Professor, Ph. D
Provost’s Chair
Fellow of EurASc
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore

Dr. Donglin Jiang has been widely recognized as a distinguished scientist and pioneer in the area of 2D polymers and covalent organic frameworks (COFs). Since 2005, Dr. Jiang has been devoted to the design, synthesis, and functional exploration of 2D polymers and COFs when he set up an independent laboratory at Institute for Molecular Science (IMS), National Institutes for Natural Sciences (NINS), and SOKENDAI, Japan. He has been a leading figure in the field of 2D polymer and COFs; his groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the development and understanding of COFs. He has explored the design principles of tetragonal, trigonal, Kagome and anisotropic COFs, the synthetic reactions including azine, phenazine, squaranine and C=C linkages, and the materials and their structure-originated functions. Dr. Jiang has developed the first examples, including the semiconducting COFs, light-emitting COFs, photoconductive COFs, energy-storage COFs, asymmetric catalytic COFs, photocatalytic COFs, ion-conducting COFs and spin-functional COFs through disclosing interplays between COFs with photons, phonons, electrons, holes, spins, ions, and molecules, thus leading,  developing, and deepening the area.

Donglin Jiang has made pioneering and transformative contributions to the field of COFs, establishing himself as a leading figure in this area. His achievements are highlighted through several key developments:

1. Pioneering Work in COF Design and Synthesis

• 2D Polymers and COFs: Since establishing his independent laboratory in 2005, Jiang has been at the forefront of COF research. He pioneered the design and synthesis of two-dimensional polymers and COFs, focusing on their structural organization and functional properties.
• Structural Innovations: Jiang has introduced innovative COF architectures, including tetragonal, trigonal, Kagome, and anisotropic frameworks. These designs have not only expanded the structural diversity of COFs but also opened new avenues for exploring their unique material properties.

2. Innovative Synthetic Reactions

• Reactions: Jiang has pushed the boundaries of synthetic chemistry by introducing various reactions, including C=C, phenazine, azine, squaranine, and ketazine linkages, which have led to novel COF structures, especially fully π-conjugated 2D polymers and COFs. These synthetic advancements have been instrumental in creating COFs with unprecedented chemical stability and functionality.
• Multicomponent Synthesis: Jiang has made groundbreaking contributions to the field by developing the first examples of multicomponent COFs, greatly expanding COFs’ versatility and functionality. In his key publications, Jiang demonstrated how combining multiple components within a single COF can lead to highly tunable and synergistic properties, advancing their applications in energy storage, sensing, and catalysis.
• Templated Synthesis: Jiang has developed a templated strategy using stable COFs as a template for the synthesis of COFs, which cannot be synthesized by direct condensation. His innovative use of molecular and supramolecular templates refined the synthesis process but also broadened the scope of COFs, establishing new paradigms in the field.
• Pore Surface Engineering: Jiang developed innovative pore surface engineering strategies to modify and functionalize the internal pore surfaces of COFs, enabling precise control over chemical reactivities, adsorption properties, and guest-host interactions. His work has demonstrated how tailored pore surface engineering can enhance COF performance in areas such as CO₂ capture, catalysis, and ion transport. By systematically exploring these modifications, Jiang has established a new level of functional customization in COFs, significantly expanding their versatility and application scope.

3. Functional Scope of COFs

• COFs as Multidimensional and Multifunctional Materials: Jiang’s research spans various physical phenomena, by exploring interactions of COFs with photons, phonons, electrons, holes, spins, ions, and molecules. This broad functional scope has made COFs an indispensable platform for studying and developing materials for a range of applications, from semiconductors to catalysis and energy storage.

4. Groundbreaking Functional Exploration

• Semiconducting COFs: Jiang developed the first examples of p-, n-, and ambipolar type semiconducting COFs, uncovering the potential of COFs in optoelectronics. His work on the first examples of donor-acceptor COFs laid the foundation for applications in energy storage, photocatalysis, and energy conversion
• Light-Emitting COFs: Jiang introduced the first examples of light-emitting COFs, uncovering the structural origins of their emission properties, including those of exfoliated 2D polymers. Through a multicomponent strategy, he achieved precise control over emission colors, enabling a designable and digitally tunable spectrum. Jiang developed light-emitting COFs with switch-on and switch-off mechanisms, opening applications in sensing technologies.
• Photoconductive COFs: Dr. Jiang’s research on photoconductive COFs has deepened the understanding of how these frameworks interact with light and electric fields, making significant strides towards the use of COFs in energy and sensing technologies.
• Spin-Functional COFs: Jiang has explored the interaction between COFs and spin dynamics, leading to the discovery of spin-functional COFs. These COFs have potential applications in spintronics, for revolutionizing information storage and processing technologies.

5. Energy Storage COFs

• Energy Storage Applications: He has pioneered the exploration of COFs for energy storage, demonstrating their potential in supercapacitors and lithium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries by designing frameworks that efficiently store ions and electrons.

6. Catalytic COFs

• Photocatalysis: By disclosing interplays between COFs and photons, Jiang has established COFs as efficient photocatalysts. His work has applications in environmental cleanup, particularly in the photodegradation of pollutants, water splitting for hydrogen production, and hydrogen peroxide photosynthesis from water and oxygen.
• Organocatalytic COFs: Jiang’s work on asymmetric organocatalytic COFs has led to the development of frameworks with selective catalytic sites, which have implications for sustainable chemistry.
• Electrocatalytic COFs: Jiang pioneered the design of COFs with tailored electrocatalytic active sites, enhancing their performance in processes such as oxygen reduction, hydrogen evolution, and CO₂ reduction reactions. His innovative approaches to optimizing the electrochemical properties of COFs have provided new pathways for developing efficient and stable catalysts, setting the stage for further breakthroughs in sustainable energy technologies.

7. Ion-Conducting COFs

• Proton-Conducting COFs: Jiang pioneered proton-conducting COFs to achieve exceptional proton conductivity and opened new avenue in energy conversion technologies, particularly for fuel cells.
• Lithium Ion-Conducting COFs: Jiang has made pioneering contributions to lithium ion-conducting COFs by developing the first examples of polyelectrolyte COFs, advancing their potential in next-generation energy storage technologies. Jiang designed COFs with precisely tuned polyelectrolyte pore structures and ion channels, enabling efficient lithium ion transport while maintaining structural stability. His innovative work has significantly improved the performance of COFs in lithium-ion batteries, offering new possibilities for enhancing energy storage capacity and charging efficiency.
• Hydroxide Anion-Conducting COFs: Jiang has made significant strides in the development of hydroxide anion-conducting COFs, advancing their role in energy and environmental technologies. Jiang designed COFs with tailored pore environments that facilitate the efficient conduction of hydroxide anions, optimizing their performance for applications such as alkaline fuel cells. His work has not only improved the conductivity and stability of COFs under harsh alkaline conditions but also opened up new possibilities for their use in green energy conversion and storage.

8. COFs in Sustainable and Environmental Technologies

• Sustainable Technologies: Jiang’s work on COFs has made substantial contributions to sustainability, particularly through applications such as carbon dioxide capture. His research has positioned COFs as key materials in addressing global environmental challenges.
• Environmental Technologies: Jiang pioneered iodine capture and heavy metal (Mercury and Lead) removal from water, establishing COFs as key materials in environmental remediation and protection.

In summary, Jiang has profoundly shaped the field of COFs, advancing both the theoretical understanding and practical applications of these materials. His innovative approaches to designing COFs with tailored functions have led to breakthroughs in numerous fields, ranging from catalysis and energy storage to photonics and sustainability. His contributions have not only defined the state-of-the-art in COF research but have also set the stage for future developments in the field.

Dr. Jiang has also pioneered the area of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) that are a class of amorphous yet conjugated organic networks. Dr. Jiang has focused on design, synthesis and functions of CMPs. Light-harvesting antennae effect, light-emitting materials, catalytic systems, supercapacitive energy storage, super absorbents and energy conversions have been developed in this laboratory. Dr. Jiang also developed the method based on electrochemistry for designed synthesis of thin films of CMPs on various substrates for developing devices.

Publons: https://publons.com/researcher/2134929/donglin-jiang/
Average citation per paper: 220 (Web of Science) and 248 (Google Scholar)@Feb 2024

Google Scholar Link for Professor Jiang
X Link for Professor Jiang
Wikipedia Link for Professor Jiang

Education
1989: BS at Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University; Mentor: Professor Zhiquan Shen (Academician of CAS)
1998: Ph. D & Postdoc at The AIDA Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan; Mentor: Professor Takuzo AIDA.

Alma Mater
Zhejiang University
The University of Tokyo

Antecedents 
1998-2000: Assistant Professor, The AIDA Laboratory, Department of Chemistry & Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan
2000-2005: Group Leader, JST ERATO Aida Nanospace Project, Japan; project leader: Professor Takuzo Aida
2005-2015: Associate Professor, Institute for Molecular Science (IMS), National Institutes for Natural Sciences (NINS), & SOKENDAI, Japan
2016-2018: Professor, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan
2018-present: Professor (Strategic Hire), National University of Singapore, Singapore

Journal Editorial Advisory Board Member
International Editorial Advisory Board Member: CCS Chemistry

Guest Editor
Chem. Soc. Rev. for Future Applications and Techniques using Porous Organic Polymers, 2022