Event
CHBE Seminar: Dr. Arthur Yang, ISTN
Friday, February 20, 2026
11:00 a.m.
Room 2108 Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Building
Patricia Lorenzana
301-405-1935
plorenza@umd.edu
“Molecules Theory of Surface Tension, and Its Application to Material Nanotechnologies”
Abstract: The lack of a molecular interpretation of the surface tension has significantly restricted our ability to modify the interfacial molecular and ionic formulation by design in controlling the numerous interfacial kinetics and self-assembling processes. In this presentation, a molecular theory of surface tension developed 50 years ago will be updated with several new examples learned from the two-decades development of modern nanotechnologies. The more precise understanding of the surface tension, based on molecular-level interactions at the interfacial layer, could offer new approaches to precisely control important properties, such as wetting transitions, surface adhesions, sol-gelation mechanisms, nano domain morphology formation, and other related biomedical self-assembling phenomena. A couple demonstrations of such applications in the engineering of the interfacial drug delivery control, and surface modification of nano particles in producing super insulation will be reported.
Bio: Dr. Arthur Yang’s career spans three decades of experience as a professor, industrial research leader and entrepreneurial business founder. Over the past 20 years, he has been the business and technology leader of Industrial Science & Technology Network, Inc. (ISTN), while also serving as an Adjunct Professor for the Chemical Engineering Department of the University of Maryland, College Park (from 1998) and as a member of the Technology Steering Advisory Group (TSG) for the DOE Center of Excellence for the Synthesis and Processing of Advanced Materials (CSP) (2001-2004). He served as an industrial consultant and guest scientist at the Polymer division of National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST). He has been developing material nanotechnologies for energy efficiency insulations, super adsorbents, optical functional coatings, biomedical devices, and drug deliveries both in the role of an entrepreneur technical leader as well as a collaborator with major industrial companies such as Dow Chemical, PPG, Optimax, Hoswell, Everlight, Armacell and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). His deep conviction and interest in achieving superior product performances with the application of nanotechnologies have led to major advancements in several product areas, including: nanopore super thermal insulation material; material nanotechnologies that enhance light transmission, guiding, generation and conversion; nanopore enhanced enzyme catalysis of biological reactions; nanoengineered composite material for biomedical devices and implants; novel contact lens composites with high oxygen permeability and controllable drug permeation rate; aerogel processing and drug delivery by using molecular theory of surface tension.
