On April 19, 2024, Prof. Jiao Yang Jiao Yang was invited as a guest speaker to participate in the sixth lecture of the “Beauty of Disciplines Series Lectures – The Beauty of Chemistry,” jointly organized by the Peking University Library and the School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering. With the topic “A Dynamic and Ordered Supramolecular World,” she introduced the concept and applications of supramolecular chemistry to more than 40 teachers and students from across the university.

In his report, Jiao Yang first used two vivid examples to show the audience the crucial role of molecular recognition and assembly in the properties and functions of materials, which led to the definition of supramolecular chemistry as “chemistry beyond the molecular level.” Next, by introducing different types of intermolecular interactions, several methods to enhance weak interactions, and the concepts of molecular recognition and assembly, Jiao Yang presented the fundamental framework of supramolecular chemistry to the audience, emphasizing that dynamics and order are the two essential characteristics of supramolecular chemistry. These characteristics drive chemistry to learn from the complex natural world, offering opportunities for novel properties and functions. Then, Jiao Yang selected several research cases from home and abroad that possess both scientific depth and practical value, elaborating on the broad application prospects of supramolecular chemistry in the fields of energy and the environment, materials science, and life and health.

After the lecture, Prof. Jiao Yang engaged in interactive discussions with the teachers and students present, answering each of the audience’s questions.