Dr. Xianwen Mao obtained a Bachelor in Polymer Materials and Engineering from Tsinghua University and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and carried out postdoctoral research in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University. During his PhD, Xianwen also worked as a research intern at Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics (Italy) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (US). His PhD work focused on molecular engineering of soft materials with tunable catalytic and adsorptive properties for sustainability technologies. His postdoctoral research was centered around developing single-molecule/particle techniques for operando functional imaging of complex energy materials. As the sole first author, Dr. Mao has published original research papers in leading academic journals such as Nature Mater. (also as corresponding author), Nature Chem., Adv. Mater., JACS, Energy Environ. Sci., etc. His other collaborative efforts (including co-1st authorship works) resulted in publications in Chem, Nature Commun., PNAS, Adv. Funct. Mater., ACS Cent. Sci., ACS Nano, Nano Lett., ACS Catal., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., etc. Dr. Mao has filed 7 patents, and his research works and technological innovations have been frequently featured in news media such as New York Times and Chemical & Engineering News. Dr. Mao has won several awards in recognition of his research works, including the prestigious Materials Research Society (MRS) Postdoctoral Award.
Research Interests
We are at a time of tremendous economic opportunities for the countries that invent, manufacture and export technologies addressing grand challenges associated with sustainability, healthcare and artificial intelligence. Artificial materials with high performance and new functionality are at the core of these new technologies. In many important realms of scientific breakthroughs, functionality critical to macroscopic behavior starts to manifest itself at the mesoscale, where heterogeneities (e.g., interfaces, irregularities and nonequilibrium structures) are the norm. Understanding complex mesoscale phenomena offers the critical missing link between the microscopic and macroscopic worlds.
The goal of the Mao group is to engineer mesoscale functional heterogeneities in artificial materials. We design high-performance materials based on unique insights from operando functional imaging tools that elucidate the functional roles of mesostructures and their relations to atomic/molecular information and macroscopic properties. Currently, we are particularly interested in charge-functional organic/inorganic hybrid materials, which are key components in frontier technologies underpinning societal needs, ranging from energy storage/conversion and water treatment, to wearable/implantable (opto)electronics and neuromorphic computing. Emerging hybrid materials exhibit daunting mesoscale structural and functional heterogeneities. Fundamental processes (e.g., charge transport, catalysis) must work cooperatively across multiple length scales to realize desired properties. Mastering the mesoscale enables an ultimate multiscale understanding of the structure-function relationship in artificial materials, and is essential for the established atomic/molecular knowledge to blossom into technology opportunities, societal benefits, and scientific advances.
Selected Publications
- Mao, X.; Chen, P.*, Inter-facet junction effects on particulate photoelectrodes. Nature Mater. 2021, accepted.
- Rong, Y.†; Zhao, M.†; Mao, X.; Wang, Z.; Gorzon, D. A.; Pu, H.; Zhao, Z.; Chen, P.*, Nanoscale cooperative adsorption for materials control. Nature Commun. 2021, 12, 4287 | Featured in Cornell Chronicle, Nature Communs Editors’ Highlights in Materials Science and Chemistry, U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory etc.
- Baral, S.; Liu, C.; Chakraborty, U. K.; Kubo, K.; Mao, X.; Coates, G. W.; Chen, P.*, Polymerization dynamics and conformational mechanics of conjugated polymers at the single-chain level. Chem 2021. In press. | Featured in Cornell Chronicle, U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory etc.
- Ren, Y.; Mao, X.; Hatton, T. A.*, An Asymmetric Electrochemical System with Complementary Tunability in Hydrophobicity for Selective Separations of Organics. ACS Cent. Sci. 2019,5 (8), 1396-1406.
- Mao, X.*; Brown, P.; Červinka, C.; Hazell, G.; Li, H.; Ren, Y.; Chen, D.; Atkin, R.; Eastoe, J.; Grillo, I.; Padua, A. A. H.; Gomes, M. F. C.*; Hatton, T. A.*, Self-assembled nanostructures in ionic liquids facilitate charge storage at electrified interfaces. Nature Mater. 2019, 18, 1350-1357. | Featured in MIT News, MIT Spotlights, New York Times, Materials Today etc.
- Mao, X.; Liu, C.;, Hesari, M.; Zou, N.; Chen, P.*, Super-resolution imaging of nonfluorescent reactions via competition. Nature Chem. 2019, 11, 687-694. (Front cover of Nature Chemistry) | Featured in Cornell Chronicle, Chem. Eng. News, Microscopy and Analysis Editorial etc.
- Ye, R†.; Mao, X.†; Sun, X.; Chen, P.*, Analogy between Enzyme and Nanoparticle Catalysis: A Single-Molecule Perspective. ACS Catal. 2019, 9 (3), 1985-1992.
- Mao, X.; Tian, W.; Ren, Y.; Chen, D.; Curtis, S. E.; Buss, M. T.; Rutledge, G. C.; Hatton, T. A.*, Energetically efficient electrochemically tunable affinity separation using multicomponent polymeric nanostructures for water treatment. Energy Environ. Sci. 2018, 11 (10), 2954-2963.
- Hesari, M.†; Mao, X.†; Chen, P.*, Charge Carrier Activity on Single-Particle Photo(electro)catalysts: Toward Function in Solar Energy Conversion. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018,140 (22), 6729-6740. | Featured in JACS Spotlights
- Mao, X.†; Liu, A.†; Tian, W.; Wang, X.; Gleason, K. K.*; Hatton, T. A.*, Enhancing Performance Stability of Electrochemically Active Polymers by Vapor-Deposited Organic Networks. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2018, 28 (10), 1706028.
- Mao, X.; Tian, W.; Wu, J.; Rutledge, G. C.*; Hatton, T. A.*, Electrochemically Responsive Heterogeneous Catalysis for Controlling Reaction Kinetics. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137 (3), 1348-1355.
- Mao, X.; Rutledge, G. C.; Hatton, T. A.*, Nanocarbon-based electrochemical systems for sensing, electrocatalysis, and energy storage. Nano Today 2014,9 (4), 405-432.
- Mao, X.; Simeon, F.; Rutledge, G. C.*; Hatton, T. A.*, Electrospun Carbon Nanofiber Webs with Controlled Density of States for Sensor Applications. Adv. Mater. 2013, 25 (9), 1309-1314.