XU Jianwei

Adjunct Research Professor

Ph.D., 2002, National University of Singapore; B.Sc., 1988, and M.Sc., 1991, Nanjing University.

Contact Information:

Office: Synthesis and Integration Group
Institute of Materials Research and Engineering
3 Research Link
Singapore 117602

Tel: (65)-6872-7543 (Office)

Fax: (65)-6872-7528

Email: jw-xu@imre.a-star.edu.sg

Research

Research Interests

Functional polymers
Hybrid functional materials
Liquid crystalline materials

Recent Highlight

Our current research focuses on the development of nanostructured polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) materials. We have recently synthesized a series of fluorinated POSS-type materials via a thiol-ene click reaction in high yields or by a hydrosilylation reaction catalyzed with a platinum complex. When the fluorinated POSS materials blend in a very small amount with hydrophilic polymers, they are able to tremendously alter the surface properties of polymers from hydrophilic to highly hydrophobic. The AFM study exhibits that the enhanced hydrophobic properties of polymers are due to migration and subsequent segregation of fluorinated POSS materials to the surface instead of their surface roughness. The POSS with alkyl thioether substituents have also been prepared using a similar synthetic methodology and the resulting POSS materials exhibit excellent thermal stability in air, making it useful as high temperature materials, e. g., lubricants, for aerospace application.

Representative Publications

X. B. Wang, C. M. Cho, W. Y. Say, Angeline Y. X. Tan, C. B. He, Hardy S. O. Chan, J. W. Xu J. Mater. Chem. 2011, accepted.
P. T. Jia, A. Argun, J. W. Xu, S. X. Xiong, J. Ma, P. Hammond, X. H. Lu, Chem. Mater. 2010, 22, 6085–6091.
X. B. Wang, Joseph K.P. Ng, P. T. Jia, T. T. Lin, C. M. Cho, J. W, Xu, X. H. Lu, C. B. He Macromolecules 2009, 42, 5534–5544.
J. W. Xu, X. Li, C. M. Cho, C. L. Toh, L. Shen, K. Y. Mya, X. H. Lu, C. B. He J. Mater. Chem. 2009, 19, 4740–4745.
J. W. Xu, C. L. Toh, Karen L. Ke, Jason J. S. Li, C. M. Cho, X. H. Lu, E. W. Tan, C. B He Macromolecules 2008, 41, 9624-9636.
C. L. Toh, J. W, Xu, C. B. He, J. Poly. Sci: Part A: Poly. Chem. 2008, 46, 4691-4703.
W. L. Wang, J. W. Xu, Z. Sun, X. H. Zhang, Y. Lu, Y. H. Lai Macromolecules 2006, 39, 7277-7285.
J. W. Xu, X. M. Liu, Joseph K. P. Ng, T. T. Lin, C. B. He J. Mater. Chem. 2006, 16, 3540–3545.
X. M. Liu, J. W. Xu, X. H. Lu, C. B. He Macromolecules 2006, 39, 1397-1302.
J. W. Xu, X. M. Liu, T. T. Lin, J. C. Huang, C. B. He, Macromolecules 2005, 38, 3554-3557.
J. W. Xu, C. L. Toh, X. M. Liu, S. F. Wang, C. B. He, X. H. Lu, Macromolecules 2005, 38, 1684-1690.
X. M. Liu, J. W. Xu, X. H. Lu, C. B. He, Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 2829-2832.