Research

ORCID:  0000-0003-4671-7923
ResearcherID: C-2077-2013

Recognition and Achievements

National Youth Award for Excellence in Science and Technology, Singapore National Youth Council, 1997

Research Interests

• Surface chemistry
• Nanostructures and photocatalysis

Research Highlight

Ref. : Wang, S.L.; Luo, X.; Zhou, X.; Zhu, Y.; Chi, X.; Chen, W.; Wu, K.; Liu, Z.; Quek, S.Y.; Xu, G.Q. Fabrication and Properties of a Free-Standing Two-Dimensional Titania. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15414-15419. We report a free-standing 2-D TiO2 sheet with a measured optical onset at ∼1.84 eV. Using first-principles calculations in combination with experiment, we propose that the as-formed 2-D TiO2 sheets are layers of the lepidocrocite TiO2 structure, but with large nonuniform strains consistent with its crumpled morphology. These strains cause a significant change in the quasiparticle band structure and optical absorption spectra, resulting in large absorption in the visible-light region. This narrow band gap 2-D TiO2 can catalyze the formation of singlet oxygen and the degradation of dye pollutants with low-energy photons of solar light.

Teaching Contributions AY2022/2023

• CM5151 Energy Storage and Conversion Chemistry

Representative Publications   

• Ren, Y.J.; Yuan, K.D.; Zhou, X.; Sun, H.C.; Wu, K.; Bernasek, S.L.; Chen, W.; Xu G.Q. Probe the Catalytic Intermediates of CO₂ Hydrogenation on Cu(111) by In‐Operando Near‐Ambient Pressure Technique. Chem–Eur. J. 2018, in press.
• Wang, S.L.; Zhu, Y.; Luo, X.; Huang, Y.; Chai, J.W.; Wong, T.I.; Xu, G.Q. 2D WC/WO₃ Heterogeneous Hybrid for Photocatalytic Decomposition of Organic Compounds with Vis–NIR Light. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2018, 28, 1705357.
• Dou. H.L.; Chen, L.; Zheng, S.H.; Zhang, Y.P.; Xu, G.Q. Band Structure Engineering of Graphitic Carbon Nitride via Cu²⁺/Cu⁺ Doping for Enhanced Visible Light Photoactivity. Mater. Chem. Phys. 2018, 214, 482-488.
• Wang, S.L.; Luo, X.; Zhou, X.; Zhu, Y.; Chi, X.; Chen, W.; Wu, K.; Liu, Z.; Quek, S.Y.; Xu, G.Q. Fabrication and Properties of a Free-Standing Two-Dimensional Titania. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15414-15419.
• Wang, S.L.; Li, J.; Wang, S.J.; Wu, J.E.; Wong, T.I.; Foo, M.L.; Chen, W.; Wu, K.; Xu, G.Q. Two-Dimensional C/TiO₂ Heterogeneous Hybrid for Noble-Metal-Free Hydrogen Evolution. ACS Catal. 2017, 7, 6892-6900.
• Wang, F.G.; Xu, L.L.; Shi, W.D.; Zhang, J.; Wu, K.; Zhao, Y.; Li, H.; Li, H.X.; Xu, G.Q.; Chen, W. Thermally Stable Ir/Ce_0.9La_0.1O₂ Catalyst for High Temperature Methane Dry Reforming Reaction. Nano Res. 2017, 10, 364-380.