Yucheng Zhao is a Professor at the School of Emergent Soft Matter, South China University of Technology. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Applied Chemistry from the Anhui University of Science and Technology in 2015, and his M.S. degree of Science in Organic Chemistry from Yunnan University in 2018. He obtained his Ph.D. in Polymer Science from Fudan University in 2022. Subsequently, he conducted postdoctoral research at Colorado State University. Since May 2026, he has held the position of Professor at South China University of Technology. His research focuses on chemically selective polymerization to develop precisely controlled macromolecular synthesis, enabling the design of next-generation sustainable polymer materials. He has authored and co-authored more than 20 peer-reviewed papers published in prestigious journals including Science, Nature Synthesis, and Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

• Professor  Zhao’s research interests include:
  1. Development of polymerization strategies for the precise control of chemical bonds and polymer architectures.
  2. Design and synthesis of precisely structured, multifunctional, and sustainable polymeric materials.
  3. Construction of photochemistry-driven systems for polymer upcycling

  
  

• Zhao Y.; Portela, B. S.; Green, A. R.; Wolff A. M.; Liu, X.; Puffer, K. O.; Sau, A.; Damrauer, N. H.; Paton, R. S.; H. N.; Miyake G. M.* Organocatalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (O-ATRP) Using a Super-Reducing Photoredox Catalyst. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202517641.

• Zhao Y.; Quinn, E. C.; Battson, M. E.; Rettner, E. M.; Miscall, J.; Rorrer, N. A.; Chen, E. Y. -X.; Miyake G. M.* Chemically Recyclable and Tunable Polyolefin‐Like Multiblock Copolymer Adhesives. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202513286.

• Zhao Y.; Rettner, E. M.; Battson, M. E.; Hu, Z.; Miscall, J.; Rorrer, N. A.; Miyake G. M.* Tailoring the Properties of Chemically Recyclable Polyethylene‐Like Multiblock Polymers by Modulating the Branch Structure. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202415707.

• Zhao Y.;# Rettner, E. M.;# Harry, K. L.; Hu, Z.; Miscall, J.; Rorrer, N. A.; Miyake G. M.* Chemically Recyclable Polyolefin-like Multiblock Polymers. Science 2023, 382, 310-314.

• Zhao Y.; Chen, Y.; Zhou, H.; Zhou, Y.; Chen, K.; Gu, Y.; Chen, M.* Controlled radical copolymerization of fluoroalkenes by using light-driven redox-relay catalysis. Nat. Synth. 2023, 2, 653-662.

• Zhao Y.; Ma, M.; Lin, X.; Chen, M.* Photoorganocatalyzed Divergent Reversible‐Deactivation Radical Polymerization towards Linear and Branched Fluoropolymers. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 21470-21474.

• Zhao Y.; Gong H.; Jiang, K.; Yan, S.; Lin, J.; Chen, M.* Organocatalyzed photoredox polymerization from aromatic sulfonyl halides: Facilitating graft from aromatic C–H bonds. Macromolecules 2018, 51, 938-946.