LU, Xianmao

Assistant Professor

PhD (Chem Eng) University of Texas, Austin, 2005
ME & BE( Chem Eng) Tsinghua University, China, 2000&1997

Contact information
Blk E5, 4 Engineering Drive 4, #02-33, Singapore 117576
Tel: (65) 6516 1071    Fax: (65) 6779 1936
Email: chelxm@nus.edu.sg

Postdoc (Chem) University of Washington, 2006-2007
Postdoc (Biomed Eng) Washington University in St. Louis, 2008

RESEARCH

Our research focuses on utilization of the unique properties of semiconductor and metal nanomaterials for a broad range of applications with emphasis on clean energy and chemical sensing. The main project areas include synthesis of nanostructures with novel optical, electronic, and magnetic properties; investigation of new nanomaterials for renewable energy; functionalization and self-assembly of nanostructures for bio-medical, electronic, catalytic, and chemical sensing.

Semiconductor Nanostructures: Silicon and Germanium

Si and Ge have drawn attention of researchers in nanotechnology for years because of their intriguing optical, mechanical, and electronic properties and a variety of applications including sensing, photovoltaic and memory devices. However, synthesis of Si and Ge nanowires and nanocrystals in solution remains a grand challenge, mainly due to the difficulty of finding the proper precursors and reaction conditions. We explore various preparation methods for Si and Ge nanostructures using supercritical fluid method. The ability to manipulate the precursors, the solvent strength via pressure and temperature, the capping ligands, and the metal seed concentration and size provides great flexibility in controlling the nanoparticle and nanowire composition, morphology, and surface passivation. We are also actively seeking a broad range of applications using these nanostructures, especially in sustainable energy and nanoelectronics.

Novel Noble Metal Nanostructures

Nanostructures of noble metals (Au, Ag, Pt, and Pd) have unique physical and chemical characteristics that differentiate them from many other types of nanostructured materials. They have also been recognized for a range of applications, including catalysis, optical sensing, drug delivery, biomedical imaging, as well as photothermal cancer treatment. We investigate novel synthetic methods to form a variety of nanostructures with different shapes, including hollow nanoparticles, nanorings, nanoframes, and ultra thin nanowires. These structures hold interesting optical, catalytic, and electronic properties, which will be utilized for sensing, biomedical, and fuel cell applications.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Xianmao Lu, Matthew Rycenga, Sara E. Skrabalak and Younan Xia, "Chemical synthesis of novel plasmonic nanoparticles", Annual Review of Physical Chemistry 2009, 60, 167-192.

Xianmao Lu, Mastafa S. Yavuz, Hsing-Yu Tuan, Brian A Korgel and Younan Xia, "Ultrathin gold nanowire can be obtained by reducing polymeric strands of oleylamine-AuCl complexes formed via aurophilic interaction", Journal of the American Chemical Society 2008, 130, 8900-8901.

Eric Formo, Zhenmeng Peng, Eric Lee, Xianmao Lu, Hong Yang, and Younan Xia, "Direct oxidation of methanol on Pt nanostructures supported on electrospun nanofibers of anatase", Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2008, 112, 9970-9975.

Alejandro L. Briseno, Stefan C. B. Mannsfeld, Xianmao Lu, Yujie Xiong, Samson A. Jenekhe, Zhenan Bao, and Younan Xia, "Fabrication of field-effect transistors from hexathiapentacene single-crystal nanowires", Nano Letters 2007, 7, 668-675.

Xianmao Lu, Younan Xia, "Electronic materials: buckling down for flexible electronics", Nature Nanotechnology 2006, 1, 163-164.

Xianmao Lu, Dayne D. Fanfair, Keith P. Johnston, Brian A. Korgel, "High yield solution-liquid-solid synthesis of germanium nanowires", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 15718-15719.