Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering; Executive Officer for Chemical Engineering
B.Sc., Beijing University, 1982; Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1987. Assistant Professor, Caltech, 1991-97; Associate Professor, 1997-2002; Professor, 2002-; Executive Officer of Chemical Engineering 2019-
Statistical mechanics of structures, phase transitions and dynamics in complex fluids, including polymers, liquid-crystals, and gels; statistical mechanics of surfaces and interfaces; nucleation; biophysics of DNA; evolutionary protein design, cell adhesion
Modern Chemical Engineering has become an increasingly molecular-based discipline. Statistical mechanics, which provides the bridge between the molecular constitution and interaction on the one hand and the macroscopic properties and behaviors on the other, is therefore playing an ever more important role in chemical engineering.
In the Wang group, we use statistical mechanics to study a host of problems in the interdisciplinary areas of physical chemistry, material science and biophysics. Current research projects include nucleation phenomena in the phase transformation of complex fluids, dynamics of topologically constrained polymers, structure and dynamics of physical gels, charge solvation effects on the thermodynamics of polymer blends and block copolymers, viral DNA/RNA packaging, and membrane biophysics.
A central goal of our work is to understand and predict properties based on the molecular characteristics of matter and systems. We strive to obtain simple insight to seemingly complex problems. In this regard, we are very much guided by the following quotation from J. W. Gibbs: "One of the principal objects of theoretical research... is to find the point of view from which the subject appears in its greatest simplicity." In line with this philosophy, we build coarse-grained models that capture the most essential features of the problems at hand without undue microscopic details, which are solved with a combination of modern analytical and numerical methods of statistical mechanics, including density functional theory, self-consistent field method, field-theoretical techniques, Monte Carlo simulation and Brownian Dynamics simulation.
ChE/Ch 148. Polymer Physics.9 units (3-0-6); third term, 2022-23.
An introduction to the physics that govern the structure and dynamics of polymeric liquids, and to the physical basis of characterization methods used in polymer science. The course emphasizes the scaling aspects of the various physical properties. Topics include conformation of a single polymer, a chain under different solvent conditions; dilute and semi-dilute solutions; thermodynamics of polymer blends and block copolymers; polyelectrolytes; rubber elasticity; polymer gels; linear viscoelasticity of polymer solutions and melts.
Instructor: Wang
ChE/Ch 164. Introduction to Statistical Thermodynamics.9 units (3-0-6); second term, 2022-23.Prerequisites: Ch 21 abc or instructor's permission.
An introduction to the fundamentals and simple applications of statistical thermodynamics. Foundation of statistical mechanics; partition functions for various ensembles and their connection to thermodynamics; fluctuations; noninteracting quantum and classical gases; heat capacity of solids; adsorption; phase transitions and order parameters; linear response theory; structure of classical fluids; computer simulation methods.
Instructors: Wang, Chan
ChE/Ch 165. Chemical Thermodynamics.9 units (3-0-6); first term, 2022-23.Prerequisites: ChE 63 ab or instructor's permission.
An advanced course emphasizing the conceptual structure of modern thermodynamics and its applications. Review of the laws of thermodynamics; thermodynamic potentials and Legendre transform; equilibrium and stability conditions; metastability and phase separation kinetics; thermodynamics of single-component fluid and binary mixtures; models for solutions; phase and chemical equilibria; surface and interface thermodynamics; electrolytes and polymeric liquids.
Instructor: Wang
ChE/Ch 164. Introduction to Statistical Thermodynamics.9 units (3-0-6); second term, 2019-20.Prerequisites: Ch 21 abc or instructor's permission.
An introduction to the fundamentals and simple applications of statistical thermodynamics. Foundation of statistical mechanics; partition functions for various ensembles and their connection to thermodynamics; fluctuations; noninteracting quantum and classical gases; heat capacity of solids; adsorption; phase transitions and order parameters; linear response theory; structure of classical fluids; computer simulation methods.
Instructor: Wang
ChE/Ch 165. Chemical Thermodynamics.9 units (3-0-6); first term, 2019-20.Prerequisites: ChE 63 ab or instructor's permission.
An advanced course emphasizing the conceptual structure of modern thermodynamics and its applications. Review of the laws of thermodynamics; thermodynamic potentials and Legendre transform; equilibrium and stability conditions; metastability and phase separation kinetics; thermodynamics of single-component fluid and binary mixtures; models for solutions; phase and chemical equilibria; surface and interface thermodynamics; electrolytes and polymeric liquids.
Instructor: Wang
