Advanced Polymers & Interfaces Research group (AP&I Research Group)
Research Field
Han-Yu Hsueh (薛涵宇) received his bachelor’s degree from the Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan) in 2005. Afterward he moved to Department of Material Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University for graduate study and received MS degree in 2007. In 2011, he received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan) under the supervision of Professor Rong-Ming Ho. Dr. Hsueh did his postdoctoral research in Rong-Ming Ho's lab for the military service starting from 2011 to 2014. He then joined Professor Alfred J. Crosby’s group as a visiting scholar, working in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst (USA) from 2014 to 2015. After that, He joined TSMC in Taiwan as a R&D principal engineer for advanced technology module development. In August of 2016, Dr. Hsueh joined the faculty of NCHU in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering as an assistant professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor in February 2021 and to Professor in August 2024. His current research interests are polymeric hybrid materials and interfaces for applications, including bioinspired materials, surface wrinkling, optical-mechanical sensors, and stimuli-responsive materials.
Our laboratory focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of soft and functional materials with applications in surface engineering, photonic structures, antifouling coatings, and bio-inspired materials. We are particularly interested in how micro-/nano-scale structures, interfacial chemistry, and polymer physics can be combined to create materials with emergent optical, mechanical, and surface properties.
Our current research includes, but is not limited to:
- Photonic and colloidal crystal materials
Self-assembly, structural colors, optical response, and stability enhancement through crosslinking and interfacial design. - Advanced polymer and soft-matter systems
Elastomers, surfactant networks, and low-Tg polymer systems with tailored mechanical and surface properties. - Antifouling and functional surface coatings
Lubricant-free antifouling coatings, particle-anchored surfaces, and environmentally friendly surface modification strategies. - Bio-inspired and interfacial materials
Learning from natural systems to engineer materials with controlled wettability, adhesion, and structural robustness.
Students in our group receive strong interdisciplinary training, including:
- Polymer synthesis and formulation
- Colloidal assembly and micro/nano-structuring
- Surface and interface characterization
- Optical, mechanical, and functional performance evaluation
- Scientific writing and international journal publication
International & Collaborative Environment
Our lab actively engages in international collaborations and publishes in leading journals in materials science, polymers, and applied physics. Students are encouraged to attend international conferences, communicate their research in English, and develop an independent research mindset.
Why Join Us?
- Supportive and mentoring-oriented research environment
- Opportunities for high-impact publications
- Hands-on training that bridges fundamental science and real-world applications
- A friendly campus located in central Taiwan with affordable living costs and excellent quality of life
We warmly welcome motivated international undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. students with backgrounds in materials science, chemistry, physics, or related fields. Prior research experience is beneficial but not required—curiosity, initiative, and persistence matter most.
Our research in bioinspired materials is centered on developing a fundamentally new strategy for designing well-ordered polymer-based nanohybrid materials with tunable, stimuli-responsive functionalities, particularly in their optical and mechanical properties. The core concept of our target materials is that external stimuli can induce reversible changes in physical properties. Such adaptive behavior can be harnessed across a wide range of material platforms, enabling potential applications including optical–mechanical sensors, biomedical implants, robotic components, adaptive protective clothing, and orthopedic devices with controllable performance.
■ Nanofabrication
By integrating polymer self-assembly with templated chemical reactions, we aim to establish a platform technology for the fabrication of precisely controlled nanohybrids and nanostructured materials. This approach enables the creation of well-defined nanostructures with diverse constituent compositions, including polymers, metals, and ceramics. The resulting structures form a versatile “materials library” that can be systematically tailored for practical applications in nanotechnology and advanced functional materials.
■ Bioinspired Polymeric Interfaces
Our research further focuses on buckling-driven functionalities arising from hybrid material interfaces. Buckling phenomena occur over a broad range of length scales and across diverse material systems—for example, in compressed skin, stretched paper, or rigid thin films constrained on compliant substrates. By combining a dynamic interfacial release strategy with materials chemistry, we are able to generate well-oriented, hierarchically wrinkled nanohybrids with flexible and stretchable characteristics. These interface-engineered structures offer promising applications in mechanochromic sensors, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), superhydrophobic surfaces, and dry adhesive systems.
Prof. Han-Yu Hsueh is a recipient of multiple national awards for research excellence, innovation, and mentorship, including the prestigious Wu Ta-You Memorial Award, National Innovation Awards, and Distinguished Advisor Awards, reflecting strong commitment to both high-impact research and student development.
Teaching & Mentorship Excellence
- Distinguished Academic Advisor Award, College of Engineering, National Chung Hsing University (2025)
(Recognition for outstanding mentorship and student guidance) - Outstanding Industry–Academia Collaboration Award, College of Engineering, NCHU (2021)
- Distinguished Academic Advisor Award, College of Engineering, NCHU (2021)
Research Excellence & Early-Career Recognition
- Wu Ta-You Memorial Award (2023)
One of Taiwan’s most prestigious awards recognizing outstanding young researchers across science and engineering - Outstanding Young Polymer Scientist Award, Polymer Society of the Republic of China (2021)
- NCHU Rising Star Award (“Hing-Da Glory Medal”) (2022)
University-level recognition for research excellence and impact - MOE / NSTC Distinguished Young Scholar Award, National Chung Hsing University (2020)
- Young Scholar Innovative Research Award, Taiwan Comprehensive University System (2018)
Sustainability, Green Chemistry & Societal Impact
- Green Chemistry Application & Innovation Award (Individual Category), Environmental Protection Administration, Taiwan (2023)
Recognizing contributions to green chemistry education and sustainable technologies - Y.Z. Hsu Science & Technology Paper Award – Green Technology Category (2022)
Innovation, Patents & Technology Translation
- National Innovation Award – Academic Research & Startup Category (2021, 2022)
- National Innovation Excellence Award (2022)
- Future Tech Award – Highlight Technology (2022)
- Taiwan Innotech Expo Invention Competition
Gold Medal & Silver Medal (2023)
International Recognition & Fellowships
- MOST Fellowship for Outstanding Young Faculty Recruitment, National Chung Hsing University (2016–2018)
- MOST Overseas Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, USA (2014) - NSC Postdoctoral Research Publication Award (2013)
- Phi Tau Phi Honor Society Member (2011)
National academic honor society recognizing top scholarly achievement
2007.09 – 2011.07
Ph.D. in Department of Chemical Engineering
National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
2005.09 – 2007.07
M.S. in Department of Material Science and Engineering
National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
2001.09 – 2005.06
B.S. in Department of Chemical Engineering
National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan