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Hao Sun, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry at the University of New Haven and the recent recipient of a prominent National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award, is leading an ambitious project to redesign plastics from the ground up.

“I realized polymers are so important in our daily life,” said Dr. Sun. “But they also create their own issues for the environment, and those issues are also affecting human health.”

Through his NSF-funded research, Dr. Sun is developing new types of polymers that can be chemically recycled under mild conditions, which could dramatically reduce the energy and cost required to reuse them.

“Right now, recycling commercial polymers often requires temperatures over 400 degrees Celsius,” he explained. “That’s not economically viable. We’re creating new polymers that can revert to their original building blocks at room temperature. That could be a game changer.”

At the heart of his work is a dual mission: to create sustainable materials and to engage a wide network of student researchers along the way. “More than 80 percent of the funding will support our students,” he said. “I’m trying to involve at least 10 students per year from all different majors and backgrounds. Over five years, that could be more than 50 students working together on this project.”

For Dr. Sun, the potential of recyclable polymers is about shifting the global conversation around plastic waste and environmental responsibility. Traditional plastics were designed to be durable and cheap, and, in many ways, too well-designed.

“About 100 years ago, when scientists created plastics, they did a perfect job,” he said. “But because of that, we now face major challenges in degrading and recycling them. It’s time to redesign those materials with reversibility and recyclability in mind.”

"It would be impossible to earn any external funding or publish any impactful research without my talented students" Hao Sun, Ph.D.

The environmental urgency of his work is clear. Microplastics are now found in water, air, and even human bodies. Dr. Sun hopes that by reengineering how plastics are created and broken down, his research will lead to safer materials and scalable solutions for industry.

Industry collaboration is already on his mind. He has connections with companies such as Dow and Genentech and plans to include them in outreach programs and the summer STEM Polymer Academy he is creating at the University.

“I want to bring together students and industry professionals to engage in discussions about the future of polymer science,” he said. “It’s about awareness, education, and developing solutions together.”

Dr. Sun is quick to credit his students for the momentum behind his success. Since joining the University of New Haven in 2021, he has built a collaborative, team-based research environment where students play an active role in shaping and executing projects.

“My students are amazing,” he said. “They do literature studies, design experiments, analyze results, and help refine our ideas. I treat them as team members, not just students. We work together through every step.”

It was through rounds of experiments, refinements, and presentations that Dr. Sun and his students arrived at the idea that won the NSF grant. The project wouldn’t exist without their hard work.

“It would be impossible to earn any external funding or publish any impactful research without my talented students,” he added. “I’m lucky to have them.”

Dr. Sun’s journey into polymer research began during his Ph.D. studies at the University of Florida, inspired by his adviser’s enthusiasm for the field. It wasn’t until his postdoctoral work at Northwestern University that he turned his attention to recycling and sustainability.

“That’s when I saw how polymers, while useful, can also be harmful,” he said. “That’s when I decided to focus on this issue.”

While recycling remains a key focus, Dr. Sun’s lab is also expanding into biomedical applications of polymers. He’s currently working with colleagues such as biology professor Ali Senejani, Ph.D., to develop biodegradable polymers for cancer drug delivery.

“We’re using biomacromolecule-based materials to carry therapeutics directly to tumor sites, hoping to improve the drug efficacy and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy,” he said.

Looking ahead, Dr. Sun is excited to continue building interdisciplinary collaborations and offering more students hands-on research opportunities.

“I’m really grateful for all the support I’ve received since joining the University,” he said. “And I’m even more grateful for the students who push this work forward. We help each other grow.”