Biography

Christopher Li received his B. S. from the University of Science and Technology of China in 1995 and his Ph.D. from the Department of Polymer Science, The University of Akron in December, 1999. After working as a post-doc at the Maurice Morton Institute of Polymer Science, UA for 2 years, he joined Drexel University, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in January, 2002 as an assistant professor, and was promoted to associate and full professor in 2007, and 2011, respectively. His research focuses on understanding structure-morphology-property relationship of complex soft and hybrid materials. His group is interested in various ordered polymeric systems, including crystalline, liquid crystalline and block copolymers for energy storage and biomedical applications. Christopher Li is a Fellow of American Physical Society and North American Thermal Analysis Society (NATAS). He is on the Editorial Advisory Board of Macromolecules, ACS Macro Letters, Polymer, and Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry.

Degrees / Education

• PhD, Polymer Science, The University of Akron, 1999
• BS, Polymer Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, 1995

Research Areas

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Health and Medicine
• Materials

Research Interests

Areas of Study

• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Nanomaterials

Academic Distinctions

• Outstanding Alumni Award, Department of Polymer Science, University Akron 2017
• Inaugural Provost’s Award for Outstanding Mid-Career Scholarly Achievement, Drexel University 2016
• Outstanding Research Award, College of Engineering, Drexel University 2016
• North American Thermal Analysis Society, President 2016
• North American Thermal Analysis Society, Fellow 2014
• Outstanding Service Award, Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University 2014
• Chair Professor, Soochow University 2013 –
• American Physical Society Fellow 2012
• Invited Attendee, National Academy of Engineering Japan-America Frontiers of Engineering Symposium 2012
• Outstanding Research Award, College of Engineering, Drexel University 2012
• National Science Foundation Creativity Award 2011
• Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers 2010
• Outstanding Research Award, Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University 2010
• Outstanding Teaching Award, Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University 2007
• Invited attendee, Interdisciplinary, globally leading polymer science and engineering, NSF Polymer workshop 2007
• NSF-CAREER Award 2003-2008
• 3M Fellowship 2006
• ASM Bradley Stoughton Award for Young Teachers 2006
• DuPont Young Faculty Award 2005-2007
• Outstanding Oversea Young Scientist selected by National Science Foundation of China 2006-2009
• Outstanding Research Award, Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University 2006
• PERKIN ELMER – ICTAC (International Confederation for Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry) Young Scientist Award 2004
• NRC/US (National Research Council/US) Air Force of Scientific Research Summer Faculty Fellowship Award 2004
• Mettler -Toledo Thermal Analysis Educational Turi Award 2003
• 3-M Non -Tenured Faculty Award 2003-2005

Select Publications

• Mei, S.; Qi, H.; Zhou, T.; Li, C. Y. Precisely Assembled Cyclic Gold Nanoparticle Frames by 2D Polymer Single-Crystal Templating, Angew. Chem. Inter. Ed. 2017, 56, 13645–13649.
• Pan, Q. W.; Barbash, D.; Smith, D. M.; Qi, H.; Gleeson, S. E.; Li, C. Y. Correlating Electrode–Electrolyte Interface and Battery Performance in Hybrid Solid Polymer Electrolyte-Based Lithium Metal Batteries, Adv. Energy Mater. 2017, 1701231.
• Wang, W.; Qi, H.; Zhou, T.; Mei, S. Han, L.; Higuchi, T.; Jinnai, H.; Li, C.Y. Crystalsome: Highly Robust Nanocapsules via Directed Polymer Crystallization at Curved Liquid/Liquid Interface, Nature Commun. 2016, 7, 10599.
• Zhou T.; Qi, H.; Han, L.; Barbash D.; Li, C. Y. Towards Controlled Polymer Brushes via a Self-Assembly-Assisted-Grafting-To (SAAGT) Approach, Nature Commun. 2016, 7, 11119.
• Pan, Q. W.; Smith, D. M.; Qi, H.; Wang, S. J.; Li, C. Y.* Hybrid Electrolytes with Controlled Network Structures for Lithium Metal Batteries. 2015, Adv. Mater. 27, 5995–6001.
• Cheng, S.; Smith, D. M.; Li, C. Y. How Does Nanoscale Crystalline Structure Affect Ion Transport in Solid Polymer Electrolytes? Macromolecules 2014, 47, 3978-3986.
• Chen, X.; Wang, W.; Cheng, S.; Dong, B.; Li, C. Y. Mimicking Bone Nanostructure by Combining Block Copolymer Self-Assembly and 1d Crystal Nucleation. ACS Nano 2013, 7, 8251-8257.
• Laird, E. D.; Li, C. Y. Structure and Morphology Control in Crystalline-Polymer/Carbon-Nanotube Composites. Macromolecules 2013, 46, 2877-2891.
• Dong, B.; Zhou, T.; Zhang, H.; Li, C. Y. Directed Self-Assembly of Nanoparticles for Nanomotors. ACS Nano 2013, 7, 5192-5198.
• Laird, E. D.; Wang, W.; Cheng, S.; Li, B.; Presser, V.; Dyatkin, B.; Gogotsi, Y.; Li, C. Y. Polymer Single Crystal-Decorated Superhydrophobic Buckypaper with Controlled Wetting and Conductivity. ACS Nano 2012, 6, 1204-1213.
• Smith, D. M.; Dong, B.; Marron, R. W.; Birnkrant, M. J.; Elabd, Y. A.; Natarajan, L. V.; Tondiglia, V. P.; Bunning, T. J.; Li, C. Y. Tuning Ion Conducting Pathways Using Holographic Polymerization. Nano Lett. 2012, 12, 310-314.
• Li, B.; Li, L. Y.; Wang, B. B.; Li, C. Y. Alternating Patterns on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Nature Nanotechnol. 2009, 4, 358-362.
• Wang, B. B.; Li, B.; Zhao, B.; Li, C. Y. Amphiphilic Janus Gold Nanoparticles Via Combining "Solid-State Grafting-to" and "Grafting-from" Methods. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 11594-11595.
• Li, B.; Li, C. Y. Immobilizing Au Nanoparticles with Polymer Single Crystals, Patterning and Asymmetric Functionalization. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12-13.
• Birnkrant, M. J.; Li, C. Y.; Natarajan, L. V.; Tondiglia, V. P.; Sutherland, R. L.; Lloyd, P. F.; Bunning, T. J. Layer-in-Layer Hierarchical Nanostructures Fabricated by Combining Holographic Polymerization and Block Copolymer Self-Assembly. Nano Lett. 2007, 7, 3128-3133.
• Li, L. Y.; Li, C. Y.; Ni, C. Y. Polymer Crystallization-Driven, Periodic Patterning on Carbon Nanotubes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 1692-1699.
• Li, L. Y.; Yang, Y.; Yang, G. L.; Chen, X. M.; Hsiao, B. S.; Chu, B.; Spanier, J. E.; Li, C. Y. Patterning Polyethylene Oligomers on Carbon Nanotubes Using Physical Vapor Deposition. Nano Lett. 2006, 6, 1007-1012.
• Li, C. Y.*; Li, L. Y.; Cai, W. W.; Kodjie, S. L.; Tenneti, K. K. Nanohybrid Shish-Kebabs: Periodically Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes. Adv. Mater. 2005, 17, 1198-1202. (Cover Article).
• Tenneti, K. K.; Chen, X. F.; Li, C. Y.; Tu, Y. F.; Wan, X. H.; Zhou, Q. F.; Sics, I.; Hsiao, B. S. Perforated Layer Structures in Liquid Crystalline Rod-Coil Block Copolymers. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 15481-15490.