단국대학교 고분자시스템공학부 고분자공학전공
Department of Polymer Science & Engineering jiyunnam@dankook.ac.kr
Designing materials through chain topology and stereochemistry
Going beyond copolymerization and covalent crosslinking, we pursue polymers that are both strong and extensible. We treat chain topology and stereochemistry as design variables, using physical-interaction motifs to build new toughening mechanisms for soft materials.
모집 중
대학원생 · 학부연구생 모집
단국대학교 고분자시스템공학부 남지윤 교수 연구실(STML)은 합성한 고분자로 어떤 물성과 공학적 응용을 구현할 수 있을지에 대한 물음에서 연구를 시작합니다. 합성부터 물성, 응용까지 한 흐름으로 경험하며 고분자 설계를 공학적 가치로 연결하는 힘을 같이 추구할 대학원생과 학부연구생을 모집합니다.
Now talking with prospective students for the Spring 2027 intake.
Highlighted in Nature Synthesis
Our JACS work on structural colours from cyclic diblock copolymers was featured as a Nature Synthesis Research Highlight, “Tunable structural colours by cyclic polymers.” Read the highlight →
Research
Research areas
Area 1
Topological polymer synthesisCyclic, rotaxane, catenane, and bottlebrush polymers
Polymer synthesis by Lewis pair polymerization (LPP) and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), extended to mechanically interlocked polyrotaxanes and polycatenanes whose sliding rings and threaded junctions toughen polymer networks.
Poly(methyl methacrylate)Polyolefin
Area 2
Optical polymersMesogens and inorganic units on soft polymer chains
We incorporate mesogens, inorganic units, and soft high-refractive-index blocks into the side chains and backbones of polymers to control refractive index, birefringence, and structural colour.
Photonic crystal
Area 3
Bio-derived polymersPolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)
Toughening bio-derived polymers via stereo-microstructure and topology control. Catalyst-controlled stereochemistry and chain architecture turn brittle PHAs into strong, ductile materials that can be recycled.
Chemoselective Coordination–Insertion Polymerization of Cyclic Carbamates to Circular Polyurethanes with Diverse Architectures
W.-F. Zheng, X. Westworth, Y. Zhao, J. J. Tian, D. K. Barange, L. Wang, M. T. Gace, J. Nam, E. Y.-X. Chen
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 148 (30), 32003–32013
14
Positional Isomer of P3HB by Stereoselective Polymerization of Racemic α-Methyl-β-propiolactone Delivers Polyethylene-like Properties
R. Li, J. J. Tian, J. Nam, A. L. Baer, E. Y.-X. Chen
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 148 (25), 25877–25886
13
A Circular and Tacticity-Independent Crystalline Mono-Substituted Nylon-6 Platform: Unexpected Large Positional Effects on Crystallizability and Performance
J. J. Tian, J. Nam, L. Wang, A. L. Baer, R. Li, M. T. Gace, W.-F. Zheng, C. Lincoln, N. A. Rorrer, E. Y.-X. Chen
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 65 (25), e9256032
12
Structural Colors of Cyclic Diblock Copolymers Enabled by Topology-Driven Structural Ordering and Tuned by Blending with Constituent Cyclic Polymers
J. Nam, E. Y.-X. Chen
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 148 (12), 12870–12879
11
Topological Universal Dynamic Compatibilization Enhances Recycling of Mixed Plastics
Y. Gao†, X. Westworth†, E. C. Quinn, J. Nam, E. Y.-X. Chen († Equal contribution)
Nature Sustainability 9 (2), 260–270
2025
10
Stereodivergent Transformation of a Natural Polyester to Enantiopure PHAs
J. J. Tian†, R. Li†, E. C. Quinn, J. Nam, E. R. Chokkapu, Z. Zhang, L. Zhou, R. R. Gowda, E. Y.-X. Chen († Equal contribution)
Nature 643 (8073), 967–974
9
Bottlebrush Polymer Patches Template Heterometal Growth on a Gold Nanoparticle Surface
M. Kim†, J. Nam†, J. Kim, H. Hwang, M. Seo, H. Song († Equal contribution)
Nanoscale 17 (21), 13212–13218
2024
8
Fully Recyclable and Tough Thermoplastic Elastomers from Simple Bio-Sourced δ-Valerolactones
K. Ma, H.-Y. An, J. Nam, L. T. Reilly, Y.-L. Zhang, E. Y.-X. Chen, T.-Q. Xu
Nature Communications 15 (1), 7904
7
Scaling Behavior of Solution Self-Assembled Micelle of Sequence-Controlled Bottlebrush Copolymer
S. Kwon†, J. Nam†, J. W. Chung, M. Seo, W. B. Lee, Y. Kim († Equal contribution)
Macromolecules 57 (15), 7664–7674
6
Polymerization/Depolymerization-Induced Self-Assembly under Coupled Equilibria of Polymerization with Self-Assembly
J. Nam, C. Yoo, M. Seo
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 146 (20), 13854–13861
2022
5
Patchwork Metal–Organic Frameworks by Radical-Mediated Heterografting of Star Polymers for Surface Modification
N. Y. Ahn†, J. Lee†, W. Yeo, H. Park, J. Nam, M. Kim, M. Seo († Equal contribution)
Inorganic Chemistry 61 (27), 10365–10372
4
From Macromonomers to Bottlebrush Copolymers with Sequence Control: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications
K. H. Kim†, J. Nam†, J. Choi†, M. Seo, J. Bang († Equal contribution)
Polymer Chemistry 13 (16), 2224–2261
3
Side-Chain Density Driven Morphology Transition in Brush–Linear Diblock Copolymers
J. Park, J. Nam, M. Seo, S. Li
ACS Macro Letters 11 (4), 468–474
2021
2
Folding of Sequence-Controlled Graft Copolymers to Subdomain-Defined Single-Chain Nanoparticles
J. Nam†, S. Kwon†, Y. G. Yu, H. B. Seo, J. S. Lee, W. B. Lee, Y. J. Kim, M. Seo († Equal contribution)
Macromolecules 54 (18), 8829–8838
2019
1
Self-Assembly of Monolayer Vesicles via Backbone-Shiftable Synthesis of Janus Core–Shell Bottlebrush Polymer
J. Nam, Y. J. Kim, J. G. Kim, M. Seo
Macromolecules 52 (24), 9484–9494
The Team
The team
Principal Investigator
Jiyun Nam남지윤Assistant Professor · Polymer Science & Engineering
PhD at KAIST on the synthesis and self-assembly of bottlebrush block copolymers, followed by postdoctoral work at KAIST and Colorado State University on sustainable and topological polymers. Joined Dankook University in September 2026.
남지윤 교수는 KAIST 화학과에서 석박사 통합과정을 마치고, KAIST와 미국 콜로라도주립대학교(Colorado State University)에서 박사후연구원으로 지속가능 고분자와 위상학적 고분자를 연구했습니다. 2026년 9월 단국대학교 고분자시스템공학부 조교수로 부임했습니다.
Dankook UniversityAssistant Professor, Polymer Science & Engineering
Colorado State UniversityPostdoctoral Researcher, Department of Chemistry
KAISTIntegrated M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry
모집 중
대학원생 · 학부연구생 모집
단국대학교 고분자시스템공학부 남지윤 교수 연구실(STML)은 합성한 고분자로 어떤 물성과 공학적 응용을 구현할 수 있을지에 대한 물음에서 연구를 시작합니다. 합성부터 물성, 응용까지 한 흐름으로 경험하며 고분자 설계를 공학적 가치로 연결하는 힘을 같이 추구할 대학원생과 학부연구생을 모집합니다.
Rooms 423-1 (synthesis) and 401 (analysis) in the Third Engineering Building are being built out.
Recruiting graduate and undergraduate researchers
Now talking with prospective students for the Spring 2027 intake — please get in touch by email.
Highlighted in Nature Synthesis
Our JACS work on structural colours from cyclic diblock copolymers was featured as a Nature Synthesis Research Highlight, “Tunable structural colours by cyclic polymers.” Read the highlight →
