Yang Song

B.Sc. in Chemistry, Peking University(China),1997
Ph.D., in Physical Chemistry, Iowa State University,2001
PDF, Harvard and Carnegie,2002-2005

Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, the University of Western Ontario, 2005-2011

Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, the University of Western Ontario, 2011-2018

Full Professor, Department of Chemistry, Western University, 2018-

Office: ChB 22; Labs: ChB 4 & 5
Phone (Office): 519 661-2111 ext. 86310
E-mail: yang.song@uwo.ca

Research Group Homepage

publish.uwo.ca/~ysong56

Research Interests
Physical and Materials Chemistry, Chemical Physics, Chemistry under Extreme Conditions, Development and Application of Spectroscopy and Synchrotron Radiation

Awards
• Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award
• Government of Ontario Early Researcher Award

Current Research Programs
Our group is specialized in the investigation of molecular structures and materials properties under extreme conditions using spectroscopy and synchrotron techniques. Under extreme conditions, such as high pressures, molecular solids often exhibit novel structures and thus extraordinary properties, which are otherwise inaccessible at ambient conditions. High pressure significantly enhances intermolecular interactions and thus weakens chemical bonds. As a result, the optimization of internal energy associated with changes in molecular geometry and density often lead to new phenomena beyond our understanding. Our recent research thrusts are placed on several main themes with promising applications, including pressure-morphology tuning of one-dimensional nanomaterials, high-pressure development of hydrogen storage materials, structural and storage studies of metal-organic frameworks, and exploration of high energy density materials.
Our lab houses state-of-the-art apparatus dedicated to static high pressure research, including diamond anvil cells and accessories that allow variations in a broad pressure and temperature range, an ultrasensitive multi-source Raman microspectroscopy system, and a highly versatile customized FTIR microspectroscopy system. The high-brilliance 3rd synchrotron radiation facilities provide tremendous advantages for researchers to study the structures and properties of high pressure materials with unparalleled efficiency. Our group extensively employs synchrotron based techniques such as far-Infrared microspectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and x-ray spectroscopy using the most advanced facilities in several US national labs as well as Canadian Light Source.

Selected Publications
1. A. Liu and Y. Song, "In situ High-Pressure and Low-Temperature Study of Ammonia Borane by Raman Spectroscopy", J. Phys. Chem. C, 2012, 116, 2123. (Featured on front cover)
2. Z. Dong, K.K. Zhuravlev, S. Morin, L. Li, S. Jin and Y. Song, “Pressure-Induced Structural Transformations of ZnO Nanowires Probed by X-Ray Diffraction”, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2012, 116, 2102. (Featured on front cover)
3. Y. Hu, H. Kazemian, S. Rohani, Y. Huang and Y. Song, “In Situ High Pressure Study of ZIF-8 by FTIR Spectroscopy”, Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 12694.
4. Z. Dong and Y. Song, “Transformations of cold-compressed multi-walled boron nitride nanotubes probed by infrared spectroscopy”, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2010, 114, 1782.
5. D. Shakhvorostov, R.A. Nistor, L. Krusin-Elbaum, G. J. Martyna, D. M. Newns, B. G. Elmegreen, X. Liu, Z. E. Hughes, S. Paul, C. Cabral, S. Raoux, D. B. Shrekenhamer, D. N. Basov, Y. Song, and M.H. Muser, “Evidence for electronic gap-driven metal-semiconductor transition in phase-change materials”, PNAS, 2009, 106, 10907.