Biography

• 2021-now: Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University2018-2021: Postdoc Fellow, University of California, Berkeley

• 2017-2018: Assistant Project Scientist, University of California, Los Angeles

• 2012-2017: Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

• 2008-2012: B.S. in Chemistry, Nanjing University

Research Interests

1. Biomimetic Catalysis for Sustainable Energy and Chemical Synthesis:Explore the integration of energy generation and chemical production via coupling catalytic processes, inspired by the efficiency and specificity of biological enzyme systems. Focus on the synergistic effects and optimization of catalytic pathways to enhance throughput and selectivity.

2. Valorization of Inert Molecules through Catalytic C-N Coupling: Develop novel catalytic strategies for transforming inert molecules like carbon dioxide and nitrates into valuable C-N coupling products. Aim to establish sustainable routes for synthesizing complex organic compounds, leveraging cutting-edge catalyst design and reaction engineering.

3. Advanced Electrocatalytic Sites for Hydrogen Energy Applications:Design and optimize under-coordinated electrocatalytic sites to improve the efficiency of hydrogen production technologies, including fuel cells and seawater splitting. Focus on the structural dynamics of catalytic sites to enhance activity and durability under operational conditions.

4. Mechanistic Insights via In Situ Spectroscopic Techniques:Identify active sites and crucial intermediates in electrocatalytic and photocatalytic reactions using advanced in situ spectroscopy. This approach aims to unravel the mechanistic pathways and enhance the design of catalysts through real-time monitoring and analysis, providing a foundation for predictive modeling of catalytic behavior.

Selected Publications

1. C. Liu, Y. Bu, Y. Xu, A. Mahmood*, J. Xie, Y. Fu, S. Li, C. Peng, Y. Wu, X. Liang, R. Zong, W. Li, J. Zhou, B. Xu, Li Niu*, M. Li*, Local-strain-induced CO2 adsorption geometries and electrochemical reduction pathway shift, Natl. Sci. Rev., 2024, nwae191.

2. Y. Yang, C. Liu, Tinglu Song, M. Li*, Z. Zhao*, Nano Res., 2024, 17, 1327–1336.

3. R. Lu, X. Zhang, H. Shi, Z. Zhao, M. Li*, X. Zhang*, Wettability Control in Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction: Effects, Modulations and Mechanisms, Appl. Catal. 2023, 341, 123293

4. X. Song*, X. Zhang, Z. Ou, Y. Zhang, M. Li*, Controlling the Anisotropic Surface Wetting of Metal Nanoparticles by a Competitive Ligand Packing Strategy: Implications for Encapsulation, ACS Appl. Nano Mater., 2021 4, 11458-11465.

5. M. Li#, B. Zhang#, T. Cheng, S. Yu, S. Louisia, C. Chen, S. Chen, S. Cestellos-Blanco, W. A. Goddard III, P. Yang, Sulfur-doped graphene anchoring of ultrafine Au25 nanoclusters for electrocatalysis, Nano Res., 2021, 14, 3509–3513.

6. X. Song*, Z. Ou, X. Hu, X. Zhang, M. Lin, L. Wen*, M. Li*, Revealing Structure Properties of ZIF-8 Particles Prepared by Wet Chemical Etching via 3D Electron Tomography, ACS Materials Lett. 2021, 3, 2, 171–178.

7. S. Chen#, M. Li#, M. Gao, J. Jin, M. A. Spronsen, M. B. Salmeron, P. Yang, High-Performance Pt−Co Nanoframes for Fuel-Cell Electrocatalysis, Nano Lett., 2020, 20, 1974–1979.

8. M. Li#, K. Duanmu#, C. Wan#, T. Cheng#, L. Zhang, S. Dai, W. Chen, Z. Zhao, P. Li, H. Fei, Y. Zhu, R. Yu, J. Luo, K. Zang, Z. Lin, M. Ding, J. Huang, H. Sun, J. Guo, X. Pan, W. A. Goddard III, P. Sautet, Y. Huang and X. Duan, Single-atom tailoring of platinum nanocatalysts for high-performance multifunctional electrocatalysis, Nat. Catal., 2019, 2, 495-503.

9. M. Li, Z. Zhao, T. Cheng, A. Fortunelli, C. Chen, R. Yu, Q. Zhang, L. Gu, B. Merinov, Z. Lin, E. Zhu, T. Yu, Q. Jia, J. Guo, L. Zhang, W. A. Goddard III, Y. Huang, X. Duan, Ultrafine jagged platinum nanowires enable ultrahigh mass activity for the oxygen reduction reaction, Science, 2016, 354, 1414-1419.