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Dr. Xiao Li

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

(940) 565-2603

Email: Xiao.Li@unt.edu

Education

  • PhD, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, 2011
    Major: Polymer Chemistry and Physics
    Specialization: Polymer Physics
    Dissertation: The Manufacture of Antireflective film by Phase Separation of Block Copolymer
  • BS, Wuhan University of Technology, 2005
    Major: Material Science and Engineering
    Specialization: Polymer Material Science and Engineering
    Dissertation: Modification of Polyurethane towards to biocompatible polymer materials

Professional Positions

    Academic - Post-Secondary

  • Visiting Resident Associate, Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne National Laboratory. (2015 - 2019).
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, The University of Chicago. The University of Chicago. (2013 - 2015).
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Wisconsin-Madison. University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2012 - 2013).

    • Professional

  • Research Scientist, The University of Chicago. The University of Chicago. (2015 - 2019).

Professional Memberships

  • American Chemistry Society. (October 30, 2023 - Present).
  • American Physical Society. (March 3, 2014 - Present).

Development Activities

  • Workshop, DoD Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCUs and Mis) opportunities workshop, DoD. Washington D. C.,United States of America. (July 26, 2023).
  • Workshop, NSF Engineering Career proposal workshop, NSF. United States of America. (May 8, 2023).
  • Workshop, NSF Career workshop webinar, NSF. remote,Texas,United States of America. (May 10, 2022).
  • Faculty Fellowship, Faculty fellow at UNT’s ‘Diversity & Excellence in Engineering Network’, UNT. Denton,Texas,United States of America. (2022).
  • Faculty Fellowship, UNT Cohort of Washington D.C. Fellows, UNT. Denton,Texas,United States of America. (2022).
  • Workshop, UNT Grantsmanship Workshop, University of North Texas. Denton,Texas,United States of America. (December 7, 2021 - December 10, 2021).
  • Other (webinar), NSF-DMR open webinar, NSF. United States of America. (September 9, 2021 - September 9, 2021).
  • Other (webinar), NSF career webinar, NSF. United States of America. (May 14, 2021 - May 14, 2021).
  • Workshop, NSF ENG Career workshop, NSF. United States of America. (April 21, 2021 - April 23, 2021).
  • Workshop, UNT grantsmanship workshop, UNT. United States of America. (November 30, 2020 - December 3, 2020).
  • Workshop, NSF grants visual workshop, NSF. United States of America. (November 16, 2020 - December 3, 2020).
  • Other (NSF career webinar), NSF career webinar, NSF. United States of America. (May 13, 2020 - May 13, 2020).
  • Workshop, UNT grantsmanship workshop, University of North Texas. Denton,Texas,United States of America. (December 09, 2019 - December 09, 2019).
  • Workshop, Promotion and Tenure workshop, University of North Texas. Denton,Texas,United States of America. (September 23, 2019 - September 23, 2019).
  • Workshop, NIH grant workshop, University of North Texas. Denton,Texas,United States of America. (September 19, 2019 - September 19, 2019).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • MTSE 3000 - Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering I, 2 courses.
  • MTSE 3090 - Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory I, 11 courses.
  • MTSE 4020 - Materials in Medicine, 1 course.
  • MTSE 4050 - Polymer Science and Engineering, 6 courses.
  • MTSE 4900 - Special Topics in Materials Science and Engineering, 1 course.
  • MTSE 5400 - Advanced Polymer Physics and Chemistry, 11 courses.
  • MTSE 5900 - Special Problems in Materials Research, 1 course.
  • MTSE 5920 - Research Problems in Lieu of Thesis, 1 course.
  • MTSE 5930 - Research Problems in Lieu of Thesis, 1 course.
  • MTSE 5950 - Master's Thesis, 2 courses.
  • MTSE 6940 - Individual Research, 16 courses.
  • MTSE 6950 - Doctoral Dissertation, 10 courses.

Non-Credit Instruction

  • Public Lecture, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, (2022).
  • Public Lecture, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, (June 2021).

Directed Student Learning

  • Major Professor, "Porous Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Dynamic Oil/Water Separation," Materials Science and Engineering. (2022).
  • Supervised Research, "Chiral nematic liquid crystal for hierarchical helix structure," Materials Science and Engineering. (2022).
  • Dissertation Defense Committee Member, Materials Science and Engineering. (September 2021).
  • Dissertation Committee Member, Materials Science and Engineering. (July 2021).
  • Supervised Research (Co-advised PhD student), "Investigation of structure-function relationships for improving ion transport in liquid crystal-based ion transport devices using thin-film directed self-assembly," Materials Science and Engineering. (July 2021).
  • Master's Thesis Committee Member, Materials Science and Engineering. (2021).
  • Major Professor, "Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Mesoporous Structured Materials by Molecular Diffusion and Directed Self-Assembly within Blue Phase Liquid Crystals," Materials Science and Engineering. (September 1, 2019).
  • Supervised Research (undergraduate research supervision), "Self-assembly of block copolymer into ordered asymmetric structure," Materials Science and Engineering. (January 27, 2021 - 2022).
  • Supervised Research, Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. (2021 - 2022).
  • Supervised Research (undergraduate research supervision), "Directed self-assembly of chiral nematic liquid crystal by chemically patterned surfaces," Materials Science and Engineering. (November 9, 2020 - 2022).
  • Major Professor, "Gradient Nano-Structures from Dissipative Nonequilibrium Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers," Materials Science and Engineering. (September 1, 2019 - 2022).
  • Supervised Research, Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. (2020 - 2021).
  • Supervised Research (undergraduate research supervision), "Supramolecular self-assembly of liquid crystals," Materials Science and Engineering. (September 2021 - November 30, 2021).
  • Major Professor, "Active Particles with Synthetic Multi-Asymmetric Attributes in Anisotropic Liquid Medium," Materials Science and Engineering. (September 1, 2020 - May 30, 2021).
  • Major Professor, "Engineering the Uniform Lying Helical Structure in Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystal Phase: From Morphology Transition to Dimension Control," Materials Science and Engineering. (September 1, 2019 - October 29, 2020).
  • Supervised Research (undergraduate research supervision), "self-assembly of nanoparticle in liquid crystals," Materials Science and Engineering. (October 18, 2019 - February 3, 2020).

Awards and Honors

  • NSF CAREER, National Science Foundation. (March 1, 2024).

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Journal Article

  • Pawale, T., Hashemi, S., Swain, J.D., Tierra Chica, G., Li, X. (2023). Directed stabilization and annihilation of defects in nematic phase of liquid crystal by chemically patterned surfaces. Advanced Materials Interfaces. 10 (2300136)
  • Li, X. (2022). A Generalizable Approach to Direct the Self-Assembly of Functional Blue-Phase Liquid Crystals. Advanced Functional Materials. 32 (32) 2202721. Wiley.
  • Li, X., Hnatchuk, N., Pawale, T. (2022). Asymmetric Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Performance. Polymer. 242 124607.
  • Li, X., Pawale, T. (2022). Impact on the Formation and Catalytic Property of Pt-Based Nanocatalysts by Galvanic Reaction with Co-Reduction Agents. Chemistry of Materials.
  • Li, X., Hnatchuk, N., Hathaway, E., Cui, J. (2022). Non-equilibrium Self-Assembly of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Block Copolymers into Asymmetric Nanostructure. ACS Applied Polymer Materials.
  • Li, X., Pawale, T., Hnatchuk, N., Cheng, S. (2022). Synergistic self-assembly of rod-like monomers in blue phase liquid crystal for tunable optical properties. Journal of Materials Chemistry C. 10 (37) 13778-13788.
  • Li, X., Pawale, T., Wang, X. (2022). The Fate of Liquid Crystal Topological Defects on Chemically Patterned Surfaces during Phase Transitions. 18 (32) 5939-5948. Soft Matter.
  • Li, X. (2021). Broadband liquid crystal tunable metasurfaces in the visible: liquid crystal inhomogeneities across the metasurface parameter space. 8 567-575. ACS.
  • Li, X. (2021). Nucleation and growth of blue phase liquid crystals on chemically-patterned surfaces: a surface anchoring assisted blue phase correlation length. Molecular Systems Design and Engineering. 6 534-544. Royal Society of Chemistry. DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D1ME00044F
  • Li, X. (2021). Engineering the Uniform Lying Helical Structure in Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystals: From Morphology Transition to Dimension Control. Crystals. 11 (4) MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11040414
  • Li, X. (2020). Prolate and oblate chiral liquid crystal spheroids. Science Advances. 6 (28) eaba6728. https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/28/eaba6728.abstract
  • Li, X. (2020). Soft crystal martensites: An in situ resonant soft x-ray scattering study of a liquid crystal martensitic transformation. Science Advances. 6 (13) eaay5986. https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/13/eaay5986.abstract
  • Li, X., Martinez-Gonzalez, J.A., Park, K., Yu, C., Zhou, Y., de Pablo, Juan J., Nealey, P.F. (2019). Perfection in Nucleation and Growth of Blue-Phase Single Crystals: Small Free-Energy Required to Self-Assemble at Specific Lattice Orientation. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 11 (9) 9487-9495.
  • Li, X., Martinez-Gonzalez, J.A., Guzman, O., Ma, X., Park, K., Zhou, C., Kambe, Y., Jin, H.M., Dolan, J.A., Nealey, P.F., de Pablo, Juan J. (2019). Sculpted grain boundaries in soft crystals. Science Advances. 5 (11)
  • Yanagimachi, T., Li, X., Nealey, P.F., Kurihara, K. (2019). Surface anchoring of nematic liquid crystal on swollen polymer brush studied by surface forces measurement. Other. 272
  • Li, X., Yanagimachi, T., Bishop, C., Smith, C., Dolejsi, M., Xie, H., Kurihara, K., Nealey, P.F. (2018). Engineering the anchoring behavior of nematic liquid crystals on a solid surface by varying the density of liquid crystalline polymer brushes. Other. 14 (37) 7569-7577.
  • Xie, H., Li, X., Ren, J., Bishop, C., Arges, C.G., Nealey, P.F. (2017). Controlling Domain Orientation of Liquid Crystalline Block Copolymer in Thin Films Through Tuning Mesogenic Chemical Structures. Other. 55 (6) 532-541.
  • Li, X., Armas-Perez, J.C., Hernandez-Ortiz, J.P., Arges, C.G., Liu, X., Martinez-Gonzalez, J.A., Ocola, L.E., Bishop, C., Xi, H., de Pablo, Juan J., Nealey, P.F. (2017). Directed Self-Assembly of Colloidal Particles onto Nematic Liquid Crystalline Defects Engineered by Chemically Patterned Surfaces. ACS Nano. 11 (6) 6492-6501.
  • Martinez-Gonzalez, J.A., Li, X., Sadati, M., Zhou, Y., Zhang, R., Nealey, P.F., de Pablo, Juan J. (2017). Directed self-assembly of liquid crystalline blue-phases into ideal single-crystals. Nature Communications. 8
  • Li, X., Martinez-Gonzalez, J.A., Hernandez-Ortiza, J.P., Ramirez-Hernandez, A., Zhou, Y., Sadati, M., Zhang, R., Nealey, P.F., de Pablo, Juan J. (2017). Mesoscale martensitic transformation in single crystals of topological defects. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 114 (38) 10011-10016.
  • Armas-Perez, J.C., Li, X., Martinez-Gonzalez, J.A., Smith, C., Hernandez-Ortiz, J.P., Nealey, P.F., de Pablo, Juan J. (2017). Sharp Morphological Transitions from Nanoscale Mixed-Anchoring Patterns in Confined Nematic Liquid Crystals. Langmuir. 33 (43) 12516-12524.
  • Xie, H., Li, X., Suh, H.S., Ren, J., Wan, L., Craig, Gordon S. W., Arges, C.G., Nealey, P.F. (2017). Water-Soluble Top Coats for Orientation Control of Liquid Crystal-Containing Block Copolymer Films. Other. 55 (21) 1569-1574.
  • Wu, G., Liu, X., Chen, X., Suh, H.S., Li, X., Ren, J., Arges, C.G., Li, F., Jiang, Z., Nealey, P.F. (2016). Directed Self-Assembly of Hierarchical Supramolecular Block Copolymer Thin Films on Chemical Patterns. Other. 3 (13)
  • Xiong, S., Chapuis, Y., Wan, L., Gao, H., Li, X., Ruiz, R., Nealey, P.F. (2016). Directed self-assembly of high-chi block copolymer for nano fabrication of bit patterned media via solvent annealing. Nanotechnology. 27 (41)
  • Li, X., Armas-Perez, J.C., Martinez-Gonzalez, J.A., Liu, X., Xie, H., Bishop, C., Hernandez-Ortiz, J.P., Zhang, R., de Pablo, Juan J., Nealey, P.F. (2016). Directed self-assembly of nematic liquid crystals on chemically patterned surfaces: morphological states and transitions. Other. 12 (41) 8595-8605.
  • Li, X., Liu, Y., Wan, L., Li, Z., Suh, H., Ren, J., Ocola, L.E., Hu, W., Ji, S., Nealey, P.F. (2016). Effect of Stereochemistry on Directed Self-Assembly of Poly(styrene-b-lactide) Films on Chemical Patterns. Other. 5 (3) 396-401.
  • Li, X., Yu, X., Han, Y. (2013). Polymer thin films for antireflection coatings. Journal of Materials Chemistry C. 1 (12) 2266-2285.
  • Li, X., Yu, X., Han, Y. (2012). Intelligent Reversible Nanoporous Antireflection Film by Solvent-Stimuli-Responsive Phase Transformation of Amphiphilic Block Copolymer. Langmuir. 28 (28) 10584-10591.
  • Li, X., Xue, L., Han, Y. (2011). Broadband antireflection of block copolymer/homopolymer blend films with gradient refractive index structures. Journal of Materials Chemistry. 21 (15) 5817-5826.
  • Li, X., Han, Y. (2011). Tunable wavelength antireflective film by non-solvent-induced phase separation of amphiphilic block copolymer micelle solution. Journal of Materials Chemistry. 21 (44) 18024-18033.
  • Gao, J., Li, X., Li, B., Han, Y. (2010). Fabrication of polymer antireflective coatings by self-assembly of supramolecular block copolymer. Polymer. 51 (12) 2683-2689.
  • Li, X., Gao, J., Xue, L., Han, Y. (2010). Porous Polymer Films with Gradient-Refractive-Index Structure for Broadband and Omnidirectional Antireflection Coatings. Advanced Functional Materials. 20 (2) 259-265.

Presentations Given

    Invited Talk

  • Li, X. (Chair), MS&T23, Blue Phase Liquid Crystal Templated Nucleation and Growth of Inorganic Materials, Materials science & technology, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America. (2023).
  • Li, X. (Author), Soft Matter Photonics—Blue Phase Liquid Crystals, University of North Texas, Fort Worth Museum, United States of America. (2022).
  • Li, X. (Author), Self-Assembly of Soft Matter—Three-Dimensional Structure in Blue Phase Liquid Crystals, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, United States of America. (2022).
  • Li, X. (Author), Self-Assembly of Soft Matter—Three-Dimensional Structure in Blue Phase Liquid Crystals, LeTourneau University, Longview, TX, United States of America. (2022).
  • Li, X. (Author & Presenter), International Materials Research Congress, The Fate of Focal Conic Domain Defect of Smectic Liquid Crystal Formed Under Confined Chemically Patterned Surfaces: Direct Observation of Saddle-Shape Defect, Cancun, Mexico, Mexico. (2022).

    • Oral Presentation

  • Li, X. (Author & Presenter), APS March meeting, Dynamic Motion Control of Topological Defects in Nematic Liquid Crystals by Chemically Patterned Surfaces, American Physics Society, Las Vegas, United States of America. (2023).
  • Li, X. (Author & Presenter), APS March meeting, Self-Assembly of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Block Copolymer under Dissipative Solvent Vapor Annealing, American Physics Society, Chicago, United States of America. (2022).
  • Li, X. (Author & Presenter), AIChE Annual meeting, Asymmetric Nanoparticle Interaction with Nematic Liquid Crystals, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Boston, United States of America. (2021 - 2021).
  • Li, X. (Author & Presenter), APS March meeting, Nucleation and Growth of BPII Liquid Crystals on Chemically Patterned Surfaces: A Surface Anchoring Assisted BPII-Coherence Length, American Physical Society, Denvor, United States of America. (2020 - 2020).

    • Symposium

  • Li, X. (Chair), 31st International Materials Research Congress, Equilibrium and Beyond‐Equilibrium Self‐Organization in Soft Materials: A Symposium in Honor to Prof. Juan De Pablo, 31st International Materials Research Congress, Cancun, Mexico. (2023 - 2023).

Media Contributions

    Internet

  • "What if liquid crystals could clean up oil spills? UNT's The lab," UNT's YouTube series "The Lab". (April 17, 2023).

    • Newspaper

  • "Army research office grant," UNT Today. (January 21, 2021).

Contracts, Grants, Sponsored Research

    Grant - Research

  • Li, X. (Principal), "CAREER: Liquid Crystal-Templated Sequential Infiltration Synthesis of Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Materials with Multidimensional Chiral Structures," sponsored by NSF, Federal, $715009 Funded. (2024 - 2029).
  • Li, X. (Principal), "Porous Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Dynamic Oil/Water Separation," sponsored by ACS PRF, National, $110000 Funded. (2022 - 2025).
  • Li, X., Tierra Chica, G., "Investigation of structure-function relationships for improving ion transport in liquid crystal-based ion transport devices using thin-film directed self-assembly," sponsored by Division of Research and Innovation, University of North Texas, $9770 Funded. (2023 - 2023).
  • Li, X. (Principal), "4D Printing of Blue Phase Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Flexible Photonic Devices with Voxel Control," sponsored by AMMPI Seed Grant, Local, $8000 Funded. (2022 - 2023).
  • Li, X., "Active Particles with Synthetic Multi-Asymmetric Attributes in Anisotropic Liquid Medium," sponsored by UNT Office of Research and Innovation, University of North Texas, $8000 Funded. (2020 - 2021).
  • Li, X., "Gradient Nano-Structures from Dissipative Nonequilibrium Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers," sponsored by Army Research Office, Federal, $59864 Funded. (2020 - 2021).
  • Li, X. (Principal), "Gradient Nano-Structures from Dissipative Nonequilibrium Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers," sponsored by Army Research Office, FED, Funded. (2020 - 2021).

Copyrights, Patents

    Patent

  • Li, X., Blue phases on patterned surfaces, US20190049767A1. Regular, Date submitted to the University: July 30, 2017. .

Service

University Service

  • Member, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes Institute. (2022 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Assistant/associate Professor - joint with EE. (2022 - Present).
  • Committee Member, CENG Academic Integrity Committee. (2022 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Research Assistant Professor - Additive Manufacturing with Emphasis on Materials Science and Engineering position. (2022 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Course 3000-Materials Fundamentals and Selection Committee. (2021 - Present).
  • Committee Member, MTSE Research Roadmap Committee. (2021 - Present).
  • Committee Member, MTSE website and publicity Committee. (2021 - Present).
  • Program Organizer, PhD candidate qualify exam. (September 2019 - Present).

Public Service

  • Other (judger), 'Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair'. Dallas, Texas. (May 17, 2023 - Present).
  • Guest Speaker, Northwest ISD Career & Technical Education. Denton, Texas. (February 23, 2023 - Present).
  • Other (Judger), Northwest High School. Denton, Texas. (2022 - Present).
  • Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NSF. Denton, Texas. (2022 - Present).
  • Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NSF. Denton, Texas. (December 29, 2021 - Present).
  • Guest Speaker, Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. Denton, Texas. (September 8, 2021 - Present).
  • Other (judger), Northwest Independent School District’s STEM Academy. Denton, Texas. (May 25, 2021 - Present).
  • Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NSF. Denton, Texas. (November 2019 - Present).
  • Other (host lab), STEM Field Trips for middle and high school students. Denton, Texas. (April 14, 2023 - April 21, 2023).
  • Attendee, Meeting, Texas Women in Higher Education. Denton, Texas. (March 26, 2023 - March 28, 2023).

Professional Service

  • Reviewer, Journal Article, ACS Applied Nano Materials. (2023 - Present).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, Applied Polymer Materials. (2023 - Present).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, Journal of Polymer Science. (2023 - Present).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, Material Horizon. (2023 - Present).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, Materials Advances. (2023 - Present).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, Nanoscale. (2023 - Present).
  • Reviewer, Grant Proposal, NSF. Denton, (2023 - Present).
  • Editorial Review Board Member, Current Research in Material Chemistry. Denton, Texas. (2021 - Present).
  • Editorial Review Board Member, Liquid Crystals-Frontiers in Soft Matter. Denton, Texas. (2021 - Present).
  • Editorial Review Board Member, MDPI-Crystals. Denton, Texas. (2021 - Present).
  • Editor, Guest Editor, MDPI-Crystal. Denton, Texas. (December 2020 - June 2021).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, MDPI-Molecules. (November 2020 - November 2020).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, MDPI-Crystal. (September 2020 - September 2020).
  • Reviewer, Journal Article, Nature communication. (September 2020 - September 2020).
  • Reviewer, Grant Proposal, NSF. (November 8, 2019 - December 2019).
  • Editor, Guest Editor, Advances in Polymer Technology. (August 9, 2019).