Research

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it" — Alan Kay

Our research focuses on one question: “What is the future of the polymer industry in a decarbonized world?”

Our group studies experimental polymer science for

Direct utilization of renewable resources, recycling, and reuse;
High-performance polymer materials, such as those used as biomaterials and biomedicines;
Innovation of new material processing, including new 3D printers.

Make CFRP 10X CHEAPER!

Carbon fiber composite materials excel in strength-to-weight ratios but fall short in cost and recyclability.

Can a breakthrough in polymer science enable (1) fiber reclamation, (2) sustainable high-performance resin, and (3) Energy-saving processing?

Example publications

Grant M. Musgrave, Caleb J. Reese, Tyler A. Kirk, Chen Wang*. Solventless Dual-cure Liquid Resins via Circular Use of Phthalic Anhydride for Recyclable Composite Applications. Macromolecular Rapid Communication, 2025, 46(11), 2400909.

Grant M. Musgrave‡, Eden Y. Yau‡, Sijia Huang,i, Chen Wang*. Solventless, Rapid-polymerizable Liquid Resins from Renewable Carboxylic Acids through Low-viscous Acid/Base Complexes. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2025, 13 (1), 190-199.

Grant M Musgrave, Katie M Bishop, John S Kim, Amelia C Heiner, Chen Wang*. Polyester Networks from Structurally Similar Monomers: Recyclable-by-design and Upcyclable to Photopolymers. Polymer Chemistry, 2023, 14, 2964-2970.

Make Photopolymer 10X TOUPHER!

3D printing has revolutionized manufacturing; 3D printed materials remain subpar. In stereolithography 3D printing, the photopolymerized materials notoriously lack toughness.

Can phase-changing photopolymers breakthrough material properites in SLA/DLP 3D Printing?

Example publications

Caleb J. Reese, Grant M. Musgrave, Chen Wang*. Hydrogen Bonding Enhances the Crystallinity of Polymer Networks Synthesized by Rapid and Solventless Photopolymerization. ACS Macro Letters, 2025, 14(8), 1189-1194

Caleb J Reese, Grant M Musgrave, Anna K Huber, Sijia Huang, Eden Y Yau, Chen Wang*. Ductile Glassy Polymer Networks Capable of Large Plastic Deformation and Heat-Induced Elastic Recovery. ACS Materials Letters, 2024, 6(7), 2714-2724.