Haoran Sun

Professor Haoran Sun leads the Fluorinated Materials Group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of South Dakota, focusing on energy conversion and drug development through innovative organofluorine chemistry. His research bridges fundamental C-F bond studies with technological applications in batteries and environmental remediation.

Education:

• PhD, Chemistry, Jilin University (1996)
• MS, Chemistry, Jilin University (1993)
• BS, Chemistry, Jilin University (1990)

Research centers on two pillars: (1) Creating non-flammable electrolytes for high-energy batteries using polyfluorinated compounds, and (2) Developing circular chemistry approaches to recycle persistent fluorochemicals via photochemical/electrochemical C-F bond activation. The lab's signature strategy leverages perfluoroalkylation to engineer lamellar π-π stacked materials with tunable optoelectronic properties.

Publication trends show increasing focus since 2020 on deoxyfluorination chemistry, photochemical transformations of perfluoroalkylated aromatics, and solid-state structural control. Key journals include Journal of Fluorine Chemistry and CrystEngComm, with strong emphasis on practical applications for energy storage and environmental sustainability.

Key Awards:

• President's Award for Research Excellence (Established Faculty, 2025)
• NSF CAREER Award (2014)
• President’s Award for Research Excellence (Early-Mid Career, 2014)

The lab maintains robust funding through 15+ active grants totaling over $30M, including the NSF Engineering Research Center for Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH) where Sun leads USD's chemistry team. Students receive comprehensive training in synthesis, electrochemistry, and computational methods, with recent graduates securing industry positions at QuantumScape and Raybow PharmaScience. The Center for Fluorinated Functional Materials ($2.7M state-funded) provides advanced infrastructure including Bruker Compact HR-MS and battery testing systems.

The Fluorinated Materials Group operates from Churchill-Haines Labs with active collaborations across six universities in the EARTH consortium. Recent equipment upgrades support cutting-edge research on fluorocarbon recycling and next-generation battery materials.