Project Manager Engineer

Yongqiang Zhang, PhD (Organic Chemistry)

**** ***** *****, ********, ** 80503 720-***-**** (cell) 303-***-**** (home) abn2q0@r.postjobfree.com

Sr. Research Scientist

CAREER SUMMARY

7+ years of industrial chemistry R&D experience in organic/polymeric materials including synthesis, characterization,

formulation, and process development and 6 years of postdoctoral experience in cutting-edge academic research labs.

Proven success in driving groundbreaking advancement through materials R&D. Selected track record of delivering:

Patented ionic surfactant technology leading to two key commercial products in 2011.

Chemical process developments ensuring the supply of a mixture used in a multi-million unit electronic view-finder

market (~$50M).

38 peer-reviewed journal publications, 2 book chapters, 2 patent applications, 4 trade secrets, and 4 NSF grants.

Areas of expertise and professional skills:

Polymers (polyimide, nylon, PTFE, acrylic urethane, epoxy, etc.) and organometallic compounds and polymers.

Polymer and liquid crystal (LC) thin films, UV curing, positive and negative photoresists, photo initiators, photo

polymerization, spin coating, and LC/polymer, polymer/ITO and polymer/silicon interactions.

Chemical process development, bench to multi-kg scale chemical production, synthetic methodology, total synthesis of

natural products, and homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis.

Separation methods including fractional distillation, centrifugation, liquid-liquid and solid-liquid extractions,

recrystallization, and chromatography (flash columnar chromatography, preparative TLC and HPLC).

DSC, TGA, DMA, GPC, AFM, SEM, freeze-fracture TEM, POM, 2D and powder XRD, XPS, dielectric spectroscopy,

cyclic voltammetry, 1D and 2D NMR, GC-MS, LC-MS, TOF-MS, FT-IR, Raman, and UV-vis.

Microsoft Office, ChemOffice, Canvas, Filemaker, EndNote, and SciFinder Scholar.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC. – Longmont, CO

Senior Research Chemist, 05/2009 – 08/2012

Enabled new products through materials R&D, improved materials-related performance (e.g., speed, brightness, robustness,

and lifetime) of microdisplay products, and solved pressing materials-related problems occurring in commercial mixtures.

Selected contributions:

Led 3 chemists and 1 engineer to conduct materials R&D including synthesis and characterization of >100 ferroelectric

liquid crystals (FLCs) containing heterocycles (e.g., pyridine, pyrimidine, oxadiazole, thiadiazole, pyridazine, etc.) and

LC surfactant polymers, mixture formulation, and dielectric spectroscopy measurements.

Invented ionic surfactants and formulated mixtures therewith, solving FLCOS microdisplay problems (e.g., image sticking

and defect formation) under dc-unbalanced drive and enabling 50% brighter FLCOS microdisplays.

Developed efficient chemical process methods for manufacturing of 6 commercial FLC components, ending a supply

crisis of a commercial mixture used in a multi-million unit electronic view-finder market (~$50M).

DISPLAYTECH INC. – Longmont, CO (Acquired by MICRON in 05/2009)

Senior Research Scientist, 01/2005 – 05/2009

Designed, synthesized, and formulated EO materials for nonlinear optics (NLOs) and organic photovoltaics (OPV)

applications. Provided on-going production support including troubleshooting and problem-solving. Managed NSF projects

carried out in a multidisciplinary team consisting of chemists, physicists, and engineers.

Selected contributions:

Synthesized FLC monomers with acrylate or methacrylate termini and their side-chain and main-chain polymers by UV-

curing process, hydrosilylation reaction, and acylic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization.

Designed and prepared >50 novel dimer, trimer, oligomer, and polymer FLCs incorporating dyes into their structures

and formulated mixtures used for NLO and OPV applications.

Yongqiang Zhang 2

Developed polymer-dispersed FLCs, epoxy polymers, and acrylic urethane polymers for bistable display application and

fluorine-containing polyimides for FLC alignment layers.

Synthesized >200 bent-core LCs and formulated mixtures therewith for high performance optical phase modulation.

Developed efficient chemical process approaches to manufacturing commercial chiral FLCs, ending a supply crisis of a

commercial mixture (a multi-million dollar market) due to the loss of an FLC component supplier.

Fabricated LC cells with ITO patterns using photolithography (positive and negative photoresist processes).

W rote 4 NSF SBIR proposals on organic materials and had 3 funded (2 Phase I and 1 Phase II, total $700,000).

As project manager and principal investigator (PI), managed four NSF-supported multi-disciplinary SBIR projects

($1,200,000) which involved chemists, physicists, and engineers.

EMORY UNIVERSITY – Atlanta, GA

Postdoctoral Research Associate, 01/2003 – 01/2005

Total synthesis of a natural product, -Bao Gong Teng A, by enantiocontrolled [5+2] cycloaddition and intramolecular

1,5-Michael-type addition.

Total synthesis of natural products, -Adaline, -Adalinine, and -Euphococcinine, by 1,5-Michael-type addition and

semipinacol rearrangement.

Discovered two new Mo-mediated reactions: 1,5-Michael-type addition and semipinacol rearrangement.

Enantioselective construction of bridged- and fused heterocyclic ring systems by Mukaiyama reactions (aldol & Michael)

and 1,5-Michael-type addition.

Created enantiomerically pure stoichiometric pyranyl- and pyridinylmolybdenum scaffolds for the asymmetric

construction of a variety of organic molecules.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO – El Paso, TX

Postdoctoral Research Associate, 05/1998 – 12/2002

Discovered and investigated a novel photochemically induced silene-mediated rearrangement that efficiently produces

bicyclic organosilanes in a stereospecific pathway.

Prepared silyl- and germylferrocenophane compounds and their thermal ring-opening polymerization.

Synthesized organosilane polymers and their pyrolysis.

Designed and synthesized novel ferrocene-containing complexes for NLO applications.

NANKAI UNIVERSITY – Tianjin, China

Research Assistant, 09/1993 – 05/1998

Studied the mechanism of a novel rearrangement reaction.

Prepared metallocene catalysts and their catalyzed polymerization of ethylene and propylene.

Efficient synthesis of 2-methyl-7-phenylindene (200 g scale).

Multistep synthesis of fluorine-containing drug intermediates (1-acetyl-5-fluoroindoline and 2,5-difluoro-4-

hydroxybenzonitrile, 5 kg scale).

EDUCATION

NANKAI UNIVERSITY – Tianjin, China

PhD in Organic Chemistry, 1998

BS in Chemistry, 1993

PUBLICATIONS

Total of 40 publications consisting of 2 invited book chapters and 38 peer-reviewed papers in prestigious journals. 4 papers

are at the preparation stage for publication. 12 selected papers are shown below (* = corresponding authors, IF = impact factor

in 2011). A complete list of publications is available upon request.

Yongqiang Zhang 3

1. Y. Zhang*, J. Ortega, U. Baumeister, C. L. Folcia, G. Sanz-Enguita, C. Walker, S. Rodriguez-Conde, J. Etxebarria*, M. J.

O’Callaghan, and K. More. “An Azo-Bridged Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal with Highly Enhanced Second and Third

Harmonic Generation” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 16298–16306. (IF = 9.907)

2. Y. Zhang* and J. Etxebarria*. “Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals for Nonlinear Optical Applications” in Liquid Crystals beyond

Displays. Ed. Quan Li, Wiley-VCH, Germany. 2012, 111–156.

3. Y. Zhang*, U. Baumeister, C. Tschierske*, M. J. O'Callaghan, and C. Walker. “Achiral Bent-Core Molecules with a Series

of Linear or Branched Carbosilane Termini: Dark Conglomerate Phases, Supramolecular Chirality and Macroscopic Polar

Order” Chem. Mater. 2010, 22, 2869–2884. (IF = 7.286)

4. Y. Zhang*, J. Martinez-Perdiguero, U. Baumeister, C. Walker, J. Etxebarria*, M. Prehm, J. Ortega, C. Tschierske, M. J.

O’Callaghan, A. Harant, and M. Handschy. “Laterally Azo-Bridged H-Shaped Ferroelectric Dimesogens for Second-Order

Nonlinear Optics: Ferroelectricity and Second Harmonic Generation” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 18386–18392. (IF =

9.907)

5. T. C. Coombs, Y. Zhang, E. C. Garnier-Amblard, and L. S. Liebeskind*. “Organometallic Enantiomeric Scaffolding.

Sequential Semipinacol/1,5-“Michael-like” Reactions as a Strategic Approach to Bridgehead-Quaternary Center

Aza[3.3.1]Bicyclics: Application to the Total Synthesis of -Adaline” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 876–877. (IF = 9.907)

6. Y. Zhang*, M. J. O'Callaghan, U. Baumeister, and C. Tschierske*. “Bent-Core Mesogens with Branched Carbosilane

Termini: Flipping Suprastructural Chirality without Reversing Polarity” Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 6892–6896. (IF =

13.455)

7. Y. Zhang and L. S. Liebeskind*. “Organometallic Enantiomeric Scaffolding – Organometallic Chirons. Total Synthesis of -Bao Gong Teng A by a Molybdenum-Mediated [5+2] Cycloaddition” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 465–472. (IF =

9.907)

8. Y. Zhang and L.S. Liebeskind*. “Synthesis of Substituted Oxa- and Aza[3.2.1] and [4.3.1]bicyclics via an Unprecedented

Molybdenum-Mediated 1,5-“Michael-Type” Reaction” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 11258–11259. (IF = 9.907)

9. Y. Zhang, F. Cervantes-Lee, and K. H. Pannell*. “Synthesis, Structure, and Photochemistry of Disilyl Derivatives of the Fp

(Fp = (η -C5H5)Fe(CO)2) System: [cyclic] FpMeSi(CH2)4SiMeFp and FpPhMeSiSiMePhFp” Organometallics, 2003, 22,

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2517–2524. (IF = 3.963)

10. Y. Zhang, F. Cervantes-Lee, and K. H. Pannell*. “Stereospecific Formation of 1,3-Disilacyclobutanes by Photochemical

Treatment of Dimetallic Complexes FpCH2SiMeRSiMeRCH2Fp” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 8327–8328. (IF = 9.907)

11. Y. Zhang, X. Sun, B. Wang, S. Xu, and X. Zhou*. “Novel Rearrangement Reactions. 6. Thermal Rearrangement of Disilyl-

Bridged Diiron Complexes Containing Isocyanide Ligands and Stereochemistry of the Rearranged Products”

Organometallics, 1999, 18, 4493–4500. (IF = 3.963)

12. Y. Zhang, S. Xu, and X. Zhou*. “Novel Rearrangement Reactions. 3. Thermal Rearrangement of Diruthenium Complex

(Me2SiSiMe2)[(η -C5H4)Ru(CO)]2(µ-CO)2” Organometallics, 1997, 16, 6017–6020. (IF = 3.963)

5

PATENTS & TRADE SECRETS

As the leading inventor, filed 2 US patent applications and 4 inventions kept as Micron’s trade secrets. 4 inventions are in

preparation stage for filing.

1. Y. Zhang and S. Yang. “ORGANIC IONIC PHENYLPYRIMIDINE COMPOUNDS AND DISPLAYS FORMED THEREOF”.

2010, US patent application.

2. Y. Zhang, K. More, and W. Thurmes. “NAPROXEN-BASED CHIRAL COMPOUNDS AND LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY

APPLICATIONS”. 2011, US patent application.

3. Y. Zhang and K. More. “AZO-BRIDGED PHENYLENE OLIGOMERS FOR ELECTROOPTICAL AND

OPTOELECTRONICAL APPLICATIONS”. 2010-0192, Invention kept as trade secret.

4. Y. Zhang, K. More, and W. Thurmes.“EFFICIENT AND ECONOMIC SYNTHESIS OF PHENYLPYRIDINE COMPOUNDS

AND FLCOS DISPLAY APPLICATIONS”. 2011-0543, Invention kept as trade secret.

5. Y. Zhang and K. More. “PROCESS FOR HIGHLY ENANTIOPURE CHIRAL COMPOUNDS USING NAPROXEN AND

LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY APPLICATIONS”. 2011-0577, Invention kept as trade secret.

6. Y. Zhang, K. More, S. Yang, and V. Cepak. “ORGANIC CHIRAL IONIC COMPOUNDS AND DISPLAY APPLICATIONS”.

2012-0160, Invention kept as trade secret.

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