Prof. Yao received his PhD in chemistry from Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011, where he worked on the bioinspired superwettability. He then did his postdoc training at School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, working on the bioinspired surface engineering. He joined the City University of Hong Kong as an assistant professor in 2014. Prof. Yao’s research interest lies at the interface of polymer chemistry, biomaterials, and wearable devices. His current research projects include the bioinspired manipulation of microdroplets for pathogen control and biosensing, the development of supramolecular biomaterials for tissue engineering, and the development of wearable devices for healthcare monitoring, by using interdisciplinary approaches in the areas of molecular engineering, polymer engineering, cell biology, and artificial intelligence. More information can be found at our group website.

Selected Awards

2022

Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry

2021

Gold Medal, International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2021

2020

Outstanding Research Award for Junior Faculty, City University of Hong Kong

2018

China College Students’ Internet Plus Entrepreneurship Competition – Silver Prize

2018

National Challenge Cup Hong Kong Regional Final – TOP Prize in Innovation

2018

National Challenge Cup Hong Kong Regional Final – First Prize in Life Science

Selected Publications

1. Chunyan Cao, Hang Su, Liqing Ai, Dong Lv, Jing Gu, Ruiqing Li, Dawei Li, Wei Zhang, Mingzheng Ge*, and Xi Yao*, Highly Stable Liquid Metal-Based Electronic Textiles by Adaptive Interfacial Interactions, Advanced Functional Materials, 2024, 2409586
2. Xin Li, Dong Lv, Liqing Ai, Xuejiao Wang, Xiubin Xu, Mengyi Qiang, Gongsheng Huang, and Xi Yao*, Superstrong Ionogel Enabled by Coacervation-Induced Nanofibril Assembly for Sustainable Moisture Energy Harvesting, ACS Nano, 2024, 18, 12970-12980
3. Chunyan Cao, Changshun Hou, Xiong Wang, Dong Lv, Liqing Ai, Yaxiu Feng, Peiran Chen, Xuejiao Wang, Mingliang He*, and Xi Yao*, Liquid Metal-Enhanced Highly Adhesive Electrodes for Multifunctional Epidermal Bioelectronics, Advanced Functional Materials, 2024, 2403671
4. Dong Lv, Xin Li, Xin Huang, Chunyan Cao, Liqing Ai, Xuejiao Wang, Sai Kishore Ravi*, and Xi Yao*, Microphase-Separated Elastic and Ultrastretchable Ionogel for Reliable Ionic Skin with Multimodal Sensation, Advanced Materials, 2024, 36, 230981
5. Liqing Ai, Weikang Lin, Chunyan Cao, Pengyu Li, Xuejiao Wang, Dong Lv, Xin Li, Zhengbao Yang*, and Xi Yao*, Tough soldering for stretchable electronics by small-molecule modulated interfacial assemblies, Nature Communications, 2023, 14, 7723
6. Dong Lv, Shuang Zheng*, Chunyan Cao, Kedi Li, Liqing Ai, Xin Li, Zhengbao Yang, Zhengtao Xu, and Xi Yao*, Defect-enhanced Selective Ion Transport in an Ionic Nanocomposite for Efficient Energy Harvesting from Moisture, Energy & Environmental Science, 2022, 15, 2601-2609.
7. Shuang Zheng*, Jiayue Tang, Dong Lyu, Mi Wang, Xuan Yang, Changshun Hou, Bo Yi, Gang Lu, Ruiran Hao, Mingzhan Wang, Yanlei Wang*, Hongyan He, and Xi Yao*, Continuous Energy Harvesting from Ubiquitous Humidity Gradient Using Liquid-infused Nanofluidics, Advanced Materials, 2022, 34, 2106410.
8. Jianqiang Zhang, Xuejiao Wang, Zhaoyue Wang, Shangfa Pan, Bo Yi, Liqing Ai, Jun Gao*, Frieder Mugele*, and Xi Yao*, Wetting ridge assisted programmed magnetic actuation of droplets on ferrofluid-infused surface, Nature Communications, 2021, 12, 7136.
9. Fanghang Zhou, Sheng Chen, Ying Chen, Pei-Hui Wang, Qianya Wan, Xi Yao*, and Ming-Liang He*, Attenuating Innate Immunity and Facilitating β-Coronavirus Infection by NSP1 of SARS-CoV-2 through Specific Redistributing hnRNP A2/B1 Cellular Localization, Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 2021, 6, 371.
10. Zhaoyue Wang, Bo Yi, Mandi Wu, Dong Lv, Ming-Liang He*, Meijin Liu* and Xi Yao*, Bioinspired Supramolecular Slippery Organogels for Controlling Pathogen Spread by Respiratory Droplets, Advanced Functional Materials, 2021, 202102888.
11. Xin Huang, Li Tian, Zhaoyue Wang, Jianqiang Zhang, Yu Suen Chan, Shuk Han Cheng*, and Xi Yao*, Bioinspired Robust All-aqueous Droplet via Diffusion-controlled Interfacial Coacervation, Advanced Functional Materials, 2020, 2004166.
12. Meijin Liu, Zhaoyue Wang, Peng Liu, Zuankai Wang, Haimin Yao and Xi Yao*, Supramolecular silicone coating capable of strong substrate bonding, readily damage healing, and easy oil sliding, Science Advances, 2019, 5, eaaw5643.
13. Jianqiang Zhang, Peng Liu, Bo Yi, Zhaoyue Wang, Lei Jiang and Xi Yao*, Bio-inspired Elastic Liquid-infused Material for On-demand Underwater Manipulation of Air Bubbles, ACS Nano, 2019, 13, 10596-10602.
14. Jieke Jiang, Jun Gao, Hengdi Zhang, Wenqing He, Jianqiang Zhang, Dan Daniel, Xi Yao*, Directional pumping of water and oil microdroplets on slippery surface, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2019, 116, 2482-2487.
15. Meijin Liu, Peng Liu, Gang Lu, Zhengtao Xu, Xi Yao*, Multiphase-Assembly of Siloxane Oligomers with Improved Mechanical Strength and Water-Enhanced Healing, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2018, 11242-11246 (Featured as VIP Paper).
16. Jinming Zhou*, Peng Han, Meijin Liu, Haiyan Zhou, Yingxue Zhang, Jieke Jiang, Peng Liu, Yu Wei, Yanlin Song, Xi Yao*, Self-healable Organogel Nanocomposite with Angle-independent Structural Colors, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.,2017, 129, 10598-10602.
17. Peng Liu, Hengdi Zhang, Wenqing He, Hualin Li, Jieke Jiang, Meijin Liu, Hongyan Sun, Mingliang He, Jiaxi Cui, Lei Jiang, and Xi Yao*, Development of Liquid-like Copolymer Nanocoatings for Reactive Oil-Repellent Surface, ACS Nano, 2017, 11, 2248-2256.
18. Jieke Jiang, Bin Bao, Mingzhu Li, Jiazhen Sun, Cong Zhang, Yang Li, Fengyu Li, Xi Yao, and Yanlin Song, Fabrication of Transparent Multilayer Circuits by Inkjet Printing, Advanced Materials, 2016, 28, 1420-1426.
19. Shutao Wang, Kesong Liu, Xi Yao, and Lei Jiang, Bioinspired Surfaces with Superwettability: New Insight on Theory, Design, and Applications, Chemical Reviews, 2015, 115, 8230.
20. Qianbin Wang, Xi Yao, Huan Liu, David Quéré and Lei Jiang, Self-removal of condensed water on the legs of water striders, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2015, 112, 9247-9252.
21. Xi Yao*, Stuart Dunn, Philseok Kim, Meredith Duffy, Jack Alvarenga, Joanna Aizenberg*, Fluorogel Elastomers with Tunable Transparency, Elasticity, Shape Memory, and Antifouling Properties, Angewandte Chemie, 2014, 53, 4418. *co-corresponding authors
22. Xi Yao, Yuhang Hu, Alison Grinthal, Tak-Sing Wong, L. Mahadevan, Joanna Aizenberg, Adaptive Fluid-infused Porous Films with Tunable Transparency and Wettability, Nature Materials, 2013, 12, 529.
23. Xi Yao, Jun Gao, Yanlin Song, Lei Jiang, Superoleophobic Surfaces with Controllable Oil Adhesion and Their Application in Oil Transportation, Advanced Functional Materials, 2012, 21, 4270.
24. Xi Yao, Yanlin Song, Lei Jiang, Applications of the Bio-inspired Special Wettable Surfaces, Advanced Materials, 2011, 23, 719.
25. Xi Yao, Liang Xu, Lei Jiang, Fabrication and Characterization of Superhydrophobic Surfaces with Dynamic Stability, Advanced Functional Materials, 2010, 20, 3343.
26. Xi Yao, Qinwen Chen, Liang Xu, Qikai Li, Yanlin Song, Xuefeng Gao, David Quéré, Lei Jiang, Bioinspired Ribbed Nanoneedles with Robust Super-hydrophobicity, Advanced Functional Materials, 2010, 20, 656.
27. Kesong Liu, Xi Yao, Lei Jiang, Recent Developments in Bio-inspired Special Wettability, Chemical Society Review, 2010, 39, 3240.
28. Lang Jiang, Xi Yao, Hongxiang Li, Yanyan Fu, Li Chen, Qing Meng, Wenping Hu, and Lei Jiang, Water Strider Legs with a Self-Assembled Coating of Single-Crystalline Nanowires of an Organic Semiconductor, Advanced Materials, 2010, 22, 376.

6 October 2024