Academic Qualification

PhD in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

BSc in Nankai University, China

Teaching Area

Material analysis and characterization

Nanomaterials and technology for carbon neutralization

Physics I

Nanomaterials & Innovative Applications

Research Area

Electrocatalysis

Energy conversion and Storage

Operando Characterization

Professional Services

Working Experience

Nov. 2023 ~ present, Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Innovation Engineering, Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), Macau

Sep. 2022 ~ Nov. 2023, Research Fellow, Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

Jul. 2021 ~ Jun. 2022, Research Scientist, Advanced Membranes & Porous Materials Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia

Jan. 2017 ~ Jun. 2021, Postdoctoral Fellow, Advanced Membranes & Porous Materials Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia

Academic Publication (selected)

1.          J. Xiong, J. Ji, Q. Lei, X. Yang, Y. Bai, X. Zhang, H.-M. Cheng, Synergetic energy coupled thermal catalytic systems for CO₂ reduction, eScience, 2024, 100306.

2.          P. Xiong, Z. Xu, T.S. Wu, T. Yang, Q. Lei, J. Li, G. Li, M. Yang, Y.L. Soo, R. D. Bennett, S. P. Lau, S. C. E. Tsang, Y. Zhu, M. M.-J. Li, Synthesis of core@shell catalysts guided by Tammann temperature, Nat. Commun., 2024, 15, 420.

3.          H. Zhang, Y. Wang, Q. Lei, Y. Wang, C. Tang, J. Yin, T.W.B. Lo, Optimizing Cu⁺-Cu⁰ synergy by operando tracking of Cu₂O nanocatalysts during the electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction, Nano Energy, 2023, 118, 108920.

4.          L. Huang, Z. Liu, G. Gao, C. Chen, Y. Xue, J. Zhao, Q. Lei, M. Jin, C. Zhu, Y. Han, J. S. Francisco, X. Lu, Enhanced CO₂ Electroreduction Selectivity toward Ethylene on Pyrazolate-Stabilized Asymmetric Ni–Cu Hybrid Sites, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2023, 145, 26444-26451.

5.          Q. Wei, H. Ren, J. Liu, Q. Liu, C. Wang, T.W. Lau, L. Zhou, T. Bian, Y. Zhou, P. Wang, Q. Lei, O. F. Mohammed, M. Li, J. Yin, Long-Lived Hot Carriers in Two-Dimensional Perovskites: The Role of Alternating Cations in Interlayer Space, ACS Energy Lett., 2023, 8, 4215-4322.

6.          F. Shui, Q. Lei, X. Dong, T. Pan, Z., J. Li, M. Yi, L. Zhang, X. Liu, Z. You, S. Yang, R. Yang, H. Zhang, J. Li, Z. Shi, J. Yin, B. Li, X.-H. Bu, Iodine nanotrap for highly efficient iodine capture under high temperature, Chem. Eng. J., 2023, 468, 143525.

7.          J. Li, Q. Lei, X. Dong, C. Chen, X. Liu, Z. Zhang, F. Shui, M. Yi, B. Li, X-H Bu, Sequential Modification Strategy to Construct Crystalline Benzimidazole Covalent Organic Frameworks with Extraordinary Stability and Polymerization Degree, Chem. Mater., 2023, 35, 11, 4120.

8.          H. Zhang, Z. Zhou, Q. Lei, T.W.B. Lo, Recent advances in the operando structural and interface characterisation of electrocatalysts, Curr. Opin. Electrochem., 2023, 38, 101215.

9.          Q. Lei, L. Huang, J. Yin, B. Davaasuren, Y. Yuan, X. Dong, Z. Wu, X. Wang, K. Yao, X. Lu, Y. Han, Structural evolution and strain generation of derived-Cu catalysts during CO₂ electroreduction, Nat. Commun., 2022, 13, 4857.

10.      Y. Xie, T. Pan, Q. Lei, C. Chen, X. Dong, Y. Yuan, W. A. Maksoud, L. Zhao, L. Cavallo, I. Pinnau, Y. Han, Efficient and Simultaneous Capture of Iodine and Methyl Iodide Achieved by a Covalent Organic Framework, Nat. Commun., 2022, 13, 2878.

11.      Z. Zhang, X. Dong, J. Yin, Z. Li, X. Li, D. Zhang, T. Pan, Q. Lei, X. Liu, Y. Xie, F. Shui, J. Li, M. Yi, J. Yuan, Z. You, L. Zhang, J. Chang, H. Zhang, W. Li, Q. Fang, B. Li, X.-H. Bu, Y. Han, Chemically Stable Guanidinium Covalent Organic Framework for Efficient Capture of Low-concentration Iodine at High Temperatures, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2022, 144, 6821-6829.

12.      J. Yin,† Q. Lei,† Y. Han, O. M. Bakr, and O. F. Mohammed, Luminescent Copper(I) Halides for Optoelectronic Applications, Phys. Status Solidi RRL, 2021, 2100138. (†equal contribution)

13.      Y. He, Q. Lei, C. Li, Y. Han, Z. Shi, S. Feng, Defect Engineering of Photocatalysts for Solar-Driven Conversion of CO2 into Valuable Fuels, Mater. Today, 2021, 50, 358-384.

14.      Y. Xie, T. Pan, Q. Lei, C. Chen, X. Dong, Y. Yuan, J. Shen, Y. Cai, C. Zhou, I. Pinnau, Y. Han, Ionic Functionalization of Multivariate Covalent Organic Frameworks to Achieve Exceptionally High Iodine Capture Capacity, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 60, 22432-22440.

15.      K. Yang,† T. Pan,† Q. Lei,† X. Dong, Q. Cheng, Y. Han, A roadmap to sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting: from molecular sorption mechanism to sorbent design and system optimization, Environ. Sci. Technol., 2021, 55, 10, 6542-6560. (†equal contribution)

16.      W. Ogieglo, K. Song, C. Chen, Q. Lei, Y. Han, I. Pinnau, Nano-Confinement Effects on Structural Development and Organic SolventInduced Swelling of Ultra-Thin Carbon Molecular Sieve Films, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2021, 13, 18, 21765-21774.

17.      Q. Lei, H. Zhu, K. Song, N. Wei, L. Liu, D. Zhang, J. Yin, X. Dong, K. Yao, N. Wang, X. Li, B. Davaasuren, J. Wang, Y. Han, Investigating the Origin of Enhanced C₂₊ Selectivity in Oxide-/Hydroxide-derived Copper Electrodes during CO₂ Electroreduction, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2020, 142, 4213-4222. (highly cited paper)

18.      Q. Lei, S. Ba, H. Zhang, Y. Wei, Y. J. Lee, T. Li, Enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil via alternate solvent winterization and enzymatic interesterification, Food Chem., 2016, 199, 364-371.

19.      J. Yin, M. Kumar, Q. Lei, L. Ma, S. S. K. Raavi, G. G. Gurzadyan, C. Soci, Small-size effects on electron transfer in P3HT/InP quantum dots, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2015, 119, 26783-26792.

20.      Q. Lei and T. Li, Functional monoesters of jojoba oil can be produced by enzymatic interesterification: Reaction analysis and structural characterization, Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol., 2015, 117, 630-636.

21.      S. Ba, Q. Lei, C. W. Ng, H. Zhang, D. Huang and T. Li, Synthesis of new types of brominated diesters as potential food emulsifiers, J. Chem. Sci., 2014, 1, 40-47.

22.      Q. Lei, W. L. Lee and T. Li, Design and synthesis of 1,3-dicapryloyl-2-acetylglycerol as molecular probe for TAG metabolism study, Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol., 2013, 115, 232–238.

Research Grants

Patents

Professional Certification and Awards

Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Harvard’s Derek Bok Center, 2022.

Student Awards

Professional Society Membership

Member, Chinese Chemical Society