The research laboratory has undertaken and completed more than 20 national and provincial-level scientific research projects, with total project funding exceeding 20 million yuan over the past decade. It has published over 400 articles in important domestic and international academic journals, including top-tier journals in the field such as Advanced Materials, Chemical Society Reviews, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Acta Materialia, and the Journal of the American Chemical Society, with more than 20 highly cited papers. The laboratory has applied for over 130 national invention patents, of which more than 40 have been authorized, and has received three provincial and ministerial scientific research awards. Additionally, the laboratory has collaborated with several companies, such as Samsung Electro-Mechanics, CITIC Dicastal, Kennametal, and State Grid Electric Power, to help solve technical problems and transform research results into practical productivity.

The main research achievements include:

1. A new synthesis strategy for nano-porous metal compounds was proposed, using de-alloying or phase corrosion methods to synthesize nano-porous transition metal sulfides and phosphides from multiple systems, resulting in excellent photocatalytic and electrocatalytic materials that provide foundational data for industrial production. Factors affecting the strength and ductility of nano-porous metals were deeply analyzed, providing theoretical support for the rational design of nano-porous metals. By applying “de-materialization” technology, a uniform pure metal transition layer was prepared on the surface of complex porous ductile bands through atomic rearrangement during the de-alloying process, which had not been observed in previous studies.

2. Hydrogen storage metals were introduced into the field of electrocatalytic nitrogen  reduction, proposing a new electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction mechanism involving lattice hydrogen. A strategy for separating  nitrogen-hydrogen ion adsorption sites was introduced in the field of electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction, modifying the adsorption behavior of different active sites on the catalyst surface to achieve efficient electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction for ammonia production. The traditional de-alloying process was improved by proposing two preparation  methods for nano-porous alloy compounds: sulfur-assisted sulfurization with sulfur-containing solvents and non-metal pre-doping of precursors, achieving rapid and controllable synthesis of a series of metal sulfides and phosphides under near-room temperature conditions, enabling stable water electrolysis for hydrogen production at large current densities.

3. A method for large-scale preparation of alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen evolution electrodes using laser direct writing technology was proposed. Different alloy  catalysts such as NiMo, NiFe, NiFeAl, and NiCr were gradually developed on the surface of commercial nickel mesh, to be used for hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution electrodes. These electrodes significantly reduced overpotential and energy consumption compared to commercial nickel mesh electrodes, and could stably operate for over 100 hours at high current densities, with the potential to replace current commercial electrodes and reduce the cost of water electrolysis for hydrogen production.

4. A PEO polymer composite electrolyte material for room temperature use was developed, aimed at solid-state lithium-ion batteries, providing a new technological route for the industrialization of solid-state batteries. Using synchrotron radiation technology and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, the lithium-ion migration mechanism at the solid-solid interface in solid-state batteries was explored, addressing the solid-solid interface issues in solid-state batteries and further promoting the industrial development of solid-state batteries.

5. Molecular design and crystal engineering were employed to achieve controllable growth of organic semiconductor crystals, from the preparation of large-size, high-purity, low-cost organic single crystals to the controlled growth of ultra-thin and two-dimensional organic single crystals and organic co-crystals. A series of studies were conducted to control the proportion, dimensions, size, and charge transfer degree of organic crystals, breaking through the challenges of effective charge transport and precise regulation of non-covalent interactions, leading to the construction and application of high-performance organic single crystal field-effect transistors.

6. The concept of “materials science of traditional Chinese medicine” was proposed, using materials science methods for efficient purification of traditional Chinese herbal medicines. This was combined with various bioactive extracts, inorganic semiconductors, and organic polymers to design a series of treatments for bacterial infections and infectious diseases. By integrating materials chemistry and physics, the bioeffects and mechanisms of new intelligent traditional Chinese medicine materials in antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immune regulation, and tissue repair were deeply analyzed. This innovative combination of traditional medical experience and modern materials science knowledge provides valuable reference data for developing clinical non-antibiotic treatment methods, while also responding to the national “14th Five-Year Plan” directive to enhance traditional Chinese medicine's role in combating emerging infectious diseases and public health emergencies. It has significant social implications for promoting the application of materials science in public health.

7. A research idea of “constructing mechanically compatible bone filling materials to promote fracture repair” was proposed. Addressing the clinical  problem of excessive strength of spinal bone cement leading to adjacent vertebral body re-fractures, the performance of PMMA bone cement was optimized by designing molecular chain structures and composite biological hydroxyapatite, achieving domestic substitution and upgrading of PMMA spinal bone cement. The developed product has obtained three Class III medical device registration certificates.

8. The phenomenon of  solid-phase amorphization during the de-alloying process was discovered, expanding the theory of amorphous alloy formation and deepening the understanding of the disordered structure of amorphous alloys. This nano-porous alloy rich in amorphous phases combines the advantages of porous materials and amorphous alloys, holding great application value in the field of catalytic materials. Amorphous alloys were used as refining agents for aluminum alloys, proposing a refining mechanism that is completely different from traditional refining agents, receiving support from a key research and development project in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. Some technologies have already been piloted for small-scale production and are being tested in related enterprises.