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About

Long Fan is a materials scientist whose research has made significant strides in the design and development of advanced shape memory polymers (SMPs) and smart materials. His work centers on engineering innovative polymer systems capable of complex, programmable mechanical responses, with particular emphasis on reversible and multiple shape memory behaviors. Fan's landmark 2019 study on external stress-free two-way triple shape memory polyurethanes, which has accumulated 45 citations, established creative frameworks for exploiting crystalline switching phases — notably polytetrahydrofuran and polycaprolactone — to achieve sophisticated shape transformations without external loading. Building on this foundation, his subsequent research has explored broad melting ranges as equivalent multiple switching phases and amorphous regions as programmable actuators, pushing the boundaries of stepless, reversible shape memory behavior applicable to soft robotics. His 2025 review of shape memory elastomers reflects his growing authority in synthesizing advances across molecular design, stimulus mechanisms, and emerging biomedical and robotic applications. Perhaps most remarkably, Fan's recent biomimetic work — designing dual color-and-shape-responsive polyurethanes inspired by mimic octopuses — signals an exciting expansion toward multifunctional intelligent materials, positioning him as a creative and forward-thinking voice in the smart polymer field.