B.S. National Taiwan University, 1980 Ph.D. University of Connecticut, 1987 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Massachusetts, 1987-1989

Polymer Science and Applications In my laboratory, we are interested in understanding the structural and morphological development and manipulation of complex polymer systems during preparation and processing in real time. The focus of our research projects is the design, preparation, characterization and application of nanostructured soft condensed materials, such as fibers (one-dimensional orientation), films (two-dimensional orientation) and bulk material systems (three-dimensional orientation). My current research interests are mainly focused on the use of nanostructured materials for energy, environmental and medical applications.

Polymer Crystallization We are interested in fundamental research of polymer crystallization. One ongoing project is orientation-induced crystallization of entangled polymer chains. The behavior of orientation-induced crystallization in polymers under flow and deformation has been investigated using in-situ X-ray techniques. We propose that molecular orientation affects the crystallization behavior of polymer melts in two different aspects: thermodynamic and hydrodynamic. The thermodynamic effect involves the reduction of entropy in oriented chains, which favors the formation of primary nuclei with small size and large density that are mainly responsible for the increase of crystallization rate. The hydrodynamic effect generates the landscape of molecular orientation in chains with different molecular weights, which is responsible for the resultant morphology such as shish, kebab or spherulite.

Polymer Nanocomposites We are developing varying chemical and physical pathways to disperse nanostructured molecules and nanosize particles (e.g. nanotubes and layered silicates) in the polymer matrix at the molecular level. We found that the structure, property and processing relationships are dramatically different in nanocomposites as compared to their neat resin counterparts.

Synchrotron X-ray Scattering and Diffraction Technology Development One unique characterization tool developed in this laboratory is the simultaneous small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD) technique using synchrotron radiation. Dedicated to polymer research, the Advanced Polymers Participating Research Team (AP-PRT) was formed in 1997 to develop a synchrotron X-ray scattering beamline (X27C) at the National Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National Laboratory. This facility, the first of its kind in the U.S., was funded by Stony Brook (Prof. B. Chu and I are spokespersons), government and industrial laboratories. The primary focus of this PRT is to investigate polymer structure, morphology and dynamics from atomic (1-20 Å) to microscopic scales (20 - 1000 Å) in real time and/or in-situ using simultaneous SAXS/WAXD techniques.

Absorbable Polymers for Medical Applications, Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering We have developed several unique processing techniques to fabricate nanostructured materials including (1) nonwoven membranes consisting of nanosize fibers, and (2) nanosize particles (10 - 500 nm). FDA-approved biodegradable polymers such as polyglycolide (PGA) and polylactide (PLA) homo- and copolymers are the base materials for forming the nanostructured scaffolds. The biodegradation rate as well as the drug (DNA and medicine) release rate are functions of fiber/particle size, morphology, porosity and chemical compositions, which can be precisely controlled by processing parameters. The major goal of this research is for medical applications, drug delivery and tissue engineering.

Breakthrough Nanofibrous Membrane Technology for Water Purification Together with Prof. Benjamin Chu, we are focusing on the use of breakthrough nanofibrous membranes for water purification. The major innovation of our nanofiber technology is that membranes made of nanofiber materials in the non-woven format have drastically improved the flux capacity (e.g. often with many times flux increase) and thereby permitting lower operating pressures but retaining their resistance to fouling. Better flux means less time to filter the same amount of water, which in turn decreases energy consumption and increases cost efficiency. Better resistance to fouling refers to the ability to avoid clogging of the membrane pores by foreign matter, such as oil, detergents, biomacromolecules and salts that can accumulate during the purification process. The fouling resistance of our filters requires additional considerations on chemical composition and surface modifications.

Lei Zhu, Lu Sun, Jianjun Miao, Li Cui, Qing Ge, Roderic P. Quirk, Chenchen Xue, Stephen Z. D. Cheng, Benjamin S. Hsiao, Carlos A. Avila-Orta, Igors Sics, and Marie E. Cantino, "Epitaxial Phase Transformation between Cylindrical and Double Gyroid Mesophases", MRS Symp. Proc., in Multicomponent Polymer Systems-Phase Behavior, Dynamics, and Applications (ed. K. I. Winey et al.), Vol. 856E, BB2.3.1-6 (2005). Jonathan Chiu, Y. Kim Luu, Benjamin S. Hsiao, Benjamin Chu, Michael Hadjiargyrou, "Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications", J. Biomedical Nanotechnology, 1, 115-132 (2005). Dufei Fang, Charles Chang, Benjamin S. Hsiao and Benjamin Chu, "Development of Multiple-Jet Electrospinning Technology", in Polymeric Nanofibers (D. Reneker and H. Fong eds.), ACS Symposium Series (918), Chapter 7, 91-105 (2006). Christian Burger, Benjamin S. Hsiao and Benjamin Chu, "Nanofibrous Materials and Their Applications", Annual Review of Materials Research, 36, 333–368 (2006). Benjamin S. Hsiao, "Role of Chain Entanglement Network on Formation of Flow-Induced Crystallization Precursor Structure", Progress in Understanding of Polymer Crystallization (Ed. G. Reiter and G. Strobl) in Lecture Notes in Physics, Springer-Verlag, 133-149 (2006). Shigeyuki Toki and Benjamin S. Hsiao, "Morphology, Structure and Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured Polyolefin Elastomers", Polyolefin Blends (ed. D. Nwabunma and T. Kyu), Wiley Interscience, Chapter 8, 198-223 (2006). Dehai Liang, Benjamin S. Hsiao and Benjamin Chu, "Functional Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications", Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 59, 1392–1412 (2007). Benjamin Chu, Benjamin S. Hsiao and Kyunghwan Yoon, "Nanofiber and Nanocomposite-Fiber Technology for Environmental Applications" American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Review, 8, 31-33 (2007). Kyunghwan Yoon, Xuming Chen, Benjamin S. Hsiao and Benjamin Chu, "Functional Nanofibers for Environmental Applications", Journal of Materials Chemistry, 18(44), 5326-5334 (2008). Pranav Nawani, Hongwen Zhou, Benjamin Chu, Christian Burger and Benjamin S. Hsiao, "Structural analysis of biological and technical nanocomposites by X-ray scattering", Applications of Synchrotron Light to Non-Crystalline Diffraction in Materials and Life Sciences (Ed. T. Ezquerra) in Lecture Notes in Physics, Springer-Verlag, 183-198 (2009). Benjamin Chu and Benjamin S. Hsiao, "The Role of Polymers in Breakthrough Technologies for Water Purification", J. Polym. Sci. Polym. Phys., as a Viewpoint 47(24), 2431-2435 (2009). Christian Burger, Benjamin S. Hsiao, and Benjamin Chu, "Preferred Orientation in Polymer Fiber Scattering" Polymer Reviews, 50, 91–111 (2010). Burger, C.; Hsiao, B. S.; Chu, B. "Preferred Orientation in Polymer Fibers" Powder Diffraction, 25(2), 212 (2010). Christian Burger, Benjamin S. Hsiao, and Benjamin Chu, X-ray Scattering. In: Matyjaszewski K and Möller M (eds.) Polymer Science: A Comprehensive Reference, Vol 2, pp. 363–380. Amsterdam: Elsevier BV. (2012). Benjamin S. Hsiao, Feng Zuo and Yimin Mao and Christoph Schick, Chapter 2: Experimental Techniques in Handbook of Polymer Crystallization (eds. Greg Rutledge and Ewa Piorkowska) (2012). Shigeyuki Toki and Benjamin S. Hsiao, "Deformation-induced structure changes in elastomeric nanocomposites", Chapter 8, in Advances in Elastomeric Nanocomposites, Springer, Germany (2012). Hongyang Ma, Benjamin Chu and Benjamin S. Hsiao, "Functional Nanofibers for Water Purification", Chapter 15, Functional Nanofibers and Applications (ed. Qufu Wei), Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles, 134, 331-370 (2012). Hongyang Ma, Benjamin S. Hsiao and Benjamin Chu, "Electrospun Nanofibrous Membrane for Heavy Metal Ion Adsorption", Current Organic Chemistry, 17 (13), 1361-1370 (2013). Jia-Zhuang Xu, Zhong-Ming Li and Benjamin S. Hsiao, "Crystallization Properties of Isotactic Polypropylene– Graphene Nanocomposites", Chapter 10, Polymer-Graphene Nanocomposites, (ed. V. Mittal), Royal Society Of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK, in press (2013). Jia-Zhuang Xu, Gan-Ji Zhong, Benjamin S. Hsiao and Zhong-Ming Li, "Low-dimensional Carbonaceous Nanofiller Induced Polymer Crystallization", Prog. Polym. Sci., in press (2013).

Ran Wang, Benjamin S. Hsiao and Benjamin Chu, "Electrospun Nanofibers for Environmental Applications", Chapter 13 Liquid Filtration, Electrospun Nanofibers for Energy and Environmental Applications (ed. Bin Ding and Jianyong Yu), Springer Publishing, submitted (2013).