You Yumeng: Let Chinese molecular materials once again lead the world
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You Yumeng graduated from Nanjing University with a bachelor's degree in electronics, and later received a doctorate in physics from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He then did postdoctoral research at Yale University and Columbia University. In 2014, he returned to China and joined the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Southeast University.
In 2017, he was named a "Yangtze River Scholar" young scholar, and in 2019, he was funded by the Outstanding Youth Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
The work in the past five years has focused on the frontier field of molecular ferroelectric materials, and synthesized a variety of molecular-based ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials with multiple polar axes, excellent piezoelectricity and unique optoelectronic properties.
For the one-day experiment, he spent 4 days preparing; to do a successful experiment, he started by cleaning more than 2,000 bottles; after the same experiment failed 5 months, he finally succeeded...
"As a young teacher, we must not only have the family and country feeling of'taking the world as our own responsibility', but also the scientific spirit of diligence and excellence. In the face of a series of bad neck techniques, how can we not struggle and not Work hard?"
On September 23, at the Jianxiong College of Southeast University, a salon for young scholars on materials science is being held.
The host on the stage was young and handsome. Facing more than 40 young talents and academic experts, he was full of passion when he introduced molecular materials.
Is this a big academic or a PhD candidate?
He is Professor You Yumeng, the executive dean of Wu Jianxiong College of Southeast University and the winner of outstanding youth.
As a "post-80s" professor, You Yumeng led the research team to successfully solve the century-old problem that has restricted the development of molecular materials in the past 130 years. The research results have been published in Science magazine for two consecutive years.
A successful experiment starts with washing two thousand bottles
For the one-day experiment, he spent 4 days preparing; to do a successful experiment, he started by cleaning more than 2,000 bottles; after the same experiment failed 5 months, he finally succeeded...
In the face of scientific problems, You Yumeng's persistence and persistence are amazing.
In 2010, Yu Yumeng applied to the Department of Chemistry at Yale University as a postdoc, under the tutelage of Professor Elsa Yan.
His first experiment at Yale, the experiment of optical nonlinear microemulsion, gave him a good start.
From August 2010 to January 2011, for a full 5 months, the experimental results can never be repeated.
For the failed experiment, You Yumeng did not complain at all.
He screened for possible problems during the experiment step by step. After repeatedly checking the measurement results, sample quality, operating procedures and experimental principles, he found the crux of the problem-the cleanliness of the experimental equipment was not enough, which led to sample denaturation.
Since then, he has made particularly meticulous preparations before each experiment, and the requirements for cleanliness are even a bit "abnormal".
He usually spends 4 days or more to prepare for a day's experiment.
In the days when he was preparing for the experiment, You Yumeng needed to constantly brush the bottle and mix the solution.
He washes hundreds of measuring cylinders, measuring cups, test tubes and other glassware in every experiment.
The "piranha lotion" used for cleaning is very corrosive.
Before each cleaning, he has to put on heavy "acid-proof equipment" from head to toe.
First soak in lotion, then rinse with a lot of pure water, and finally put it in a drying oven to dry, usually from the morning until the sun sets.
In an optical nonlinear microemulsion experiment, You Yumeng washed almost 2,000 bottles.
During his studies in the United States, Yu Yumeng felt unprecedented pressure in the face of a new research environment and unfamiliar research directions.
During that time, he worked until late at night, and it became commonplace to leave the laboratory at one or two in the morning.
After leaving the station as a postdoctoral fellow at Yale, Yu Yumeng went to Columbia University as a postdoctoral fellow for 3 years.
His mentor at Columbia University is Professor Tony Heinz of Jewish descent. The name of this professor is in the world of two-dimensional materials and condensed matter physics.
Under the influence of Professor Heinz, You Yumeng worked harder.
During his three years at Columbia University, he spent almost all his holidays in the laboratory, even New Year's Day.
Solve the century problems of molecular ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials
In the eyes of outsiders, You Yumeng is particularly lucky.
At the age of 36, he has published two papers in Science.
However, those who are familiar with him know that behind the luck and honor are his persistence for many years.
In 2014, despite Professor Heinz's repeated retention, You Yumeng returned home resolutely.
At that time, he faced many choices.
After communicating with Professor Xiong Rengen of Southeast University, You Yumeng made up his mind to come to Southeast University.
During the first time when he returned to China, almost all of the funds that You Yumeng applied for failed.
The successive defeats once made him a little suspicious of himself.
Molecular piezoelectric materials is one of You Yumeng's research directions.
In the past, piezoelectric ceramics thrived in various piezoelectric materials, and they have been widely used in various fields such as aerospace, ultrasound, medical treatment, and electronic information.
People hope that the screens of mobile phones and laptops can be bent, and they hope to make blood pressure monitors and ultrasound machines into "wearable devices" that can be worn on the body.
All this puts forward higher requirements for the miniaturization, flexibility, and weight reduction of electronic components.
Most people don't believe that the molecular materials chosen by You Yumeng can be comparable to inorganic ceramics in terms of piezoelectric properties, so few people have worked hard in this field.
However, Xiong Rengen does not think so.
"Take your time, the most important thing is to do well in your own hands!" When You Yumeng encounters setbacks, he always uses his unique Jiangxi Mandarin to encourage You Yumeng slowly.
From 2017 to 2018, You Yumeng's research group and his collaborators published papers twice in Science. They discovered molecular-based piezoelectric materials with extremely large piezoelectric coefficients and the world's first metal-free perovskite ferroelectrics It has solved the century-old problem that has restricted the development of molecular piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials for 130 years. The editors of Science praised their work for "opening up a new field for perovskite materials and ferroelectric materials."
The molecular ferroelectric materials they developed inherited the advantages of molecular materials, and for the first time reached the level of traditional piezoelectric ceramics in piezoelectric performance, making practical flexible thin-film piezoelectric components just around the corner.
This marks that our country once again walks in the forefront of the world in the field of molecular materials.
And they developed the world’s first metal-free perovskite-type ferroelectric, which turned into reality the predictions made by Science magazine about metal-free perovskite materials more than ten years ago, adding to the important family of perovskite materials. New members are also brought to the research of ferroelectric materials and new ideas and directions.
"He satisfies all the students' imagination of a good teacher"
"Hello Xianjiang! Tell me when I'm about to arrive, I'll pick you up at the subway station!" Song Xianjiang, who was already a third-year PhD student, recalled receiving a WeChat message from You Yumeng on the train three years ago and still felt that the scene looked like It's a bridge segment that only exists in film and television dramas.
That was Song Xianjiang's first visit to Nanjing.
On the train, he received a WeChat from You Yumeng.
This young man from Taihu Lake in Anhui couldn't believe his eyes: Teacher You is so busy, he came to pick me up in person?
Song Xianjiang was pleasantly surprised and perturbed.
When he first arrived, he took the wrong route when he got out of the car.
When you were at a loss, You Yumeng's WeChat came again: Don't worry, I'll wait for you!
He also patiently and meticulously told Song Xianjiang how to go.
The moment he walked out of the subway station, he saw the pouring rain falling from the sky and the teacher You who had been waiting for him, Song Xianjiang had mixed feelings...
As a student of You Yumeng, Pan Qiang felt that he was very lucky. He said: "He almost satisfied all the students' imagination of a good teacher!"
You Yumeng is tall and handsome, young and vigorous, and excellent in scientific research. The most important thing is that he is not arrogant and approachable.
As a scientific researcher, You Yumeng knows that our country still lags behind developed countries in many fields. Only by not arrogant or impetuous, and with his own practical actions and selfless dedication, can the motherland become stronger.
He recalled that when he was undergraduate at Nanjing University, the professor said in class that China imported a large number of chips from abroad every year and was controlled by others.
"At that time, I thought that my first small goal was to study abroad and learn an international frontier major. In the future, I might be able to do something for the motherland in scientific research." You Yumeng said.
The research field that You Yumeng broke into is a completely new world of materials, and almost no previous experience can be used for reference.
He not only worked hard on his own, but also constantly inspired young undergraduates to make bold innovations.
"I especially believe in their abilities and treat them as graduate students. Over time, they will get good results. Undergraduates have no relevant scientific research experience. All I can do is to patiently guide and wait for the flowers to bloom." You Yumeng believes in himself, I also believe in my students.
(Correspondent Tang Yan, reporter Zhang Ye)