyethylene-derived vitrimers”
Macromolecules, 2025, 58(17), 9348-9357 Link
M. Sadri, A. Barbour, T. Thornell, J. Newman, and and Z. Qiang* “Composition-structure-property relationships of polyethylene vitrimers crosslinked by 8-arm polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane
Soft Matter, 2025, 21, 2694-2703 Link
M. Sadri, S. Patil, J. Perkins, Z. Gunter, S. Cheng,* and Z. Qiang* “Polymeric dynamic crosslinker for upcycling of fragile and low-molecular-weight polypropylene”
ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2023, 5(6), 4056-4068 Link
4) Research-integrated chemical education:
J. Qian, M. Sadri, S. Valdez, C. Clemons, and Z. Qiang* “Integrating community service into student learning: A model event of a plastic waste cleanup"
Journal of Chemical Education, 2025, 102(2), 661-670 Link
S. Valdez, C.B. Dunn, M. D. Hullum, E. Harper, and Z. Qiang* "Reprocessable networks from vegetable oils, salts, and food acids: A green polymer outreach demonstration for middle school students"
Journal of Chemical Education, 2024, 101(7), 2947-2953 Link
A. Griffin, N. Smith, M. Robertson, B. Nunez, J. McCraw, H. Chen*, and Z. Qiang* "Research experiences via integrating simulations and experiences (REVISE): a model collaborative research project for undergraduate students in CO2 sorbent design"
Journal of Chemical Education, 2024, 101(3), 1096-1105 Link
M. Sadri, P. Smith, S. Spears, C. Dewitt, S. Savannah, C. Butler, and Z. Qiang* “Hands-on laboratory experiments for demonstrating mixed plastic recycling”
Journal of Chemical Education, 2023, 100(1), 321-326 Link
Z. Qiang*, A. Guillen Obando, Y. Chen and C. Ye “Revisiting distance learning resources for undergraduate research and lab activities during COVID-19 pandemic”
Journal of Chemical Education, 2020, 97(9), 3446-3449 Link
External funding support:
