Brief Intro

I am currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, at Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University (XJTLU). I have previously worked at the College of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu (as Associate Professor and Full Professor), at the joint QMUL (Queen Mary University of London) and Sichuan University Institute. I have also worked as visiting lecturer at QMUL School of Physics and Astronomy (UK).

My current research direction focuses on the growth and characterization of multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) filled with magnetically ordered nanowires for potential applications in exchange-bias (high density data recording, quantum disk systems), spintronics, superconductivity and spin-valve-like technology. This direction extends to low dimensional (1D, 2D) materials, including Rhombohedral and Bernal graphite and granular  systems (highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, granular superconductors and HOPG).

Recent research results have allowed to demonstrate the stabilization and confinement of non-equilibrium high-pressure phases of magnetically-ordered Fe-nanowires into multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2025.120932. In particular, the confinement of antiferromagnetic γ-Fe and ε-Fe (martensite) phases into CNTs is a key technological target for developing and controlling the exchange-bias effect into these systems. I am currently investigating these magnetic-phenomena, as well as antiferromagnetic to superconductive transitions in these low dimensional systems.

Experimental Techniques

I have over 14 years’ experience on materials-characterization methods, with a broad range of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selective area electron diffraction (SAED), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry, Raman point and mapping spectroscopy and others.

Publications and Research Fundings (Overview)

To date, my research work at Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University (XJTLU), Sichuan University and Queen Mary University of London has resulted in 129 publications (114 papers as first and/or corresponding author) in significant Physics, Materials and Chemistry journals, these include Carbon (I.F. 11.6), Applied Materials Today (I.F. 6.9), Materials Today Chemistry (I.F. 6.7), Journal of Materials Chemistry C (I.F. 5.2), Materials Today Comm (I.F.3.7), Chemical Communications (I.F. 4.3), New Journal of Chemistry (I.F. 2.7), Diamond and Related Materials (I.F. 5.1), Applied Physics Letters (I.F. 3.5) and others. I have been also awarded with 3 national-level NSFC (P.I.), 1 Provincial (P.I.) and 2 University level fundings (P.I.) for a total of 1.65 million Yuan awarded funds as project-leader.

Carbon Nanotubes, Nanotechnology, Nanofabrication, Nanowires, Magnetic Devices, Spintronics,  Antiferromagnetism, Ferromagnetism, Superconductivity

I have been engaged in the design of in-situ chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and chemical vapour synthesis (CVS) methods, as well as on structural characterization, manipulation and application of low-dimensional nanoscale systems (one dimensional systems, i.e. carbon nanotubes and collapsed carbon nanotubes). Additionally, I have been working on the growth-mechanism and structural manipulation of carbon nano-onions, collapsed nano-carbons, nano-graphitic-systems, single-crystal pyrolytic systems, non-equilibrium carbons and filled nanocarbons. The functionalities of multiwall CNTs can be tailored through modification of the structural, magnetic and superconducting properties of the chosen encapsulated nanowires.

I have been engaged in numerous academic activities, including teaching at the undergraduate, graduate and PhD level. I have been teaching courses to undergraduates since 2015, these include lectures on general physics, as well as on nanotechnology, nanofabrication, materials-science, laboratories (health and safety), structural characterization, magnetism/nanomagnetism and complex thermodynamic systems. I have been supervising master, PhD students and post-doctoral researchers. Below I include a list of courses that I have been teaching over the past ten years:

Courses:

1) Thermodynamics of magnetic ordering in nanoscale carbons（2017）PhD/Master

2）Crystallography/Electron Diffraction (2015-2016) PhD/Master

3）College Physics A, B (2014 – 2021) Undergraduates (bachelor students)

4)  Magnetism in carbon nanomaterials filled with iron, nickel, cobalt and their alloys (2015) PhD/Master.

5)  Theory, synthesis and application of novel-nano carbons (2014) PhD/Master.

6) Health and safety in the laboratory (Open Lectures), bachelor/master/PhD students

7) Invited lectures on synthesis, characterization, manipulation and applications of nanocarbons 2021-2023 at Sichuan University.

8) General Physics (including principles and applications of nanotechnology/ nanomagnetism/magnetic hyperthermia cancer therapy in medical physics) (2023, international undergraduate bachelor students).

9) General Physics (including viscous boundary layers, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, nanotechnology, magnetic-ordering, nanomagnetism, ferromagnetism and its applications in nanomedicine) (2024, international undergraduate bachelor students).

10) Thermodynamics of ferromagnets in magnetic fields (Including nanoscale systems for applications in nanomedicine). Simple and complex Thermodynamic Systems, (2024, International students, at Sichuan University).

Excellent Teaching Quality award 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 (Sichuan University)

- 2020 TAL Outstanding scholar award