Min Zhang

Trained as a materials scientist, Dr. Zhang specializes in multi-scale mechanical/structural analysis for a wide variety of polymer-related materials used in applications involving thin films, nanocomposites, adhesives, rubber/tires and personal care products. She has extensive experience with several surface and compositional characterization techniques, including: atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, 

Dr. Zhang is highly skilled at characertizing the mechanical and thermal behavior of polymers and composite materials using techniques such as nanoindentation (NI), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), rheology, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Zhang was a senior chemist in the Research & Innovation Division at L'Oréal. Her activities included advanced formulation development and support of global product launches through coordination of consumer needs and market trends combined with alignment to global strategic goals. She has considerable experience in key raw material identification and development of innovative and sustainable technologies for cosmetic applications in the pursuit of consumer-perceivable benefits.

Dr. Zhang 's PhD research focused on localized mechanical property characterization of interphases in modeled and real polymer nanocomposite systems via both experimental and computational approaches. Her team developed an AFM-based technique for profiling both localized and quantitative mechanical properties for interphases between nanofillers and polymer matrices. The technique can be utilized to acquire various types of mechanical properties (elastic or viscoelastic) and applied in a wide range of polymer nanocomposite systems ranging from glassy polymers to soft rubbers.