1A-206, 2/F, Block 1, To Yuen Building
+852 3442-4829
+852 3442-0549
xi.yao@cityu.edu.hk
CityU Scholars
Lab Website
Bioinspired material • Biofunctional polymer • Bioelectronics • Bionanotechnology

Dr Yao received his PhD in chemistry from Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011 under the supervision of Prof. Lei Jiang. He then did his postdoc training with Prof. Joanna Aizenberg at School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute of Bio-inspired Engineering at Harvard University. He joined City University of Hong Kong as a tenure-track assistant professor in September 2014 and was promoted to associate professor with tenure in July 2019.
Research InterestsWe are a group of experimentalists dedicated to solving both scientifically interesting problems in soft matter, and those with more near-term application. We start from chemistry to design materials, and we use nanotechnology and engineering tools to optimize material performance and promote potential application in energy, environment and biomedicine. Applications of our work include anti-fouling and anti-biofouling, water and energy sustainability, biochemical sensing and diagnostics. Our research interest includes self-healable material, nanoparticle and micro/nanoneedle development, surface science and engineering. We are developing innovative technologies for drug delivery, pathogen detection and diagnostics. More information can be found at our group website.
Position AvailabilityPhD and research assistant positions are available. BSc or MSc students with great passion in chemistry, material science, engineering and biomedical research and excellent academic records and research experiences are encouraged to apply. Please contact Dr Yao directly. More information can be found at our group website.
Selected Awards2021Gold Medal, International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2021
2020Outstanding Research Award for Junior Faculty, City University of Hong Kong
2018China College Students’ Internet Plus Entrepreneurship Competition – Silver Prize
2018National Challenge Cup Hong Kong Regional Final – TOP Prize in Innovation
2018National Challenge Cup Hong Kong Regional Final – First Prize in Life Science
Selected PublicationsJianqiang 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Xi Yao, Yanlin Song, Lei Jiang, Applications of the Bio-inspired Special Wettable Surfaces, Advanced Materials, 2011, 23, 719.
Xi Yao, Liang Xu, Lei Jiang, Fabrication and Characterization of Superhydrophobic Surfaces with Dynamic Stability, Advanced Functional Materials, 2010, 20, 3343.
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.
Kesong Liu, Xi Yao, Lei Jiang, Recent Developments in Bio-inspired Special Wettability, Chemical Society Review, 2010, 39, 3240.
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.
16 December 2021


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