Profile

A researcher of click-chemistry modification of Eucommia rubber and sound-absorbing shape-memory materials.

Story

Peng Xiaochun, of Tujia ethnicity, holds a PhD in polymer chemistry and physics from South China University of Technology. She is a professor and master's supervisor at Jishou University, with research interests in organic synthesis and catalysis, polymer synthesis and modification, and Eucommia rubber modification and development. Based at the National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Eucommia Comprehensive Utilization Technology, she has systematically carried out research on click-chemistry modification, microencapsulation modification and self-healing properties of Eucommia rubber, and is a representative scholar in Eucommia rubber functionalization research in western Hunan.

In 2022, her team copolymerized sulfur with styrene to prepare an inverse-vulcanized copolymer used as a vulcanizing agent to modify Eucommia rubber. By adjusting the copolymer dosage, crystallinity and mechanical properties were tuned, significantly improving the low-frequency sound absorption of the modified Eucommia rubber, which also exhibited good damping, wear resistance and wet-skid resistance, while achieving a rapid shape-memory effect below 60 degrees C - showing application potential in quiet tire manufacturing.

Milestones

• In July 2022, the team's progress on Eucommia rubber sound absorption and shape memory was featured by the Shandong Rubber Industry Association
• As a backbone in Eucommia rubber modification at Jishou University, continuously participates in Eucommia industry technical exchanges

Key Contributions

• Led the open-fund project 'Click-chemistry modification of Eucommia rubber and its self-healing properties' (NLE201609) of the National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Eucommia Comprehensive Utilization Technology, and the open fund 'Microencapsulation modification of Eucommia rubber and its self-healing properties' of the Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Forest Products Chemical Industry
• In 2022, with Li Youji's team, modified Eucommia rubber with sulfur-styrene inverse-vulcanized copolymers, significantly improving low-frequency sound absorption and achieving rapid shape memory below 60 degrees C - a new material solution for quiet tires
• Led 2 key projects of the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation; long engaged in polymer synthesis and Eucommia rubber modification
• Supervised a student innovation training project on Eucommia rubber (preparation and properties of hydrogen-bond self-healing Eucommia rubber)