Seminar on Chemomechanical Signaling in Active Materials

Prof Sulin Zhang

 The Pennsylvania State University, United States

This seminar will be chaired by Prof Jimmy Hsia.

In active-matter systems, mechanical force transmission pathways exist in parallel and interact in concert with chemical signaling pathways, regulating individual and collective behaviors of active players. In this talk, I will highlight the cross-talks in rechargeable batteries and living organisms as examples of active-matter systems. In particular, I will elucidate how the mechanical force signals drive atomic/molecular flows that facilitate chemical signaling, and reciprocally how the chemical reactions influence mechanical force generation and transmission. Using a set of examples, I will offer evidence that the cross-talks can be harnessed to enhance the performance of the electrochemical and biological cells. Emphasis will be placed on the fundamental mechanics linking to bio/electrochemistry, which underlies materials design, disease control, and nanomedicine innovation.

Sulin Zhang received his PhD from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2002 from Theoretical & Applied Mechanics. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Northwestern University with Ted Belytschko. He is currently a Professor in Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State University, with courtesy appointments in Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Materials Science & Engineering. His research interests lie in the roles of mechanical forces and stresses in materials, chemistry, and biology. He is the recipient of the Early Career Development Award from National Science Foundation in 2007, the PSEAS Outstanding Research Award in 2016 from Penn State. Dr. Zhang is severing as an Editor for Extreme Mechanics Letters, and an editorial board member for NPJ-Computational Materials.