Chris Evans

For More Information

• Evans Group Website

Education

• 2013, PhD, Northwestern University
• 2008, Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota
• 2008, Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, University of Minnesota

Biography

Professor Evans received his bachelors in both Chemical Engineering as well as Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University. Following a brief stint at UC Berkeley, he moved to UC Santa Barbara to continue his postdoc. He joined the faculty at UIUC in 2016. His professional awards include the Ryan Fellowship, 3M Fellowship, AkzoNobel award, ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator award, ACS PMSE Young Investigator, and a 3M Non-tenured faculty award.

Research Statement

The Evans group is interested in probing the physics of polymer networks with the incorporation of dynamic covalent bonds and added salts. We are pursuing a fundamental understanding of polymer properties such as energy dissipation, self-healing, crystallization, and transport of small molecules through the network. The group combines molecular design of precise polymers with advanced characterization approaches to determine structure-property relationships in dynamic, ionic networks. Application of networks in the group include supercapacitors, actuators, membranes, batteries, energy dissipation, and thermal management which are informed by our fundamental investigations. New directions in the lab include using synthetic polypeptides to design solid state materials with enhanced properties by harnessing the helical secondary structure of these molecules.

Research Interests

• Crystallization of polymer networks
• Solid-state peptide electrolytes
• Mass and ion transport in polymer networks
• Dynamic polymer networks physics and chemistry

Selected Articles in Journals

• Kim, H.; Lan, P.;  Jang, S.; Braun, P.V.; Evans, C. M. “Precise Linker Length and Dynamic Bond Exchange Control Penetrant Diffusion in Dense Vitrimers” Macromolecules, 2025, 58, 11649-11658.
• Y. Chen, T. Xue, C. Chen, S. Jang, P. V. Braun, J. Cheng, C. M. Evans "Helical peptide structure improves conductivity and stability of solid electrolytes" Nature Materials 2024, 23, 1539-1546.
• L. Porath, N. Ramlawi, J. Huang, M. T. Hossain, M. Derkaloustian, R. H. Ewoldt, C. M. Evans "Molecular design rules for imparting multiple damping modes in dynamic covalent polymer networks" Chemistry of Materials 2024, 36, 4, 1966-1974
• S. Ge, Y. H. Tsao, C. M. Evans "Polymer architecture dictates multiple relaxation processes in soft network with two orthogonal dynamic bonds" Nature Communications 2023, 14, 7244
• J. Huang, N. Ramlawi, G. S. Sheridan, C. Chen, R. H. Ewoldt, P. V. Braun, C. M. Evans "Dynamic covalent bond exchange enhances penetrant diffusion in dense vitrimers" Macromolecules 2023, 56
• B. Soman, Y. K. Go, C. Shen, C. Leal, C. M. Evans "Impact of dynamic covalent chemistry and precise linker length on crystallization kinetics and morphology in ethylene vitrimers" Soft Matter, 2022, 18, 293
• L. Porath, C. M. Evans "Importance of broad temperature windows and multiple rheological approaches for probing viscoelasticity and entropic elasticity in vitrimers" Macromolecules 2021, 54, 4782-4791
• B. B. Jing, C. M. Evans "Catalyst-free Dynamic Networks for Recyclable, Self-Healing Solid Polymer Electrolytes" Journal of the American Chemical Society 2019, 141, 18932-18937.

Patents

• "HYDROPHOBIC, SELF-HEALING COATING AND COATED SUBSTRATE, AND FABRICATION METHOD", US20230399540A1

Honors

• 3M Non-tenured Faculty Award (2020)
• NSF CAREER Award (2018)
• American Chemical Society: Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator (2017)
• AkzoNobel Award Winner (2012)
• 3M Fellowship (2010)
• Ryan Fellowship (2010)

Teaching Honors

• Teachers Ranked as Excellent (Fall 2016, Fall 2018, Fall 2023)

Research Honors

• ACS PMSE Young Investigator Award (2022)