Shaoqin (Sarah) Gong - Assistant Professor



Contact Information

Office Address:
EMS 817
3200 North Cramer Street
Milwaukee, WI 53211
Phone: 414-229-5946
Fax: 414-229-6958
Email: sgong@uwm.edu

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 784
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI 53201

or

P.O. Box 784
Department of Materials
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI 53201

Shaoqin (Sarah) Gong

Education

Ph. D. - Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 1999
M.S. - Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 1994
B.E.- Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 1991
B. Economics-Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 1991

Research Interests

Polymer nanocomposites, smart materials (actuators, sensors), photopolymerizable macromers for tissue engineering applications, multifunctional drug carriers, biobased plastics, microcellular plastics, microwave-assisted polymerization, and polymer processing

A Postdoc position is available in Prof. Gong’s group for researchers working with polymers in one of the following areas: (1) bio-materials/devices; (2) smart materials; and (3) renewable/sustainable energy. Researchers with a strong polymer chemistry and/or polymer physics background are encouraged to contact Dr. Gong via email. Please include a complete CV and a research statement. We intend to fill this position by August 2008. In addition, a Ph.D. student RA position is also available for the Fall 2008/Spring 2009 semester. If you have a strong background in polymer science, a TOEFL score of 550 or above, and a decent GRE and GPA score, please contact Dr. Gong via email.

Selected Awards

  • NSF CAREER Award 2007-2012
  • UWM Research Foundation and Graduate School Outstanding Research Award 2007

Selected Publications

  1. Gong S., Turng, L. S., Park, C., and Liao, L., “Microcellular Polymer Nanocomposites for Packaging and other Applications,” Packaging Nanotechnology, edited by Mohanty, A. and Nalwa, H. S., accepted, to be published by American Scientific Publishers, 2008.
  2. Yang, L., Setyowati, K., Li, A., Gong, S., and Chen J., “Reversible Infrared Actuation of Carbon Nanotube-Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Nanocomposites,” Advanced Materials, in press, 2008.
  3. Prabaharan, M., Grailer, J. J., Steeber, D. A., and Gong, S., “Stimuli-Responsive Chitosan-graft-Poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) as a Promising Material for Controlled Hydrophobic Drug Delivery,” Macromolecular Bioscience, in press, 2008.
  4. Mani, P., Gong, S., “Novel Thiolated Carboxymethyl Chitosan-g-β-cyclodextrin as Mucoadhesive Hydrophobic Drug Delivery Carriers,” Carbohydrate Polymers, 73, pp. 117-125 (2008).
  5. Tiwari, A., and Gong, S., “Electrochemical Synthesis of Chitosan-co-polyaniline/WO3.nH2O Composite for Amperometric Detection of NO2 Gas,” Electroanalysis, in press, 2008.
  6. Zhang, C., Liao, L., and Gong, S., “Zinc Lactate Catalyzed Ring-opening Polymerization of Trimethylene Carbonate under Microwave Irradiation,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, accepted, 2008.
  7. Pilla, S., Gong, S., O’Neill, E., Rowell, R. M., and Krzysik A. M., “Polylactide-Pine Wood Flour Composites,” Polymer Science and Engineering, 48(3), pp. 578-587 (2008).
  8. Liao, L., Zhang, C., Gong, S., “Preparation of Poly(trimethylene carbonate)-block-Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-Poly(trimethylene carbonate) Triblock Copolymers under Microwave Irradiation,” Reactive and Functional Polymer, 68, 751-758 (2008).
  9. Liao, L., Zhang, C, and Gong, S., “Preparation of Poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/Clay Nanocomposites by Microwave-assisted in situ Ring-Opening Polymerization,” Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 28 (10), pp. 1148-1154 (2007).
  10. Zhang, C., Liao, L., and Gong, S., “Synthesis of PLLA-MPEG Diblock Copolymers by Microwave-assisted Copolymerization of L-Lactide and Methoxy Poly(ethylene glycol),” Macromolecule Chemistry and Physics, 2007, 208 (10), pp. 1122-1128 (2007).
  11. Pilla, S., Kramschuster, A., Gong, S., Chandra, A., Turng, L. S., “Solid and Microcellular Polylactide-Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites,” International Polymer Processing, invited contribution to the special edition on biobased materials, Issue 5, Volume XXII 2007.
  12. Liao, L., Zhang, C., Gong, S., “Microwave-assisted Ring-Opening Polymerization of Trimethylene Carbonate in the Presence of Ionic Liquid,” Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, 45, pp. 5857-5863 (2007).
  13. Kramschuster, A., Pilla, S., Gong, S., Chandra, A., Turng, L. S., “Injection Molded Soldi and Microcellular Polylactide Compounded with Recycled Shopping Bag Fibers,” International Polymer Processing, Invited contribution to the special edition on biobased materials, Issue 5, Volume XXII 2007.
  14. Liao, L., Zhang, C, and Gong, S., “Synthesis and Characterization of Amphiphilic Polymer Networks Based on Acrylated Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and N-vinylpyrridione,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science,  105, pp. 2712-2716 (2007)..
  15. Chandra, A., Turng, L. S., Gopalan, P., Rowell, R., and Gong, S., “Study of Utilizing Thin Polymer Surface Coating on the Nanoparticles for Melt Compounding of Polycarbonate/Alumina Nanocomposites and Their Optical Properties,” Composite Science and Technology, 68, pp.768-776 (2007).
  16. Liao, L., Zhang, C., Gong, S., “Microwave-assisted Synthesis and Characterization of Poly (epsilon-caprolactone)/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites,” Macromolecule Chemistry and Physics, 208 (12), pp. 1301-1309 (2007).
  17. Chandra, A., Turng, L. S., Gopalan, P., Rowell, R., and Gong, S., “Semitransparent Poly(styrene-r-maleic anhydride)/Alumina Nanocomposites for Optical Applications,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 105 (5), pp. 2728-2736 (2007).
  18. Liao, L., Zhang, C., Gong, S., “Rapid Synthesis of Poly(trimethylene carbonate) by Microwave-assisted Ring-Opening Polymerization,” European Polymer Journal, 43, pp. 4289-4296 (2007).
  19. Zhang, C., Liao, L., and Gong, S., “Recent Developments in Microwave-Assisted Polymerization with a Focus on Ring-Opening Polymerization,” Green Chemistry, 9, pp. 303-314 (2007).
  20. Zhang, C., Liao, L., and Gong, S., “Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of PLLA-PEG-PLLA Triblock Copolymers,” Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 28, pp. 422-427 (2007).
  21. Kramschuster A., Gong S., Turng, L. S., Li Tao, and Li, T., “Injection Molded Solid and Microcellular Polylactide and Polylactide Nanocomposites,” Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy, 1, pp. 37-45 (2007).
  22. Chandra A., Turng L. S., Gong S., Hall, D., Caulfield, D., and Yang, H., “Study of Polystyrene/Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites via Melt Compounding for Optical Applications,” Polymer Composites, 28 (2), pp. 241-250 (2007).
  23. Liao, L., Liu, L., Zhang, C., and Gong, S., “Microwave-Assisted Ring-Opening Polymerization of ε-Caprolactone in the Presence of Ionic Liquid,” Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 27, pp. 2060-2064 (2006).
  24. Li, G., Li, H., Turng, L. S., Gong, S., Zhang, C., “Measurement of Gas Solubility and Diffusivity in Polylactide,” Fluid Phase Equilibria, 246 (1-2), pp. 158-166 (2006).
  25. Li, T., Gong, S., Turng, L. S., Erlacher, K., “Polylactide, Nanoclay, and Core-shell Rubber Composites,” Polymer Science and Engineering, 46 (10), pp. 1419-1427 (2006).
  26. S. Gong, M. Yuan, A. Chandra, A. Winardi, A. Osorio, L. S. Turng, “Microcellular Injection Molding,” International Polymer Processing, Issue 2, pp. 202-214 (2005).
  27. Yuan, M., Winardi, A., Gong, S., Turng, L. S., “Effects of Nano and Micro Fillers and Processing Parameters on Injection Molded Microcellular Composites,” Polymer Science and Engineering, v45, n6, pp. 773-788 (2005).
  28. A. Chandra, S. Gong, L. S. Turng, P. Gramann, H., Cordes, “Microstructure and Crystallography in Microcellular Injection Molded Polyamide-6 Nanocomposite and Neat Resin,” Polymer Science and Engineering, 45 (1), pp. 52-61 (2005).
  29. Yuan, M., Turng, L. S., Gong, S., Winardi, A., Caulfield, D., “Crystallization Behavior of Polyamide-6 Microcellular Nanocomposites,” Journal of Cellular Plastics, v40, n5, pp.397-409 (2004).
  30. Winardi, A., Yuan, M., Gong, S., Turng, L. S., “Core-Shell Rubber Modified Microcellular Polyamide-6 Composite,” Journal of Cellular Plastics, v40, n5, pp. 383-396 (2004).
  31. Yuan, M., Turng, L. S., Gong, S., Caulfield, D., Spindler, R., and Hunt, C., “Study of Injection Molded Microcellular Polyamide-6 Nanocomposites,” Polymer Science and Engineering, 44(4), pp. 673-686 (2004).
  32. Kharbas, H., Nelson, P., Yuan, M., Gong, S., and Turng, L. S., “Effects of Nano-fillers and Process Conditions on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Microcellular Injection Molded Polyamide Nanocomposites,” Polymer Composites, 24 (6), pp. 655-671 (2003).
  33. L. Rector, S. Gong, T. Miles and K. Gaffney “Transfer Molding Encapsulation of Flip Chip Array Packages,” International Journal of Microcircuits and Electronic Packaging (IJMEP), 23 (4), pp. 400-405 (2000).
  34. S. Gong, J. Kanicki, L. Ma and J. Z. Z. Zhong “Ultraviolet-light Induced Liquid Crystal Alignment on Polyimide Films”, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 38 (10), pp. 5996-6004 (1999).
  35. Y. He, S. Gong, R. Hattori and J. Kanicki “High Performance Organic Heterostructure Light-emitting Devices Using Different Transparent Conducting Oxide Contacts,” Applied Physics Letters, 74 (16), pp. 2265-2267 (1999).