Dr. Lei Xie is a distinguished professor in the School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University. He obtained the BSc degree in Chemistry from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2008 and the MSc degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from the University of California Riverside in 2010 (MSc supervisor: Dr. Yushan Yan, NAE fellow, expert in separation membrane and electrochemical catalysis). After working in KAUST for two years, he went to the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, studying as a PhD student and working as a postdoc, NSERC postdoc, etc. under the supervision of Dr. Hongbo Zeng (CAE fellow, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in intermolecular forces and interfacial science). In Dec. 2020, Dr. Xie joined in the Central South University.

Dr. Xie’s research interest mainly includes the colloid and interface science, intermolecular and surface forces, mineral processing, water treatment, adhesion and lubrication, and superwettability. Based on the advanced nanomechanical techniques such as atomic force microscope (AFM) nano/colloidal/bubble/droplet probes and surface forces apparatus (SFA), he has conducted a series of research projects in the interaction forces and underlying mechanisms at the gas/water/solid/oil interfaces at the nanoscale in a variety of natural and engineering systems. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles in SCI journals, e.g., Angew. Chem., ACS Nano, Water Res., J. Mater. Chem., Adv. Colloid Interface Sci., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, Langmuir, J. Colloid Interface Sci., J. Phys. Chem., and also served as the associate editor of Front. Chem. and Front. Phys. as well as the invited editor of Minerals.

Google scholar: 

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=rSurKtEAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate 

Researchgate: 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lei-Xie-24 

The research group recruits graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with the background of chemical engineering, resources and environment, materials engineering and other related fields.

The recent and planned research directions include:

* Crystal plane-dependent intermolecular interaction (Z. Wang)

* Green chemistry for minerals processing (G. Wu)

* Removal of heavy metals and organic pollutants (e.g., humic substance) (Q. Lu, Z. Wang, Y. Xiang)

* Superwettable materials for anti-fouling, drag reduction, anti-icing, etc. (H. Tian, S. Zhang)

* Carbon capture and transport (H. Tian)

* Alloys for biomedical applications