CV for Ph.D program (Material Engineering)

The Materials Science and Engineering graduate program focuses on understanding the synthesis/processing, structure/chemistry, and properties of materials. Consistent with the multi-disciplinary nature of the field, a substantial number of our graduate students majored in fields other than materials science, and the department has a significant number of associated graduate faculty from other departments supervising thesis and dissertation research. Graduate research areas include: Thin-Film Sciences; Nanomaterials; Structural and Nuclear Materials; Dielectric and Magnetic Materials; Semiconducting and Optoelectronic Materials; Biomaterials; Computational Materials Science; Atomic-Scale Characterization.

https://grad.ncsu.edu/programs/details/?program=MSE <i data-bm=”32″><i class=”01″>North</i> <i class=”01″>Carolina</i> <i class=”01″>State</i> <i class=”01″>University</i></i>

The field of materials science and engineering is central to the technological, industrial, and economical development of Texas, the United States, Mexico, and other industrialized countries. The UTEP Ph.D. program in materials science and engineering is a multi-disciplinary program to prepare scientists and engineers to contribute to this vital field, with a specialized area using one or more of these skills to study some class or classes of materials, polymers, ceramics, semiconductors, superconductors, composites, and other materials systems.

https://www.utep.edu/engineering/mmbme/academic-programs/graduate/doctoral-programs.html University of Texas El Paso

Curriculum Vitae

Yanqi Xu

Research Area in Graduate School: Preparation of Hetetrostructured Materials and Photocatalytic Energy Conversion

E-mail: Yanqixu.yzu@hotmail.com

Research Project

1. Microwave-assisted Synthesis of AuNPs/CdS Composite Nanorods for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

(a) A facile microwave-assisted method was employed to prepare AuNPs/CdS composite to improve photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electrochemcial methods was used to observe the microstructure and test properties of composites. In this process, Origin was utilized to process the raw data from a series of characterizations and analyze the properties of as-prepared photocatalysts in detail.

(b) The characterizations were discussed in detailed and potential mechanism was proposed to explain the enhanced activity of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. 3ds Max was used to draw the diagram of mechanism in order to clearly indicate the idea of the work.

2. Ternary noble-metal-free heterostructured NiS-CuS-C₃N₄ for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

(a) A novel ternary noble-metal-free heterostructured NiS-CuS-C₃N₄ was constructed to pave the way on the design of high-performance C₃N₄-based photocatalyst. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electrochemcial methods was used to put the insight on the microstructure and properties of as-prepared photocatalysts. Raw materials from characterizations were processed by Origin to analyze the modified heterosturctured materials and explain the promotion resulted from the introduction of CuS and NiS.

(b) Atomic simulation environment (ASE) software package with GPAW calculator was employed to theoretical calculation based on density functional theory (DFT) demonstrated potential mechanism for improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity.

Selected Publications

1. Xu, Y., Du, C., Steinkruger, J. D., and Yang, S.* (2019), Microwave-assisted Synthesis of AuNPs/CdS Composite Nanorods for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution. Journal of Materials Science, 54 (9). Published
2. Xu, Y., Zhao, Q., Du, C., Zhou, C., Zhou, C., Xue, H. and Yang, S.* (2019), Hydrogen Generation from Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. In Photoelectrochemical Solar Cells. Published
3. Wang, S., Shen, C., Xu, Y., Zhong, Y., Wang, C.,* Yang, S. and Wang, G. (2019), An Improved Metal-To-Ligand Charge Transfer Mechanism for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution. ChemSusChem. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1002/cssc.201901609 Published

Authorized Patent

1. Liu X., Xu Y. (2018), Trapezoidal Metal Yieldable Support. Chinese patent. CN201820475355U.
2. Li S., Du Z., Si C., Wang J., Song D., Xu Y. (2019), Quick Connecting Device of Maneuver Winch Gib Head. Chinese patent. CN208500204U.
3. Fan F., Ding T., Xu Y. (2019), Inclined Drifts Promote Double Harrow Installation Antiskid of Direction. Chinese patent. CN208650908U.

Skills and Certificates

Good command of Origin, 3ds Max, SolidWorks and ANSYS.

Scholar Experience

Summer Program in Seoul National University, South Korea, Seoul, 26-31/08/2019

Oral presentation

Education

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Bachelor. 09/2013-06/2017

Third-class prize in National Chemical Engineering Design Competition

Yangzhou University Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Award

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Master candidate. Since 09/2017

Tutor: Prof. Shengyang Yang