Biography
Dr. Zhai is a professor in Chemistry and the Director of NanoScience Technology Center at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Dr. Lei Zhai received the B.S. degree in East China University of Science and Technology in Chemical Engineering and M.S. degree in Chemistry from East Tennessee State University. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University in 2002, and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research at UCF focuses on the self-assembly of conjugated polymers, polyelectrolyte nanostructures, and polymer derived ceramic composites. He has more than 120 peer reviewed publications and 11 granted patents. His publications have been cited for more than 19,000 times. Dr. Zhai is a recipient of NSF CAREER Award and a Scialog Fellow (Research Corporation for Science Advancement). He received the Outstanding Chemist Award at American Chemical Society (ACS) Orlando Section in 2013. He has served as the associate editor of Materials.
Research Statement
Dr. Zhai’s research group focuses on fabricating polymer and ceramic composites of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene and polyelectrolyte nanostructures. His lab has used conjugated block copolymers to disperse CNTs with good solubility and stability in different solvents and host polymer matrices. Such noninvasive approach offers a simple and versatile method to disperse and functionalize CNTs and graphene. His research group is also interested in utilizing polyelectrolyte nanostructures (i.e. nanofibers and nanoparticles) for nanofabrication, sensing and drug delivery.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
- Church, J.; Wang, X.; Calderon, J.; Lee, W. H.; Cho, H. J.; Zhai, L. “A Graphene-Based Nanosensor for In Situ Monitoring of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)” J. Nanosci. Nanotech. 2016, 16, 1620.
- Spradlin, C.; Sullivan, M.; Dodson, D.; Zhai, L.; Lunsford, S. “An Experience with P3HT Modified CNT Working Electrode to Detect Lead by Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetry” Chem. Educator, 2015, 20, 256.
- Yu, Z.; Moore, J.; Calderon, J.; Zhai, L.; Thomas, J. “Coil-Type Asymmetric Supercapacitor Electrical Cables” Small, 2015, 5289.
- Zhai, L.; Thomas, J.; Khondaker, S.; McInnis, M.; Chen, S. “Ordered Conjugated Polymer Nanoand Microstructures: Structure Control for Improved Performance of Organic Electronics” Nano Today, 2015, 11, 705.
- Yu, Z.; Tetard, L.; Zhai, L.; Thomas, J. “Supercapacitor Electrode Materials: Nanostructures from 0 to 3 Dimensions” Energy & Environmental Science, 2015, 8, 702. 3
- Yu, Z.; McInnis, M.; Calderon, J.; Seal, S.; Zhai, L.; Thomas, J. “Functionalized Graphene Aerogel Composites for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors” Nano Energy, 2015, 11, 611.
- An, D.; Ji, Y.; Chiu, A.; Lu, Y.; Song, W.; Zhai, L.; Qi, L.; Luo, D.; Ma, M. “Developing Robust, Hydrogel-based, Nanofiber-Enabled Encapsulation Devices (NEEDs) for Cell Therapies” Biomaterials, 2015, 37, 40.
- Chantharasupawng, P.; Christenson, C.; Philip, R.; Tetard, L.; Zhai, L.; Winiarz, J.; Yamamoto, M.; Nari, R. R.; Thomas, J. “Photorefractive Performances of a Graphene-doped PATPD/7-DCST/ECZ Composite” J. Mater. Chem. C., 2014, 2, 7639.
- Liu, J.; Moo-Young, J.; McInnis, M.; Pasquinelli, M. A.; Zhai L.; “Conjugated Polymer Assemblies on Carbon Nanotubes” Macromolecules, 2014, 47, 705.
- Zhai, L. “Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Films” Chem. Soc. Rev. 2013, 42, 7148.
Outreach
Outreach
Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in a multidisciplinary environment. Students will have the opportunity to acquire the skill in using various material characterization instrument and develop problem solving skills.
