YU RESEARCH GROUP Energy Nanomaterials Lab

2025

• Y. Zhao, W. Guan, Y. Wong, C. Lei, Y. Wang, X. Liu, G. Yu, 'Material-to-System Tailored Multilayer-Cyclic Strategy Toward Practical Atmospheric Water Harvesting', PNAS, 122, e2500928122 (2025). (Featured by PNAS News) 
• Y. Cao, J. Wang, W. Guan, M. An, P. Yan, Z. Li, C. Zhao, G. Yu, 'Spatially Regulated Water-Heat Transport by Fluidic Diode Membrane for Efficient Solar-Powered Water Purification and Electricity Generation', Nature Commun., ASAP (2025).
• K. Wu, Z. Dou, S. Deng, D. Wu, B. Zhang, H. Yang, R. Li, C. Lei, Y. Zhang, Q. Fu, G. Yu, 'Colloidal Liquid Metals for Electronic Device Cooling at Kilowatt Levels', Nature Nanotech., 20, 104 (2025). (Highlighted in Nature Nanotech., Nature Sustainability)
• J. Kim, N. Kim, Z. Ju, Y. Hong, K. Kang, J. Pang, S. Lee, S. Chae, M. Park, J. Kim, G. Yu, S. Lee, 'Upscaling High-Areal-Capacity Battery Electrodes', Nature Energy, 10, 295 (2025). (Invited)
• W. Fan, C. Zhu, X. Wang, H. Wang, Y. Zhu, J. Chen, W. Tian, J. Wu, G. Yu, 'All-Natural Charge Gradient Interface for Sustainable Seawater Zinc Batteries', Nature Commun., 16, 1273 (2025). (Highlighted in Nature Sustainability Community).
• Y. Wang, X. Sun, Q. Liu, G. Yu, 'Functional Gel Materials for Next-Generation Electrochromic Devices and Applications', Chem. Soc. Rev., 54, 3475 (2025).
• W. Guan, Y. Zhao, C. Lei, Y. Wang, K. Wu, G. Yu, 'Molecularly Functionalized Biomass Hydrogels for Sustainable Atmospheric Water Harvesting', Adv. Mater., 2420319 (2025).
• T. Zheng, Z. Ju, A. Marschilok, E. Takeuchi, K. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Chemically Recovered Lithium Dendrites Enabled by Gradient-Distributed Liquid Metal Particles in Composite Polymer Electrolytes', ACS Nano, ASAP (2025).
• X. Liu, X. Liu, J. Zhan, W. Yuan, Y. Zhu, W. Huang, H. Li, T. Liu, K. Amine, H. Li, G. Yu, 'High-Performance Al-S Batteries by Spin Polarization Modulation via Catalytic Ni-MoS2 Nanosheets', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., e202503835 (2025). (VIP Paper)
• C. Lei, Q. Li, W. Chen, G. Yu, 'Biopolymeric Gels: Advancements in Sustainable Multifunctional Materials', Adv. Mater., 2419906 (2025). (Invited)
• J. Xiang, P. Wang, P. Li, M. Zhou, G. Yu, Z. Jin, 'Inter-Site Distance Effect in Electrocatalysis', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., e202500644 (2025).
• G. Cheng, J. Yu, Y. Wang, Z. Ju, Y. Zhu, W. Tian, J. Chen, H. Wang, J. Wu, G. Yu, 'Gradient Design with Low-Tortuosity Overcoming Kinetic Limitations in High-Loading Solid-State Cathodes', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., e202425357 (2025).
• J. Jiang, Y. Chen, Y. Li, Z. Ju, G. Yang, J. Wang, S. Kumar, G. Yu, Z. Seh, 'Regulating Zn²⁺ Solvation Structure in Eutectic Electrolytes for Rechargeable Zinc Batteries', Matter, 8, 101917 (2025).
• J. Park, W. Guan, G. Yu, 'Smart Hydrogels for Sustainable Agriculture', EcoMat, 7, e70011 (2025). (Invited)
• Z. Ju, T. Zheng, S. Checko, G. Yu, 'Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries Enabled by Magnetically Aligned Electrodes', ACS Nano, 19, 5688 (2025).
• G. Ma, Z. Ju, Y. Chen, R. Wang, Z. Yuan, H. Du, M. Cai, M. Gao, Y. Wang, G. Yu, 'High-Capacity Organic Cathode Boosted by Coordination Chemistry for Energy-Dense Aqueous Zinc-Organic Batteries', Chem. Sci., 16, 5986 (2025).
• T. Zheng, Z. Ju, G. Yu, 'Liquid Metals for Advanced Batteries: Recent Progress and Future Perspective', EcoMat, 7, e12518 (2025). (Invited)
• J. Park, H. Lee, E. Na, T. Shim, C. Kim, H. Kim, G. Yu, J. Lee, 'Structured Liquid-in-Liquid Emulsion Stabilized by Surface-Engineered Liquid Metal Droplets as "Mutant" Pickering Emulsifiers', ACS Appl. Mater. Interf., 17, 9945 (2025).

[learn more]

2024

• Z. Ju, T. Zheng, B. Zhang, A. Dolocan, A. Marschilok, E. Takeuchi, K. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Magnetically Oriented Nanosheet Interlayer for Dynamic Regeneration in Lithium Metal Batteries', PNAS, 121, e2413739121 (2024).
• Z. Ju, T. Zheng, B. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Interfacial Chemistry in Multivalent Aqueous Batteries: Fundamentals, Challenges and Advances', Chem. Soc. Rev., 53, 8980 (2024). (Invited)
• M. Jiang, C. Jing, C. Lei, X. Han, Y. Wu, S. Ling, Y. Zhang, Q. Li, H. Yu, S. Liu, J. Li, W. Chen, G. Yu, 'A Bio-based Nanofiber Hydrogel Filter for Sustainable Water Purification', Nature Sustainability, 7, 168 (2024). (Featured by Nature Sustainability) 
• S. Tang, M. Xie, S. Yu, X. Zhan, R. Wei, M. Wang, W. Guan, B. Zhang, Y. Wang, H. Zhou, G. Zheng, Y. Liu, J.H. Warner G. Yu, 'General Synthesis of High-Entropy Single-Atom Nanocages for Electrosynthesis of Ammonia from Nitrate', Nature Commun., 15, 6932 (2024). (Highlighted in Nature Reviews Materials, Nature Materials Community)
• Y. Wang, C. Lei, W. Guan, W. Shi, R. Shen, S. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Sustainable, Low-Cost, High-Contrast Electrochromic Displays via Host-Guest Interactions', PNAS, 121, e2401060121 (2024). (Featured by PNAS)
• C. Lei, W. Guan, Y. Zhao, G. Yu, 'Chemistries and Materials for Atmospheric Water Harvesting', Chem. Soc. Rev., 53, 7328 (2024). (Invited)
• L. Zhao, T. Wang, F. Zuo, Z. Ju, Y. Li, Q. Li, Y. Zhu, H. Li, G. Yu, 'A Fast-Charging/Discharging and Long-Term Stable Artificial Electrode Enabled by Space Charge Storage Mechanism', Nature Commun., 15, 3778 (2024).
• H. Li, Z. Hu, F. Zuo, Y. Li, M. Liu, H. Liu, Y. Li, Q. Li, Y. Ding, Y. Wang, Y. Zhu, G. Yu, J. Maier, 'Real-Time Tracking of Electron Transfer at Catalytically Active Interfaces in Lithium-Ion Batteries', PNAS, 121, e2320030121 (2024).
• Y. Wang, C. Lei, W. Guan, K. Wu, B. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Bistable Electrochromic Ionogels via Supramolecular Interactions for Energy-Efficient Displays', Adv. Mater., 2403499 (2024).
• K. Wu, Z. Ju, B. Zhang, A. Marschilok, E. Takeuchi, K. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'In Situ Alloying Enabled by Active Liquid Metal Filler for Self-Healing Composite Polymer Electrolytes', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., e202410463 (2024).
• K. Liu, H. Li, M. Xie, P. Wang, Z. Jin, Y. Liu, M. Zhou, P. Li, G. Yu, 'Thermal-Enhanced Relay Electrocatalysis of Nitrate-to-Ammonia Reduction over Single-Atom-Alloy Oxides', JACS, 146, 7779 (2024).
• Y. Wang, P. Zhu, R. Wang, K. Matthews, M. Xie, M. Wang, C. Qiu, Y. Liu, H. Zhou, J. Warner, Y. Liu, H. Wang, G. Yu, 'Fluorine-Tuned Carbon-Based Nickel Single-Atom Catalysts for Scalable and Highly Efficient CO2 Electrocatalytic Reduction', ACS Nano, 18, 26751 (2024).
• Y. Li, Y. Li, Q. Liu, Y. Liu, T. Wang. M. Cui, Y. Ding, H. Li, G. Yu, 'Revealing the Dominance of the Dissolution-Deposition Mechanism in Aqueous Zn-MnO₂ Batteries', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., e202318444 (2024)  
• J. Park, W. Guan, C. Lei,  G. Yu, 'Self-Irrigation and Slow-Release Fertilizer Hydrogels for Sustainable Agriculture', ACS Mater. Lett., 6, 3471 (2024).
• G. Cheng, H. Sun, H. Wang, Z. Ju, Y. Zhu, W. Tian, J. Chen, H. Wang, J. Wu, G. Yu, 'Efficient Ion Percolating Network for High-Performance All-Solid-State Cathodes', Adv. Mater., 2312927 (2024).
• M. Chen, J. Jiang, W. Guan, Z. Zhang, X. Zhang, W. Shi, L. Lin, K. Zhao, G. Yu, 'Sustainable and Rapid Water Purification at the Confined Hydrogel Interface', Adv. Mater., 2311416 (2024).
• W. Fan, P. Li, J. Shi, J. Chen, W. Tian, H. Wang, J. Wu, G. Yu, 'Atomic Zincophilic Sites Regulating Microspace Electric Fields for Dendrite-Free Zinc Anode', Adv. Mater., 2307219 (2024). 
• K. Matthews, B. Rush, R. Gearba, X. Guo, G. Yu, J. Warner, 'Cryo-Electron Microscopy Reveals Na Infiltration into Separator Pores as a Degradation Mechanism in Na Anode: Liquid Electrolyte Electrochemical Cells', Adv. Mater., 2308711 (2024).
• J. Wang, T. Ghosh, Z. Ju, M. Ng, G. Wu, G. Yang, X. Zhang, L. Zhang, A. Handoko, S. Kumar, W. Busayaporn, D. Kaewsuwan, C. Jiang, M. Wei, G. Yu, Z. Seh, 'Heterojunction Structure of Cobalt Sulfide Cathodes for High-Performance Magnesium-Ion Batteries', Matter, 7, 1833 (2024).
• Z. Ju, B. Zhang, T. Zheng, A. Marschilok, E. Takeuchi, K. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Assembled MXene–Liquid Metal Cages on Silicon Microparticles as Self-Healing Battery Anodes', Nano Lett., 24, 6610 (2024).
• P. Kollipara, Z. Wu, K. Yao, D. Lin, Z. Ju, X. Zhang, T. Jiang, H. Ding, J. Fang, J. Li, B. Korgel, J. Redwing, G. Yu, Y. Zheng, 'Three-Dimensional Optothermal Manipulation of Light-Absorbing Particles in Phase-Change Gel Media', ACS Nano, 18, 8062 (2024).
• M. Yi, H. Li, M. Xie, P. Li, Z. Jin, G. Yu, 'Electrocatalysis for Sustainable Nitrogen Management: Materials Innovation for Sensing, Removal and Upcycling Technologies', Science China Chem., ASAP (2024). (Invited)
• S. Checko, Z. Ju, B. Zhang, T. Zheng, E. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, K. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Fast-Charging, Binder-Free Lithium Battery Cathodes Enabled via Multidimensional Conductive Networks', Nano Lett., 24, 1695 (2024).
• Y. Cui, Z. Ju, R. Yu, H. Du, B. Zhang, Y. Wang, G. Yu, 'Challenges, Strategies, and Perspectives of Anode Protection in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries', ACS Mater. Lett., 6, 611 (2024). (Invited)
• W. Qiu, Y. Liu, M. Xie, Z. Jin, P. Li, G. Yu, 'Structural Engineering of Catalysts for Ammonia Electrosynthesis from Nitrate: Recent Advances and Challenges', EES Catalysis, 2, 202 (2024). (Invited)
• T. Wang, Y. Li, Z. Chen, Q. Liu, J. Lang, L. Wu, W. Dong, Z. Ju, H. Li, X. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Entropy-Modulated and Interlayer-Doped Transition Metal Layered Oxides Enable High-Energy-Density Sodium-Ion Capacitors', Nano Res., 17, 8785 (2024). (Invited)
• S. Kim, J. Park, Y. Pi, J. Park, Y. Kim, K. Wu, G. Yu, J. Lee, 'Facile Low-Oxidation Emulsification of Liquid Metal Using Polyvinylpyrrolidone for Highly Viscoelastic Heat Conductive Pastes', ACS Appl. Eng. Mater. 2, 2705 (2024).

[learn more]

2023

• F. Zuo, H. Zhang, Y. Ding, Y. Liu, Y. Li, H. Liu, F. Gu, Q. Li, Y. Wang, Y. Zhu, H. Li, G. Yu, 'Electrochemical Interfacial Catalysis in Co-based Battery Electrodes Involving Spin-Polarized Electron Transfer', PNAS, 120, e2314362120 (2023).
• T. Li, T. Yan, P. Wang, J. Xu, X. Huo, Z. Bai, W. Shi, G. Yu, R. Wang, 'Scalable and Efficient Solar-driven Atmospheric Water Harvesting Enabled by Bidirectionally Aligned and Hierarchically Structured Nanocomposites', Nature Water, 1, 971 (2023). (Highlighted by Nature Sustainability)
• W. Guan, Y. Zhao, C. Lei, G. Yu, 'Molecularly Confined Hydration in Thermoresponsive Hydrogels for Efficient Atmospheric Water Harvesting', PNAS, 120, e2308969120 (2023). (Highlighted by PNAS.)
• K. Yan, F. Zhao, L. Pan, Y. Jiang, Y. Shi, G. Yu, 'High-Throughput Clean-up of Viscous Oil Spills Enabled by A Gel-Coated Mesh Filter', Nature Sustainability, 6, 1654 (2023). (Highlighted by Nature Sustainability, Nature Rev. Mater.)
• Z. Ju, S. Checko, X. Xu, J. Calderon, K. Raigama, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Densified Vertically Lamellar Electrode Architectures for Compact Energy Storage', PNAS, 120, e2308009120 (2023).
• P. Li, L. Liao, Z. Fang, G. Su, Z. Jin, G. Yu, 'A Multifunctional Copper Single-Atom Electrocatalyst Aerogel for Smart Sensing and Producing Ammonia from Nitrate', PNAS, 120, e2305489120 (2023).
• Y. Zhu, Y. Guo, K. Cao, S. Zeng, G. Jiang, W. Liu, W. Cheng, W. Bai, X. Weng, W. Chen, D. Zhao, H. Yu, G. Yu, 'A General Strategy for Synthesizing Biomacromolecular Ionogel Membranes via Solvent-Induced Self-Assembly', Nature Synthesis, 2, 864 (2023).
• Z. Zhao, X. Liu, M. Zhang, L. Zhang, C. Zhang, X. Li, G. Yu, 'Development of Flow Battery Technologies Using the Principles of Sustainable Chemistry', Chem. Soc. Rev., 52, 6031 (2023). (Invited)
• M. Xie, S. Tang, Z. Li, M. Wang, Z. Jin, P. Li, X. Zhan, H. Zhou, G. Yu, 'Intermetallic Single-Atom Alloy In-Pd Bimetallene for Neutral Elec-trosynthesis of Ammonia from Nitrate', JACS, 145, 13957 (2023).
• P. Li, R. Li, Y. Liu, M. Xie, Z. Jin, G. Yu, 'Pulsed Nitrate-to-Ammonia Electroreduction Facilitated by Tandem Catalysis of Nitrite Intermediates', JACS, 145, 6471 (2023).
• Z. Li, Y. Zhou, M. Xie, H. Cheng, T. Wang, J. Chen, Y. Lu, Z. Tian, Y. Lai, G. Yu, 'High-Density Cationic Defects Coupling with Local Alkaline-Enriched Environment for Efficient and Stable Water Oxidation', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. e202217815 (2023). (HOT)
• Y. Luo, G. Yu, X. Chen, et al. 'Technology Roadmap for Flexible Sensors', ACS Nano, 17, 5211 (2023).
• Z. Ju, T. Zheng, J. Calderon, S. Checko, B. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Scalable Fast-Charging Aligned Battery Electrodes Enabled by Bidirectional Freeze-Casting', Nano Lett., 23, 8787 (2023).
• L. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Recent Developments in Materials and Chemistries for Redox Flow Batteries', ACS Mater. Lett., 5, 3007 (2023). (Invited) 
• G. Ma, Z. Ju, X. Xu, Y. Xu, Y. Sun, Y. Wang, G. Zhang, M. Cai, L. Pan, G. Yu, 'Enhancing Organic Cathodes of Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries via Utilizing Steric Hindrance and Electron Cloud Equalization', Chem. Sci., 14, 12589 (2023).
• X. Guo, Z. Ju, X. Qian, Y. Liu, X. Xu, G. Yu, 'A Stable Solid Polymer Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Battery with Electronically Conductive Fillers', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 62, e202217538 (2023). (HOT Paper)
• W. Guan, C. Lei, Y. Guo, W. Shi, G. Yu, 'Hygroscopic Microgels-Enabled Rapid Water Extraction from Arid Air', Adv. Mater. 2207786 (2023).
• C. Lei, J. Park, W. Guan, Y. Zhao, K. Johnston, G. Yu, 'Biomimetically Assembled Sponge-Like Hydrogels for Efficient Solar Water Purification', Adv. Funct. Mater. 2303883 (2023).
• P. Xiong, S. Peng, L. Zhang, A. Li, Y. Chen, S. Xiao, Q. He, G. Yu, 'Supramolecular Interactions Enable Pseudo-Nanophase Separation for Constructing An Ion-Transport Highway', Chem, 9, 592 (2023). (Featured in Matter)
• T. Gao, L. Qiu, M. Xie, Z. Jin, P. Li, G. Yu, 'Defect-Stabilized and Oxygen-Coordinated Iron Single-Atom Sites Facilitate Hydrogen Peroxide Electrosynthesis', Mater. Horiz., 10, 4270 (2023).
• M. Xie, S. Tang, B. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Metallene-Related Materials for Electrocatalysis and Energy Conversion', Mater. Horiz. 10, 407 (2023). (Invited)
• J. Wang, Y. Zhang, S. Ramakrishna, G. Yu, 'New Horizons in Materials for Energy Conversion, Optics and Electronics', Nanoscale Horiz. 8, 714 (2023). (Invited)
• Z. Ju, X. Xu, X. Zhang, K. Raigama, G. Yu, 'Towards Fast-Charging High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries: From Nano- to Micro-Structuring Perspectives', Chem. Eng. J. 454, 140003 (2023). (Invited) 
• C. Lei, G. Yu, 'Harnessing the Flatband λ-Ti₃O₅: A Breakthrough in Solar Steam Generation', Science China Mater., 66, 4515 (2023). (Invited)
• H. Yu, C. Lv, C. Yan, G. Yu, 'Interface Engineering for Aqueous Aluminum Metal Batteries: Current Progresses and Future Prospects', Small Methods, 2300758 (2023). (Invited)
• K. Matthews, X. Guo, G. Yu, J. Warner, 'Probing the Solid-State Chemical Bonding of Energy Storage Relevant Na Materials at the Nanoscale using Low-Loss Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy', J. Phys. Chem. 127, 142 (2023).

[learn more]

2022

• Z. Ju, S. King, X. Xu, X. Zhang, K. Raigama, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, L. Wang, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Vertically Assembled Nanosheet Networks for High-Density Thick Battery Electrodes', PNAS, 119, e2212777119 (2022).
• L. Zhang, R. Feng, W. Wang, G. Yu, 'Emerging Chemistries and Molecular Designs for Flow Batteries', Nature Rev. Chem. 6, 524 (2022). (Invited, Cover) (Highlighted in Nature Chemistry)
• Y. Guo, W. Guan, C. Lei, H. Lu, W. Shi, G. Yu, 'Scalable Super Hygroscopic Polymer Films for Sustainable Moisture Harvesting in Arid Environments', Nature Commun. 13, 2761 (2022). (Highlighted in Nature Materials) 
• W. Shi, W. Guan, C. Lei, G. Yu, 'Sorbents for Atmospheric Water Harvesting: from Design Principles to Applications', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. e202211267 (2022). (Invited) 
• X. Qian, Y. Wang, Z. Ju, M. Xie, B. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Chemical Exfoliation of Metal Oxide Nanosheets for High-Performance Ion Conducting Membranes', ACS Mater. Lett. 4, 2321 (2022).
• Y. Yan, L. Zhang, R. Walser-Kuntz, D. Vogt, M. Sigman, G. Yu, M. Sanford, 'Benzotriazoles as Low Potential Anolytes for Non-aqueous Redox Flow Batteries', Chem. Mater. 34, 10594 (2022). 
• H. Lu, W. Shi, J. Zhang, A. Chen, W. Guan, C. Lei, J. Greer, S. Boriskina, G. Yu, 'Tailoring the Desorption Behavior of Hygroscopic Gels for Atmospheric Water Harvesting in Arid Climates', Adv. Mater. 2205344 (2022).
• C. Lei, W. Guan, Y. Guo, W. Shi, Y. Wang, K. Johnston, G. Yu, 'Polyzwitterionic Hydrogels for Highly Efficient High Salinity Solar Desalination', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. e202208487 (2022). (HOT)
• M. Xie, B. Zhang, Z. Jin, P. Li, G. Yu, 'Atomically Reconstructed Palladium Metallene by Intercalation-Induced Lattice Expansion and Amorphization for Highly Efficient Electrocatalysis', ACS Nano 16, 13715 (2022).
• C. Yan, C. Lv, B. Jia, L. Zhong, X. Cao, X. Guo, H. Liu, W. Xu, D. Liu, L. Yang, J. Liu, H. Hng, W. Chen, L. Song, S. Li, Z. Liu, Q. Yan, G. Yu, 'Reversible Al Metal Anodes Enabled by Amorphization for Aqueous Aluminum Batteries', JACS, 144, 11444 (2022).
• Z. Ju, X. Zhang, J. Wu, S. King, C. Chang, S. Yan, Y. Xue, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, L. Wang, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Tortuosity Engineering for Improved Charge Storage Kinetics in High-Areal-Capacity Battery Electrodes', Nano Lett. 22, 6700 (2022).
• X. Xu, X. Zhang, Z. Ju, X. Guo, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Unraveling the Effects of Hierarchical Bimodal Micro-Scale Porosity on Thick Electrodes', J. Phys. Chem. 126, 15135 (2022). (Invited)
• X. Guo, Y. Liu, X. Zhang, Z. Ju, Y. Li, D. Mitlin, G. Yu, 'Revealing the Solid-State Electrolyte Interfacial Stability Model with Na-K Liquid Alloy', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. e202203409 (2022).(VIP)
• Z. Fang, S. Tang, Z. Wang, M. An, G. Yu, 'General Synthesis of Large-Size Inorganic Nanosheets via 2D Confined Assembly of Nanoparticles', ACS Central Science 8, 627 (2022). (Featured in ACS Central Sci.)
• J. Wu, Z. Ju, X. Zhang, A. Marschilok, K. Takeuchi, H. Wang, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Gradient Design for High-Energy and High-Power Batteries', Adv. Mater. 2202780 (2022). (Invited)
• Z. Jin, P. Li, Z. Fang, G. Yu, 'Emerging Electrochemical Techniques for Probing Site Behavior in Single-Atom Electrocatalysts', Acc. Chem. Res. 55, 759 (2022). (Invited, Cover)
• C. Lv, C. Lee, L. Zhong, H. Liu, J. Liu, L. Yang, C. Yan, W. Yu, H. H. Hng, Z. Qi, L. Song, S. Li, K. P. Loh, Q. Yan, G. Yu, 'A Defect Engineered Electrocatalyst that Promotes High-Efficiency Urea Synthesis under Ambient Conditions', ACS Nano 16, 8213 (2022). (Cover)
• P. Wang, Z. Jin, P. Li, G. Yu, 'Design Principles of Hydrogen-Evolution-Suppressing Single-Atom Catalysts for Aqueous Electrosynthesis', Chem Catalysis, 2, 1277 (2022). (Invited)
• Y. Guo, G. Yu, 'Materials Innovation for Global Water Sustainability', ACS Mater. Lett. 4, 713 (2022). (Invited)
• J. Wu, Z. Ju, X. Zhang, X. Xu, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Low-Tortuosity Thick Electrodes with Active Materials Gradient Design for Enhanced Energy Storage', ACS Nano 16, 4805 (2022).
• X. Zhang, Z. Hui, S. King, J. Wu, Z. Ju, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, A. West, E. Takeuchi, L. Wang, G. Yu, 'Gradient Architecture Design in Scalable Porous Battery Electrodes', Nano Lett. 22, 2521 (2022). 
• M. Dai, F. Zhao, J. Fan, Q. Li, Y. Yang, Z. Fan, S. Ling, H. Yu, S. Liu, J. Li, W. Chen, G. Yu, 'A Nanostructured Moisture Absorbing Gel for Fast and Large-Scale Passive Dehumidification', Adv. Mater. 34, 2200865 (2022). (Featured Cover)
• C. Lei, Y. Guo, W. Guan, H. Lu, W. Shi, G. Yu, 'Polyzwitterionic Hydrogels for Efficient Atmospheric Water Harvesting', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 61, e202200271 (2022). (VIP)
• Y. Guo, L. Vasconcelos, N. Manohar, J. Geng, K. Johnston, G. Yu, 'Highly Elastic Interconnected Porous Hydrogels through Self-Assembled Templating for Solar Water Purification', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 61, e202114074 (2022).
• H. Lu, W. Shi, Y. Guo, W. Guan, C. Lei, G. Yu, 'Materials Engineering for Atmospheric Water Harvesting: Progress and Perspectives', Adv. Mater. 34, 2110079 (2022). (Invited)
• P. Zhang, F. Zhao, W. Shi, H. Lu, X. Zhou, Y. Guo, G. Yu, 'Super Water-Extracting Gels for Solar-Powered Volatile Organic Compounds Management in Hydrological Cycle', Adv. Mater. 34, 2110548 (2022).
• Z. Fang, Z. Jin, S. Tang, P. Li, P. Wu, G. Yu, 'Porous Two-dimensional Iron-Cyano Nanosheets for High-rate Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction', ACS Nano 16, 1072 (2022).
• B. Liu, J. Torres, M. Taheri, P. Xiong, T. Lu, J. Zhu, Y. Liu, G. Yu, A. Tricoli, 'Dual-Ion Flux Management for Stable High Areal Capacity Lithium–Sulfur Batteries', Adv. Energy Mater. 2103444 (2022).
• Q. Chen, Y. Lv, Z. Yuan, X. Li, G. Yu, Z. Yang, T. Xu, 'Organic Electrolytes for pH-Neutral Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries', Adv. Funct. Mater. 32, 2108777 (2022).
• X. Li, H. Jiang, Y. Liu, X. Guo, G. He, Z. Chu, G. Yu, 'Hierarchically Porous Membranes for Lithium Rechargeable Batteries: Recent Progress and Opportunities', EcoMat. 4, e12162 (2022). (Invited, Cover)  
• C.-H. Lin, Z. Ju, X. Zheng, X. Zhang, N. Zmich, X. Liu, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, E. Takeuchi, M. Ge, G. Yu, Y. Chen-Wiegart, 'Dimensionality Effect of Conductive Carbon Fillers  in LiNiMnCoO2 Cathode', Carbon 188, 114 (2022). 
• B. Xu, Y. Jiang, T. Liu, Z. Guo, G. Yu, M. Titirici, 'Beyond Lithium: A New Era of Sustainable Energy Engineering', Small, 18, 2201793 (2022). (Invited)
• L. Gao, Y. Ding, G. He, G. Yu, 'Bio-Derived and Cost-Effective Membranes with High Selectivity for Redox Flow Batteries based on Host-Guest Chemistry', Small, 2107055 (2022). (Invited)

[learn more]

2021

• Q. Li, H. Li, Q. Xia, Z. Hu, Y. Zhu, S. Yan, C. Ge, Q. Zhang, X. Wang, X. Shang, S. Fan, L. Gu, G. Miao, J. Moodera, G. Yu, 'Extra storage capacity in transition metal oxide Li-ion batteries revealed by in situ magnetometry', Nature Mater. 20, 76 (2021). (Highlight by Nature Energy)

• C. Lv, L. Zhong, H. Liu, Z. Fang, C. Yan, M. Chen, Y. Kong, C. Lee, D. Liu, S. Li, J. Liu, L. Song, G. Chen, Q. Yan, G. Yu, 'Selective electrocatalytic synthesis of urea with nitrate and carbon dioxide', Nature Sustainability 4, 868 (2021). (Highlight in Nature Sustainability )

• Z. Jin, P. Li, Y. Meng, Z. Fang, D. Xiao, G. Yu, 'Understanding inter-site distance effect in single-atom catalysts for oxygen electroreduction', Nature Catalysis. 4, 615 (2021). (Highlight in Nature Chemistry )

• N. Wang, X. Zhang, Z. Ju, X. Yu, Y. Wang, Y. Du, Z. Bai, S. Dou, G. Yu, 'Thickness-independent scalable high-performance Li-S batteries with high areal sulfur loading via electron-enriched carbon framework', Nature Commun. 12, 4519 (2021).

• J. Wu, Z. Ju, X. Zhang, K. J. Takeuchi, A. C. Marschilok, E. S. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Building Efficient Ion Pathway in Highly Densified Thick Electrodes with High Gravimetric and Volumetric Energy Densities', Nano Lett. 21, 9339 (2021).
• J. Wu, Z. Ju, X. Zhang, C. Quilty, K. J. Takeuchi, D. C. Bock, A. C. Marschilok, E. S. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Ultrahigh-Capacity and Scalable Architected Battery Electrodes via Tortuosity Modulation', ACS Nano  15, 19109 (2021).
• P. Li, Z. Fang, Z. Jin, G. Yu, 'Ammonia Electrosynthesis on Single-Atom Catalysts: Mechanistic Understanding and Recent Progress', Chem. Phys. Rev. 2, 041305 (2021). (Invited, Featured Article)

• J. Bae, H. Park, X. Guo, X. Zhang, J. Warner, G. Yu, 'High-Performance Magnesium Metal Battery via Switching Passivation Film into Solid Electrolyte Interphase', Energy Environ. Sci. 14, 4391 (2021).

• Y. Guo, C. Dundas, X. Zhou, K. Johnston, G. Yu, 'Molecular Engineering of Hydrogels for Rapid Water Disinfection and Sustainable Solar Vapor Generation', Adv. Mater. 2102994 (2021). 

• P. Xiong, L. Zhang, Y. Chen, S. Peng, G. Yu, 'A Chemistry and Microstructure Perspective on Ion Conducting Membranes for Redox Flow Batteries', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60, 24770 (2021). (Invited)

• X. Zhang, Z. Hui, S. King, L. Wang, Z. Ju, J. Wu, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, A. West, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'Tunable Porous Electrode Architectures for Enhanced Li-Ion Storage Kinetics in Thick Electrodes', Nano Lett. 21, 5896 (2021).

• P. Li, Z. Jin, Z. Fang, G. Yu, 'A Single-Site Iron Catalyst with Preoccupied Active Center That Achieves Selective Ammonia Electrosynthesis from Nitrate', Energy Environ. Sci. 14, 3522 (2021).

• L. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Hybrid Electrolyte Engineering Enables Safe and Wide‐Temperature Redox Flow Batteries', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60, 15028 (2021). (HOT)

• X. Zhou, F. Zhao, P. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Solar Water Evaporation Towards Water Purification and Beyond', ACS Mater. Lett. 3, 1112 (2021). (Invited)

• C. Lei, Y. Guo, W. Guan, G. Yu, 'Polymeric Materials for Solar Water Purification', J. Polym. Sci. 59, 3084 (2021). (Invited)

• J. Wu, X. Zhang, Z. Ju, L. Wang, Z. Hui, K. Mayilvahanan, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, A. West, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, 'From Fundamental Understanding to Engineering Design of High-Performance Thick Electrodes for Scalable Energy Storage Systems', Adv. Mater. 2101275 (2021). (Invited)

• X. Guo, Y. Ding, G. Yu, 'Design Principles and Applications of Next-Generation High-Energy-Density Batteries Based on Liquid Metals', Adv. Mater. 33, 2100052 (2021). (Invited)

• Y. Guo, G. Yu, 'Engineering Hydrogels for Efficient Solar Desalination and Water Purification', Acc. Mater. Res. 2, 374 (2021). (Invited)

• Z. Hui, K. Mayilvahanan, K. Ganko, Y. Yang, X. Zhang, Z. Ju, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, G. Yu, E. Takeuchi, A. West, 'Optimal Electrode-Scale Design of Li-Ion Electrodes: A General Correlation', Energy Storage Mater. 39, 176 (2021).

• Z. Hui, X. Zhang, K. Mayilvahanan, Z. Ju, K. J. Takeuchi, A. C. Marschilok, E. S. Takeuchi, G. Yu, A. C. West, 'Transport In and Optimization of Aligned-Channel Li-Ion Electrode Architectures', J. Electrochem. Soc. 168, 100536 (2021).
• H. Lu, W. Shi, F. Zhao, W. Zhang, P. Zhang, C. Zhao, G. Yu, 'High-Yield and Low-Cost Solar Water Purification via Hydrogel-Based Membrane Distillation', Adv. Funct. Mater. 2170135 (2021).

• G. Su, S. Yin, Y. Guo, F. Zhao, Q. Guo, X. Zhang, T. Zhou, G. Yu, 'Balancing the Mechanical, Electronic, and Self-healing Properties in Conductive Self-healing Hydrogel for Wearable Sensor Applications', Mater. Horiz. 8, 1795 (2021).

• C. Zhang, H. Chen, Y. Qian, G. Dai, Y. Zhao, G. Yu, 'General Design Methodology for Organic Eutectic Electrolytes towards High-Energy-Density Redox Flow Batteries', Adv. Mater. 33, 2008560 (2021).

• C. Zhang, Z. Niu, J. Bae, L. Zhang, Y. Zhao, G. Yu, 'Polyeutectic-Based Stable and Effective Electrolytes for High-Performance Energy Storage Systems', Energy Environ. Sci. 14, 931 (2021).

• J. Bae, X. Zhang, X. Guo, G. Yu, 'A General Strategy of Anion-Rich High-Concentration Polymeric Interlayer for High-Voltage, All-Solid-State Batteries', Nano Lett. 21, 1184 (2021).

• T. Hou, B. Liu, X. Sun, A. Fan, Z. Xu, S. Cai, C. Zheng, G. Yu, A. Tricoli, 'Covalent Coupling-Stabilized Transition-Metal Sulfide/Carbon Nanotube Composites for Lithium/Sodium-Ion Batteries', ACS Nano 15, 6735 (2021).

• H. Li, Z. Hu, Q. Xia, H. Zhang, Z. Li, H. Wang, X. Li, F. Zuo, F. Zhang, X. Wang, W. Ye, Q. Li, Y. Long, Q. Li, S. Yan, X. Liu, X. Zhang, G. Yu, G. Miao, 'Operando Magnetometry Probing the Charge Storage Mechanism of CoO Lithium-Ion Batteries', Adv. Mater. 33, 2006629 (2021).

• C. Zhou, X. Li, H. Jiang, Y. Ding, G. He, J. Guo, Z. Chu, G. Yu, 'Pulverizing Fe₂O₃ Nanoparticles for Developing Fe₃C/N-Codoped Carbon Nanoboxes with Multiple Polysulfide Anchoring and Converting Activity in Li–S Batteries', Adv. Funct. Mater.  2011249 (2021).

• X. Guo, J. Bae, Y. Ding, X. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Liquid Alloy Enabled Solid-State Batteries for Conformal Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces', Adv. Funct. Mater. 2010863 (2021).

• Z. Fang, P. Wu, Y. Qian, G. Yu, 'Gel-Derived Amorphous BiNi Alloy Promotes Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation via Optimizing Nitrogen Adsorption and Activation', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60, 4275 (2021). (VIP) 

• L. Zhang, B. Zhao, C. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Insights into Redox Chemistry of Organosulfides Towards Stable Molecule Design in Nonaqueous Energy Storage Systems', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60, 4322 (2021). 

• Z. Tai, Y. Li, Y. Liu, L. Zhao, Y. Ding, Z. Lu, Z. Peng, L. Meng, G. Yu, L. Liu, 'Novel Quasi-Liquid K-Na Alloy as A Promising Dendrite-Free Anode for Rechargeable Potassium Metal Batteries' Adv. Sci. 2101866 (2021).

• W. Guan, Y. Guo, G. Yu, 'Carbon Materials for Solar Water Evaporation and Desalination', Small 2007176 (2021). (Invited) 

• Z. Ju, X. Zhang, J. Wu, G. Yu, 'Vertically Aligned Two-Dimensional Materials-based Thick Electrodes for Scalable Energy Storage Systems', Nano Res. 14, 3562 (2021). (Invited)

• Y. Guo, Z. Fang, G. Yu, 'Multifunctional Hydrogels for Sustainable Energy and Environment', Polym. Int. 70, 1425 (2021). (Invited)

[learn more]

2020

• Y. Guo, J. Bae, Z. Fang, P. Li, F. Zhao, G. Yu, 'Hydrogels and Hydrogel-Derived Materials for Energy and Water Sustainability', Chem. Rev. 120, 7642 (2020). (Invited, Featured Cover)

• L. Zhang, Y. Qian, R. Feng, Y. Ding, X. Zu, C. Zhang, X. Guo, W. Wang, G. Yu, 'Reversible Redox Chemistry in Azobenzene-Based Organic Molecules for High-Capacity And Long-Life Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries', Nature Commun. 11, 3843 (2020).

• F. Zhao, Y. Guo, X. Zhou, W. Shi, G. Yu, 'Materials for Solar-Powered Water Evaporation', Nature Rev. Mater. 5, 388 (2020). (Invited, Featured Cover)

• X. Zhou, Y. Guo, F. Zhao, W. Shi, G. Yu, 'Topology-Controlled Hydration of Polymer Network in Hydrogels for Solar-Driven Wastewater Treatment', Adv. Mater. 32, 2007012 (2020). 

• P. Li, Z. Jin, Z. Fang, G. Yu, 'A Surface Strained And Geometry Tailored Nanoreactor Promotes The Ammonia Electrosynthesis', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 22610 (2020). (VIP Paper)

• Y. Zhou, X. Zhang, Y. Ding, L. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Reversible Deposition of Lithium Particles Enabled by Ultraconformal and Stretchable Graphene Film for Lithium Metal Batteries', Adv. Mater.  2005763 (2020).

• Y. Ding, X. Guo, Y. Qian, G. Yu, 'Low-Temperature Multi-Element Fusible Alloy-Based Molten Sodium Batteries for Grid-Scale Energy Storage', ACS Central Science 6, 2287 (2020). 

• Z. Ju, X. Zhang, S. King, C. Quilty, Y. Zhu, K. Takeuchi, E. Takeuchi, D. Bock, L. Wang, A. Marschilok, G. Yu, 'Unveiling the Dimensionality Effect of Conductive Fillers in Thick Battery Electrodes for High-Energy Storage Systems', Appl. Phys. Rev. 7, 041405 (2020). (Invited, Featured Article)

• X. Zhou, P. Zhang, F. Zhao, G. Yu, ‘Super Moisture Absorbent Gels for Sustainable Agriculture via Atmospheric Water Irrigation', ACS Mater. Lett. 2, 1419 (2020). 

• Y. Zhu, Y. Qian, Z. Ju, Y. Ji, Y. Yan, Y. Liu, G. Yu, 'Understanding Charge Storage in Hydrated Layered Solids MOPO4 (M = V, Nb) with Tunable Interlayer Chemistry', ACS Nano 14, 13824 (2020).

• X. Zu, L. Zhang, Y. Qian, C. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Molecular Engineering of Azobenzene‐based Anolytes Towards High‐Capacity Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries', Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 22163 (2020).

• C. Yan, C. Lv, L. Wang, W. Cui, L. Zhang, K. Dinh, H. Tan, C. Wu, T. Wu, Y. Ren, J. Chen, Z. Liu, S. Madhavi, X. Rui, Q. Yan, G. Yu, 'Architecting a Stable High-Energy Aqueous Al-Ion Battery', JACS 142, 15295 (2020). (Featured Cover, Highlighted by Science)

• B. Liu, M. Taheri, J. Torres, Z. Fusco, T. Lu, Y. Liu, T. Tsuzuki, G. Yu, A. Tricoli, 'Janus Conductive/ Insulating Microporous Ion-Sieving Membranes for Stable Li–S Batteries', ACS Nano 14, 13852 (2020).

• R. Bo, M. Taheri, B. Liu, R. Ricco, H. Chen, H. Amenitsch, Z. Fusco, T. Tsuzuki, G. Yu, R. Ameloot, P. Falcaro, A. Tricoli., 'Hierarchical Metal‐Organic Framework Films with Controllable Meso/Macroporosity', Adv. Sci. 2002368 (2020).

• X. Li, Y. Zhang, S. Wang, Y. Liu, Y. Ding, G. He, X. Jiang, G. Yu, 'Scalable High-Areal-Capacity Li-S Batteries Enabled by Sandwich-Structured Hierarchically Porous Membranes with Intrinsic Polysulfide Adsorption', Nano. Lett. 20, 6922 (2020). 

• Y. Zhou, X. Zhang, Y. Ding, J. Bae, X. Guo, Y. Zhao, G. Yu, 'Redistributing Li-Ion Flux by Parallelly Aligned Holey Nanosheets for Dendrite-Free Li Metal Anode', Adv. Mater. 32, 2003920 (2020).

• C. Lv, L. Zhong, Y. Yao, D. Liu, Y. Kong, X. Jin, Z. Fang, W. Xu, C. Yan, K. Dinh, M. Shao, L. Song, G. Chen, S. Li, Q. Yan, G. Yu, 'Boosting Electrocatalytic Ammonia Production through Mimicking 'π Back-Donation'', Chem 6, 2690 (2020).

• C. Zhang, L. Zhang, G. Yu, 'Eutectic Electrolytes as A Promising Platform for Next-Generation Electrochemical Energy Storage', Acc. Chem. Res. 53, 1648 (2020). (Invited) 

• Z. Fang, P. Li, G. Yu, 'Gel Electrocatalysts: An Emerging Material Platform for Electrochemical Energy Conversion', Adv. Mater. 32, 2003191 (2020). (Invited)

• Y. Ding, X. Guo, G. Yu, 'Next-Generation Liquid Metal Batteries Based on Chemistry of Fusible Alloys', ACS Central Science 6, 1355 (2020). (Invited) 

• Y. Ding, X. Guo, Y. Qian, L. Xue, A. Dolocan, G. Yu, 'Room‐Temperature All‐Liquid‐Metal Batteries Based on Fusible Alloys with Regulated Interfacial Chemistry and Wetting', Adv. Mater.  32, 2002577 (2020).

• P. Li, Z. Jin, Y. Qian, Z. Fang, D. Xiao, G. Yu, ‘Supramolecular Confinement of Single Cu Atoms in Hydrogel Frameworks for Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis with High Atom Utilization’, Mater. Today  35, 78 (2020).

• Y. Yang, Y. Qian, H. Li, Z. Zhang, Y. Mu, D. Do, B. Zhou, J. Dong, W. Yan, Y. Qin, L. Fang, R. Feng, J. Zhou, P. Zhang, G. Yu, Y. Liu, X. Zhang, X. Fan, 'O-Coordinated W-Mo Dual-Atom Catalyst for PH-Universal Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution', Science Adv. 6, aba6586 (2020).

[learn more]

2025

MAY C&EN News invited Dr. Yu to comment on a recent work on "Pulling Water from Thin Air in the Atacama".

APR Anthropocene Magazine features our work "Biomass Hydrogels for Sustainable Atmospheric Water Harvesting"! Also see The Cool Down, Food & Wine, AOL,

APR ACS Materials Letters just announced a Call For Papers for Special Issue on 'Materials for Sustainable Agriculture' organized by executive editor Dr. Yu. Currently open for submission!

MAR Advanced Science News features our work "Biomass Hydrogels for Sustainable Atmospheric Water Harvesting"! Also see Futurity, Renewable Energy Magazine, Hydrogen Fuel News, FMT Magazine, KlasseKampen (Norway), Correio Braziliense, Public Now, Message ToEagle, Noticias Ambientales, EnergyCUE News (Italy), Forward Pathway (US College Database), Australian Water Association, KnowRidge Science Report, Vertigo Politico,

MAR C&EN News invited Dr. Yu to comment on "the latest Tear Down Analysis for Tesla's and BYD's Batteries".

FEB Our research on "Biomass Hydrogels for Sustainable Atmospheric Water Harvesting" was featured in UT News, Texas Engineering News, UT ME News, TMI News, Science Daily, SciTech Daily, Phys. Org, ScienceBlog, Technology Networks, The University Network (TUN), Smart Water Magazine, BioEngineer, Interesting Engineering, Ground News, 30Science, MeteoWeb.eu, EurekAlert!, ScienceMag, Inspenet, Science X, Physics Forum, EcoInventos, TechSpot, CLickPetroleoegas (Brazil), Biomassa Feiten (Netherlands), StarDrive.org, El Blog, EnergyHa.ir, GeekWeek (Poland), Inno Labs (Romania), IGN Brasil, HelloBiz (France), THe Pinnacle Gazette, Followin, Decrypt, MSN.com, Reddit, WP Tech, A News (Turkey), Gizmodo (Brazil), Kompas.com (Indonesia), Haber Kibris (Turkey), Kibris Gercek (Turkiy), VTM Czech, Noobz.ro, EGE Telegraf, Media Indonesia, Vista.ir, Gigazine Japan, Enerzine France, Foodkida, BitGet.com, Jewish Business,

FEB Our research on "Thermal Interface Materials for Supercharged Chip Cooling" was featured in NAE Frontiers Website. 

FEB Dr. Yu was featured in the latest 'Energy Focus' piece "Achievements in Elevating the Chemistry Enterprise" in ACS Energy Letters. 

FEB Chem. Soc. Rev. just published the thematic issue on 'Sustainable Energy Storage Systems Beyond Lithium Batteries' guest-edited by Drs. Yu, Byon and Feng!

JAN Our research on "Thermal interface materials tackling cooling for high-power electronics" was featured in Texas Engineer Magazine 2024-2025. See 'Big Texas Energy' in UT News!

JAN Texas Engineering highlights Dr. Yu's recent awards and honors as AAAS Fellow and Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of The Year in Engineering & Technology!

JAN BIG congratulations to Nancy Guo, our group alumnus, officially starts her faculty position in UNC Department of Applied Physical Sciences! Check her group website out for exciting research!

[learn more]

2024

DEC EE Times features our research on "colloidal liquid metals for sustainable electronics cooling"!

DEC Small's 20th Anniversary Editorial highlights Dr. Yu's Small Young Innovator Award in 2017 for outstanding research on nanoscale science and technology!

NOV Dr. Yu delivered the award speech in Berlin for 2024 Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of The Year in Engineering & Technology! See Falling Walls Foundation, Forschung & Lehre (Germany)!

NOV Our research on "Colloidal liquid metals for sustainable electronics cooling" was featured in News & Views in Nature Nanotech.! 

NOV Dr. Yu was awarded '2024 SDG World Young Scientist Award' at World Young Scientist Summit (WYSS)! ScienceNet News,

NOV Dr. Yu has been again ranked among 2024 Top Highly Cited Researchers in both Materials Science & Chemistry fields!

OCT Our work on "Colloidal liquid metals for sustainable device cooling" published in Nature Nanotechnology was featured in UT News, Texas Engineering News, TMI News, ME News, Austin Journal, HoodLine, Tech Xplore, Public Now, MSN.com, KnowRidge Science Report, Texas Energy Report, Power Electronics World, Hacker News, Data Center Dynamics, Reddit, ENERZINE, The University Network (TUN), WinFuture, BaxTel, MSN News, Tom's Hardware, PC Gamer, Yahoo! Tech, Tech Spot, HardZone.es, Professional Review, EcoInventors, Digital Trends, ZME Science, Extreme Tech, InkL, Patently Apple, Science Alert, Cloud Computing News,

SEP Gizmodo features our research work on "Oil spill cleanup tech" as TOP 10 Gizmodo Science Fair Winner!

SEP Falling Walls Foundation just announced Dr. Yu was selected as 2024 Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of The Year Winner in Engineering & Technology! See Texas Engineering News, Forschung & Lehre !

SEP Our research work on "Single-atom nanocages for electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis" was selected to feature in current Nature Reviews Materials! 

SEP BBC News features our research work on "Oil spill cleanup tech"!

SEP Farm World Magazine features our research on "Self-watering and self-fertilizing hydrogels for sustainable agriculture"! Women Love Tech,

AUG Dr. Yu was selected as 2024 Falling Walls Science Global Winner in Engineering & Technology catogery! See Texas Engineering News, UT ME News, TMI/MSE News.

AUG Texas Standard features our research on "Smart Soil Can Water and Feed Itself" (KUT Public Radio)! 

JUL Anthropocene Magazine features our research on "Self-watering and self-fertilizing hydrogels for sustainable agriculture" as 'A scientific leap towards smart soils'! 

JUL Our research on "Self-watering and self-fertilizing hydrogels for sustainable agriculture" published in ACS Materials Letter was highlighted by UT News, UT Discovery, Texas Engineering News, ME News, TMI News, Phys.org, ScienMag, Bioengineer.org, ScienceDaily, New Atlas, The Brighter Side, Only Good News, WP Tech, Olhar Digital, Vietnam Agriculture, 163.com, G4Food, Farms.com, Yahoo!News, Seed Daily, Technology Networks, Earth.com, Knowledge Science, MSN.com, News Break, OtherWeb, Architexturez, Impact Lab, Wonderful Engineering, Boy Genius Report, Alberta WaterPortal, India TV Fosaac, MIT CAT Trends, AR15.com, Good Good News, Gate2 Biotech, Focus.pl, Bundle.app, TV5.tr, TechPedia, TNN Thailand, SiamPhone, Daily Geek, Mundo E-Tech, The Cool Down, MSN, Yahoo!, 

JUN Falling Walls selects Dr. Yu and our research on Solar-Powered Water Purification and Harvesting Techs among '2024 Falling Walls Science Breakthrough Award in Science and Technology'! 

JUN Texas Global features our work on water-harvesting gels as 'Breakthrough Tech for Water Access'! 

MAY Our research on "Biomass-based Sustainable Smart Windows" was selected to highlight by Association of American Universities (AAU)! 

APR Our research work on "Biomass-based Sustainable Smart Windows" was selected to feature in current April issue in PNAS! 

APR Our research work on "Biomass-based Sustainable Smart Windows" published in PNAS was highlighted by UT News, Texas Engineering News, ME News, TMI News, Austin Journal, Al Jazzeera, CEC News, Today Headline, Tech Xplore, Mirage News, Phys.Org, Physics Forum, PR Newswire, Life Science Network, Fresh Plaza, Science X, TiiSys.com, Morning News, KNowridge Science, Fresh Market,

APR Dr Yu was recently featured by People Magazine as Climate Warrior to Tackle Clean Water Challenges in their Earth Day Special! 

APR Dr. Yu was elected into 2023 Class of AAAS Fellows nationally! AAAS News, Science News, UT News, Texas Engineering, Austin Journal, TMI News, ME News.

FEB Congrats to Chuxin Lei for winning the prestigious UT University Graduate Continuing Fellowship!

FEB Several of our research papers on hydrogels-based atmospheric water harvesting, self-watering soils, and solar water evaporation have been featured in "Celebrating 5Years of ACS Materials Letters' special collections. 

JAN Our research work on "Bio-Based Gel Filter for Sustainable Water Purification" published in Nature Sustainability was highlighted by UT News, Texas Engineering News, ME News, TMI News, Nature Sustainability Commun., KXAN, EurekAlert!, Science Daily, New Atlas, The Engineer (UK), The Debrief, Tech Xplore, Gizmag, ElectronicsForU, CompsMag, Phys.Org, Physics World, Mirage News, Life Technology, World Water News, Science X, Azo CleanTech, Technology Network, Water Online, Labroots, Engineers Ireland, Industrial Intel, Knowridge Science, Link Researcher, Seed Daily, Verve Times, One News Page, Terra Daily, Eurasia Review, Open Access Government, South China Morning Post, What's New, HoodLine, ScienMag, Tii News, Swift Telecast, BioEngineer.Org, DPA Magazine, Super Innovators, Inside Water, The PAW, Smart Water Magazine, Crast.net, Filtration and Separation, Inquirer Technology, NetEASE (163.com), NanoER, X-MOL, Tencent.com (QQ), Zhihu.com, NetBig.top, Yahoo! News, SterliTech, AquaA, News Nation, BNN Breaking,

JAN Our research work on "Oil-Capturing Technology" published in Nature Sustainability was selected as Top 5 Research Breakthroughs in Texas Engineer! 

[learn more]

2023

DEC Two of our research works 'Smart Farming' and 'Oil-Capturing Tech' were selected as Top UT Research Stories in 2023!

DEC Our research works on Atmospheric Water Harvesting Technology is featured in the latest Water Outlook issue by Nature! Also See Texas Engineering, TMI News, ME News,

NOV Dr. Yu is ranked again as one of 2023 Top Highly Cited Researchers in both fields of Materials Science and Chemistry by Clarivate! Texas Engineering News, TMI News..

NOV Congrats to Prof. Gang Chen from MIT on discovery report in PNAS on photomolecular effect in solar water evaporation, which may help explain unique phenomena of various hydrogels in solar evaporation process! Physics World, MIT News..

SEP Our work "Breakthough Oil-Capturing Tech for Oil Spills Clean-up" published in Nature Sustainability was featured by Nature Reviews Materials! 

SEP Congrats to our group member Weixin Guan for being selected for UT Graduate School's Student Features!

SEP Our work "Molecularly Engineered Hydrogels for Atmospheric Water Harvesting" was highlighted in Texas Water Resources Institute News!

SEP Our work "Molecularly Engineered Hydrogels for Atmospheric Water Harvesting" published in PNAS was highlighted by UT News, Daily Texan, Texas Engineering, KXAN, IEEE Sprectrum, UT-ME News, TMI News, Science Daily, SciTech Daily, NewsBreak, Life Technology, TechXplore, EurekAlert!, FlipBoard, Petbyus, Phys.Org, Reddit, Tech TImes, Azo CleanTech, Electronics For U, OthweWeb, Eco Inventos, EnerZine, Science X, 4search.com, Tii SYS, Daily Science, ISP Today, Ocrepusculo, TDI Colombia, Crumpe, Physics Forum, Ground News, OPP.Today, CityLife, Verve Times, Substack, PPL Ware, Lab Manager, Technology Networks, Smart Water Magazine, Swift Telecast, SciencMag, BioEngineer, Today Headline, ORDO News, Water Journal (Korea), Ground Water Canada, ISTOE Independte (Brazil), Pressetext, Ardina News, Green Economy Agency (Italy), EZ-Publish (France), Citizen Side (France), Head Topics, X-MOL, COSMOS Mag, NeoZone, EcoWeb, LabRoots, Alberta Water, Illuminem, Science Springs, Futurity, Wired (Italy), Physics World, GreenMe (Italy), Giornale Social (Italy), Crast.net, iMedia, Lega Nerd, Earth.com, Water Online, Knowridge, Future Timeline, WorldTime Todays, Innovation Toronto, Engineers Ireland, New Indian Express, Science Times, Tecent News, cnBeta, Bao Can Tho (VN), Azad News Agency (ANA), Lab Worldwide, Correio Brazilienese, Inquirer Tech, Vigour Times, Yahoo!Tech, BNN Breaking, Tech Briefs,!

SEP Dr. Yu was invited to comment on recent exciting work "Solar Desalination System" by MIT team in MIT News, MIT Climate Portal, Business Insider, SciTech Daily!

SEP Our work "Breakthough Oil-Capturing Tech for Oil Spills Clean-up" published in Nature Sustainability was highlighted by UT News, Texas Engineering, KXAN (NBC), FOX News, KVUE (ABC), UT ME, TMI News, Nature Sustainability, Compasmag, TechXplore, Phys.Org, Mirage News, Futurist, Austin Chronicle, Today Headline, Science X, Life Technology, YouTube, DPA Magazine, Energy Portal (EU), Tii News (Japan), ChinaTechNews, Able Science, Petbyus, Science Central, Ground News, Reddit, Engineers Forum, X-MOL, Tek Crispy, INF News, Engineers Outlook, Enerzine, WorldTime Todays, Research News, Knowridge Science, Global Spec, ZBR (Mexico),

SEP Our work "Smart Farming System Enabled by Gel Catalyst" is featured in ASME as "New Smart Farming System Minimizes Fertilizer Runoff"!

AUG Our work "Conductive Gel Membranes" and RSC Award News were featured in UT TMI Newsletter!

July Dr. Yu was selected to 2023 Class of Blavatnik National Awards Honorees! New York Academy of Sciences News, Texas Engineering, UT ME, TMI News,

JUN Our work "Smart Farming System Enabled by Gel Catalyst" published in PNAS was highlighted by UT News, Texas Innovation, UT Discoveries, The Daily Texan, Texas Engineering News, UT-ME News, TMI News, EurekAlert!, Phys.Org, Science Daily, SCIENMAG, Life TECH, Delicious Food, Water Online, Bioengineer.Org, MORNING AgClips, TERRA Daily, SEED Daily, Indian Education, Mirage News, Climate Change, Reddit, SemiEngineering, Knowridge, Tech Target, World TimeTodays, Digital Iyidir, NanoER, AgroLink, StormWater Solutions, X-MOL, Anthropocene, The Cool Down, Yahoo! News, MSN News, HortiDaily, Foresight, Future of Agriculture!

JUN Our collaborative work "Sustainable urea electrosynthesis" was awarded 2023 RSC Materials Chemistry Horizon Prize! Texas Engineering News, TMI News, ME News.

JUN Our work "Water-Capturing Gels" was selected as one of Top Research+Breakthroughs by 2023 Texas Engineers Magazine!

JUN Our work "Cationic Defects Enabled Water Oxidation Catalysts" was highlighted in ChemistryViews, Angew Chemie's Science and Learning!

JUN Congrats to both Wen Shi and Chuxin Lei, for being awarded UT's Harry and Rubye Gaston Graduate Scholarship and George J. Heuer Endowed Graduate Fellowship!

MAY Our work "IonoGel Membranes" published in Nature Synthesis was highlighted by UT News, ME News, TMI News, Phys.Org, EurekAlert!, Science Daily, AZOM, COSMOS Mag, Food Manufacture, Knowledia, Interesting Engineering, Design Today, Materials Today, Mirage News, X-MOL, WordPress, Science Hub, Whats New, NanoER.net, Tencent, Blikk, Verve Times, Innovation Report, Scientific Russia, Inceptive Mind, Science Springs, Research AeTher, ElectroPages, Swift Telecast,

MAY Dr. Yu was invited by Boston Globe to comment on a recent interesting work on Air-Gen Energy Harvesting from Humidity.

MAY Congrats to Nancy Guo, our group alumni now postdoc at MIT, for being selected as 2023 ACS PMSE Future Faculty Awardee!

APR UT Energy Institute awarded a Strategic Energy Research Grant to Dr. Yu's led team with Liu and Warner groups on electrochemical CO2 reduction technology!

APR Our work "Water-Capturing Gels" was among Top 25 Chemistry and Materials Sciences Articles of 2022 by Nature Communications!

APR Dr. Yu was invited featured in inaugural UT Presidential Research Impact Award video.

MAR Zhengyu was invited to comment on a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) news piece. Congrats!

MAR Our work "Water-Capturing Gels" was featured in our annual Texas Mechanical Engineer Magazine 2023!

MAR Our work in Chem "Supramolecular interactions enabled ion-conductive membranes" was featured in the journal Matter!

FEB Our work "Water-Capturing Gels" was highlighted in Texas Global Report, and featured as Cover in TMI Annual Newsletter!

FEB Congrats to Weixin Guan for winning the prestigious UT Graduate School Continuing Fellowship!

FEB Congrats to John Calderon for winning the MSE graduate student poster award!

JAN Our "Electrocatalytic Urea Synthesis" work published in Nature Sustainability has been featured in Nature's series 'Emerging Technologies for Sustainability'!

JAN Our research work on "Water-Capturing Gels" was selected as Top Research Breakthroughs in Texas Engineer 2022-2023! 

[learn more]

2022

DEC Engineering Girl features our work on hydrogel breakthrough for clean water technology in "Engineering Solutions Towards Sustainable Water Access for All"!

DEC Dr. Yu was invited to serve Guest Editor for Materials Horizons and Nanoscale Horizons on topic of "New horizons in materials for energy conversion, electronics and optics"! RSC Blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn.

NOV Our graduate Youhong (Nancy) Guo was selected among 2023 Forbes list of “30 under 30” in Science! UT TMI news,

NOV Austin American-Statesman features our work "Fast-Charging Thick Battery Electrodes"!

NOV Dr. Yu was invited to serve Guest Editor for Batteries & Supercaps on topic of "Aqueous Electrolyte Batteries"!

OCT Our work 'Fast-Charging Thick Battery Electrodes' was featured by The Daily Texan! Business Insider features as "Tackling The Biggest Challenges Facing EV Adoption".

OCT Dr. Yu was invited to deliver the prestigious Viskanta Lecture at Purdue University! 

OCT Our former PhD student Youhong (Nancy) was selected to 2022 Stanford University ME Rising Stars Workshop! 

SEP Our work on 'Vertically Assembled Thick Battery Electrodes' was highlighted in UT News! CSE News, ME News, TMI News. This PNAS work was also featured by: FOX News, New Atlas, TexasDaily, Daily Texan, News Austin, TechXplore, Business News, ScienceDaily, Verve Times, News Place, Flip Board, Innovate News, InceptiveMind, Trend Radar, Green Car Congress, 163.com, CnBeta, SmarTech, NewsBeezer, Austonia, Battery News, Knowledia, Tech Network, Test Coches, World Energy, Advanced Batteries Research, StockStar, SINA.com, AZO Mater., NewsBreak, EurekAlert!, TweakTown, AirQuality News, JournalBreak, Head Topics, Electronics Online, ElectronicsForu, EleTimes, News Azi, BioEngineer, Clean Technica, Mining, Tom.com, SOHU.com, TopTek News, Lab Manager, Indian Education, BullFrag, Mater. Today, Yahoo.com, BuzzEV News, Assembly Mag,

SEP Our former PhD Youhong (Nancy) was selected to 2022 MIT ChemE Rising Stars Workshop! 

SEP Science Friday features our recent work on water harvesting gels in podcast 'Pulling Water From Thin Air'! Also at NPR Podcasts.

SEP Texas Global features our work on water harvesting gels as 'Water-Collecting Gel Films Help Hydrate a Thirsty Globe'! 

SEP Chemistry Views (Europe) profiles our research group’s recent work on water harvesting gels in themed story 'Capturing Water from the Atmosphere'! Also see SciTech Europa!

AUG Texas Monthly Magazine features our research group’s recent works on water harvesting gels!

AUG Our review 'Emerging Chemistries for Flow Batteries' was featured as Cover in Nature Rev. Chem.!

AUG Our review 'Emerging Chemistries for Flow Batteries' was featured in Nature Collection Series 'Sustainable Chemistry'!

JUN Our work 'Gel Film Fresh Water Harvester' was featured in World Economic Forum 'Groundbreaking Gel Produces Drinking Water from Dry Air'!

JUN Advanced Science News featured our recent work 'Nanostructured Moisture-Absorbing GEL' in Science In Pictures Series!

JUN Our work 'Gel Film Fresh Water Harvester' was highlighted as one of TOP Innovative Atmospheric Water Generators by ASME!

JUN Our work on 'Gel Film Fresh Water Harvester' was highlighted in UTEXAS Newsletter! It's featured as "The 5 Coolest Things on Earth" by GE.

JUN Dr. Yu was selected to 2022 Class of Blavatnik National Awards Honorees! NYAS, UT News, ME News,

MAY Our work on 'Gel Film Drinking Water Harvester' was highlighted in KXAN, UT News, Daily Texan, CSE News, UT Energy Bulletin, MSE News, ME News, ScienceDaily, Weather Channel, Phys.Org, New Atlas, Yahoo!, Futurity, FAST Company, Water Online, SciTech Daily, Science Times, Tech Networks, EurekAlert!, MirageNews, CNBC News, ScienMag, National Geographic, Gizmodo, Bioengineer, Smart Water, Nanowerk, FlipBoard, News Today, News9, Verve Times, 6Parks, Interesting Engineering, WaterWorld, COSMOS, AZO Mater., List23, TimetoTimes, Educacions, Nature World, Science Blog, Core77, Head Topics, Alert Breaking, Optic Flux, WQP Mag, Biz News, Hindi News, News Buzz, Planet Water, Reddit, MSN, TechNews, WDC TV, India Education, Galaxy Reporters, NoticiasNet, ASPE, FISM TV, WorldHealth.Net, Diario Popular, El Confidential, Naked Science, Nanotech World, One NewsPage, TechCodex, EU Mail24, Optimist Daily, Flash News, Rinnovabili.it, La Vanguafdia, TVN, BGR, News Beezer, News Founded, American Reporters, HiTech, Techno Pixel, Darik News, KnowAsiak, HeroMag, El Espanol, Time Bulletin, DaytoNews, 6Park News, Industry Update, News Central, ZME Science, Nation World, ABP Live, Knowridge, Daily Post (Korean), SCI-News, GoodNews Network, Extreme Tech, Knowledia, NewsofCanada, THEN24, WEAT Texas, Materials Today, Newz.DK, Youthistaan, UK Time News, List23, Focus Tech, DailyNews369, Water Journal (Korean), NewsNation, iHeart, Brazil Posts, Technology Shout, Make Water Famous, inHabitat, Crast.Net, FutureZone, WaterShapes, iNews, BTLV (France), Core77, OneWater, INF News, NuestroClima, NeozOne, WarpNews,

APR Dr. Yu was elected into 2022 Class of MRS Fellows. UT News, ME News, MSE News!

MAR Our work 'Urea ElectroCatalytic Synthesis' in Nature Sustainability, was featured in story "Fertilizing The Future" of '2022 Texas Mechanical Engineer'! 

FEB Our work 'Polyzwitterionic Hydrogel Water Harvester' was featured in story of 'Freshwater from Thin Air' in Angewandte Chemie, Science Daily, Phys.Org, ChemEurope, EurekAlert!, Chemistry Views, Water World, NewAtlas, Azo CleanTech, Nanowerk, Europa Press, Chemie.de, Free News, Head Topics, Channel969, NewsBeezer, Knowledia, Lexology, Genius Interactive, 6JET,

JAN Dr. Yu was honored with the prestigious Norman Hackerman Award from The Welch Foundation. UT News, Daily Texan, CSE News, ME News, MSE News!

JAN Our work 'hydrogel tablets to purify water' was featured in AdvMater Editorial ‘Opening the Doors to Advanced Materials in 2022'!

JAN Our work 'Single-Atom ElectroCatalysts' in Nature Catalysis, was featured in story of 'The Rise of Hydrogen' in Texas Engineer Magazine! 

[learn more]

2021

DEC Our work 'hydrogel tablets to purify water' was highlighted by World Economic Forum!

DEC Our work 'hydrogel tablets to purify water' was selected as TOP 10 UT Research Highlights in 2021! 

DEC Our work 'hydrogel tablets to purify water' was featured by UT President's Office's year-end message to UT Community. Happy Holidays!

DEC Congrats to Xiao Zhang for being selected for MRS Outstanding Graduate Student Gold Award! TMI News.

NOV Dr. Yu was ranked 2021 Top Highly Cited Researcher in both Materials Science and Chemistry by Clarivate. UT News, Engineering News, TMI News!

NOV Our 'Hydrogel tablet to purify water' work is highlighted UT Engineering, UT Energy Institute, and as AZOM Thought Leaders.

NOV Our invited review 'Polymers for Solar Water Purification' work is featured as J. Polymer Sci. Breakthroughs.

OCT Our invited review on 'single-atom catalysts for ammonia electrosynthesis' is featured by American Institute of Physics (AIP) SciLight. 

OCT Our work on 'hydrogel tablet to purify water' is featured in UT News! Daily Texan, Phys.Org, ScienceDaily, The Economist, Axios, KXAN, New Atlas, UT Research, UT Engineering, ME News, TMI News, EI News, KnowRidge, FlipBoard, Florida News, NewsBreak, RemoNews, YouTube, Canada News, CPYNews, ScienMag, American Online, News Founded, NewsRobin, Tech Explorist, NewsBeezer, News18, SencyNews, Australia Online, Public-Republic, XNewsNet, AzoMaterials, StudyFinds, Mashable, OlharDigit, USA News, News24-France, DailyAdvent, Smart Water, Scientific Frontline, National Wizz, NewZealand Online, News-Medical, AlwafaNews, IMP News, Reddit, EurasiaReview, ENN, Water News, TechNews, Nanowerk, WION, Knowledia, India Now, World Industrial, NewsPost, DailyBest, The Week (India), Futurity, India Education, WaterWorld, Science Cafe, HackPosts, Upcoming Engineer, ResearchNews, Nach Welt, ZME Science, FunTiTech, MCU Times, CNbeta, NewsBust, Fry Electronics, 6Park News, KNews (UK), ScienceTimes (Korea), Correio Brazil, Inovacao Brazil, Rinnovabili (Italy), Trends der Zukunft (Germany), CW39 Houston, SEEbiz, News247, MyZaker, California18, 163.com, GeekWeek, Tom's Hardware, NewsTral, OSEL, Clare People, FuturoProssimo, CanalTech (Brazil), VIDI.hr, NanotechSolutions, Engineering360, TeluguStop, Ruetir, MiddleEast-in-24, IndiansGulf, Better Parent, Glory News, Eco Inventos, ALterima, PSN, Wonderful Engineering, DailyGeek, SpotMedia, NewsVOT, DailyClipper, Daily Best, Medical Progress, News Rondonia, California NewsTimes, SciTech Daily, LA People, News Binding, SingTao, Free Think, VnExpress, InsideHook, Pulola, BrinkWire, EnviroTec, WorldBreakingNews, WarpNews, United Business Journal (UBJ),

SEP "Materials Innovation for Healthcare and Sustainability" Webinar by ACS Materials Letters, celebrates two years' journal publication on transformative materials research! 

AUG Our research group is highlighted by the Welch Foundation! Thanks for continuous generous support from Welch.

JUL Our work on 'Hydrogels for Solar Vapor Generation' is one of Most Cited 2018-2019 Articles in Nature Nanotech! Our work on 'Ni-Co-A Holey Nanosheets for Hydrogen Evolution' is one of 'Most Cited 2018-2019 Articles' in JACS!

JUL Our work 'Inter-site Effect Single-Atom Catalysts for Oxygen Electroreduction' is published in Nature Catalysis, and featured by UT News, UT Research, ME News, TMI News, Nature Chemistry community, EurekAlert, ScienceDaily, WorldNews, NewsLocker, FuelCellsworks, SciTechDaily, Industry Update, SINA, cnBEta, NewsBreak, NanoTech Now, TopNews, NewEnergy,

JUL Our work 'Electrocatalytic Urea Synthesis with Nitrate and Carbon Dioxide' is featured by UT News, ScienceDaily, ME News, TMI News, NewsBreak, EurekAlert!, Phys.Org, Nature Sustainability, US DOE, 4state.News, MirageNews, ScienMag, BBC-edition, Azom, FlipBoard, Seed Daily, CleanTech, India Education, Florida News, Farms, MyDroll, iNews, NewFood Mag, HortiDaily, NewsNation, StatNano, AZOLifeScience, SciTech, INF news, BNN Network!

JUL Futurist recently features our Self-Watering Soil work as 'The Breakthrough in Agriculture in The Past Century'! 

JUL Congrats to Nancy, Xingyi, and Zhiwei for thesis defenses in past summer and spring. We have three new outstanding doctors now this year! 

JUN Dr. Yu is selected as one of 2021 honorees for the prestigious Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientist! UT News, NewsWise, EurekAlert, NYAS, World Journal, NewsCentral, TMI,

JUN Our SMAG-enabled water harvesting technology was named 'Top 7 Innovations for Water Access' by Borgen Project. 

MAY Our Perspective 'Conductive Polymer Hydrogels based Sensor Technologies' was featured as one of Most Popular Materials/Chemistry Papers by Royal Society of Chemistry.

MAY Dr. Yu was awarded the IAAM Medal Award 2021 for significant contributions in nanoscience & nanotechnology.

APR C&EN recently features our hydrogel works on both SMAG and Self-Watering Soil! Also featured by Interesting Engineering, Wonderful Engineering.

APR Congrats to Zhiwei Fang for being selected for MRS Outstanding Graduate Student Award! See MRS, UT ME News.

APR Dr. Yu was featured in Wall Street Journal on 'lithium-ion battery and How Lithium Became a Hot Commodity'. See WSJ, Daily Telegraph, The Chronicle, News.com, YouTube, The Australian, Flipboard, Yahoo!, Herald Sun,

APR Our work 'Organic Eutectic Electrolytes for Flow Batteries' was featured by Materials Views.

APR Dr. Yu gave an invited COE Distinguished Lecture at NMSU Engineering. Thanks for the invite!

MAR Dr. Yu was awarded the prestigious TMS Brimacombe Medalist Award for outstanding mid-career scientists with sustained excellence and achievements in materials science! UT News, ME News, TMI News.

MAR Our work 'Super Moisture Absorbent Gels' was featured by Alcalde, the official publication of Texas Exes!

MAR Our work 'Self-Watering Soil' was featured as The Most Talked-About Chemistry Papers in 2020 by ACS!

MAR Congrats to our former undergrad researcher Daniel Liao for being awarded NSF GRFP!

MAR Our work 'Polyeutectic Electrolytes' was featured as EES HOT Article!

MAR Congrats to Nancy Guo for winning the MSE Graduate Student Poster Award.

FEB Our work on 'solar-powered moisture harvester' selected as one of highlight stories 'Texas Impact'! 

FEB Congrats to Xuelin Guo for winning the prestigious UT-GS Continuing Fellowship!

FEB Dr. Yu gave an award lecture on 'energy hydrogels' for 2021 TAMEST O'Donnell Award in Engineering! 

JAN Dr. Yu was selected for the prestigious TAMEST 2021 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award! UT News, UT-ENGR, UT-ME, TMI News, TAMEST, Youtube, EurekAlert, France News, ScienMag, Daily Advent, News Locker, BioEngineer, AzoNano, StatNano.

JAN Our Self-Watering Soils research in ACS Mater Lett is featured in Science News! TechCodex.

JAN Our electrocatalytic NRR nanoreactor paper in Angew. Chem. was featured in Chemistry Views.

JAN Our work 'Super Moisture Absorbent Gels for Sustainable Agriculture' has recently been featured by Greenhouse Canada, The Western Producer, EcoInventos, World Industrial Reporter, iGrow, LeapsMag, Good Men Project, Potatoes News,

[learn more]

2020

DEC Our work on Liquid-Metal based Sodium Batteries is featured as DEC cover in ACS Central Science!

DEC Congrats to Youhong for winning the prestigious MRS Outstanding Graduate Students Award! TMI News.

NOV We are awarded a DARPA project for developing atmospheric water extraction technologies, with partner teams of MIT and Caltech! See UT News, UT Research Showcase, ME News, TMI News.

NOV Our work 'Self-Watering Soil' is featured by BNN Bloomberg, as in Dr. Yu' interview of 'self-watering soil for the future of farming'.

NOV Our work 'Self-watering Soil' is selected as one of Top Five Coolest Things On Earth by GE News!

NOV The Daily Texan features our 'Self-Watering Soil' work! UT Energy Institute features our work in November Bulletin.

NOV Congrats to Jiwoong and Leyuan, both have successfully defended their thesis. Dr. Bae and Dr. Zhang!

NOV Dr. Yu is ranked as Top Highly Cited Researchers by Web of Science again in 2020. See TMI News.

NOV Our work on BiNi nano-alloys for electrocatalytic NRR was accepted in Angew. Chem. as VIP paper.

NOV Our recent work on Filler's dimensionality effect for scalable battery systems was featured in American Institute of Physics (AIP), Phys.Org, NewsWise, EurekAlert, ScienceDaily, Rocket News, DE24, FlipBoard, 15min News, WUWT, BioEngineer, PV Magazine, Press Reader, Space Daily, OilPrice.com, FocusTechnica, ScienMag, Online EV, TradeTicker, Finanz Nachrichten, ID TechEx, Moore News, Read01, OfWeek, EE World, SciTech Daily, List.Solar, Finanz.dk, Amazing Researchs, News Delay, California NewsTimes, Alkhaleej Today, Chemie.de, Kousix.com, WirtSchaftsblatt, ESdeLatino, Chem Europe, NewsBeezer, BlogDady, Quimica.es, China Auto, Gasgoo, SINA, NewsOTime, MyZaker, Shangshiny, WCENN, 111yg, Recode, Geek News, UpsApp, HengNan, Afinance.cn, Mining.com, EcoNews, IDC311, Solarify.eu, Graphene Council, UGOLINI, SINA.cn, StatNano, Energy Journal,

NOV Recent work 'Super Moisture Absorbent Gels for Sustainable Agriculture' is featured by Bloomberg, World Economic Forum, Daily Texan, UT News, Texas Engineering, ABC News, KXAN Austin, Eurekalert!, ScienceDaily, EcoTropical, BrightSurf, ManiacGeek, Engineers Ireland, TechnologyTimes, BioEngineer, AustraliaOnline, OneNews, LivDose, ScienMag, MirageNews, Press Aggregate, NewsBreak, PressReleasePoint, in.gr, Futurity, E&T, AZO Life Sciences, Seed Daily, Phys.org, Eurasia Review, Science Blog, SpaceForce, KnowLedia, FlipBoard, Better Parent, CRWE World, Zenith News, WorldPro News, Daily Ripple, ClimateChange, Gadget Stack, SeedQuest, Europapress, Repubblica.it, AmazingResearchs, BotanicalCart, Notimerica, Innovation Toronto, Newsdelay, Infobae, FantasyMundo, VN Explorer, SciTechDaily, Laboratory Equipment, Webnoviny.sk, Food News&Views, Agenparl.eu, Word Disk, New Atlas, RevistaPlaneta, Khoahoc.tv, Guancha.cn, Modern Farmer, diariodia.es, punjab times, TMI News, Science Bulletin, TerraDaily, The Scotfree, World Industry, GistTree, ReallyGood.com, Blueberries, Medium.com, NCYT, PortalFruticola, Anthropocene, Revolution Green, weirdnews, Cambio16, iagua.es, AgroLink.br, Bohemia.cu, HortiDaily, Focus Technica, Newsvoice, voda-portal.sk, Indian Bureau, Tempo, Seed World, AgroNews.gr, The Nation, NatureSpeaks, Cotripal.br, agrositio.ar, InfoBae, Cannabis-Mag, PlayTech.ro, Planeta, Clarin, Successful Green, OGN Daily, UNTV News, The Counter, Optimist Daily, Fyberus, SmallTech, NewsVoice, Reddit, WorldToday, Scientic Ecology, LabNews, AlgeriaNext, Spider'sWeb, Irrigacao, Al Jazeera, NyTeknik, Water Online, Science Bulletin, EcoInventos, TDI Colombia, Nuadox, The Texas, btlv.fr, tintuc.vn, NetNews.vn, ResearchNews, Knowledge Area, FunVerde.br, Wis Farmer, CzechSight.cz, Interesting Engineering, 306doc, Ekolist.cz, VnExpress, OnPasture, ONB.it, EcoFerma.co, eTekno, Future Farming, TillageMag, Warp News, NZ Food, Smart Brief, SmartWater, HiTech.au, Granthshara, NewsLocker, KTAB News, CW39, HortiBiz, Groundwater Canana, Impact Lab, Environmental Tech, KTSM.com, Quota Media, Voleng, MD Tech, Warp Institute, Successful Green, On Pasture, Potatoes News, EarthWise, Tencent (China), Technology Times Pakistan, The Packer, Farm Journal, Greenhouse Canada, The Western Producer, EcoInventos, World Industrial Reporter, iGrow, LeapsMag, Global Food Summit, The Garden, Chemistry&Industry (C&I)!

OCT Our work on electrocatalytic NRR nanoreactor was accepted in Angew. Chem. as a VIP paper.

OCT Dr. Yu was invited to comment on recent exciting work published by MIT team on dual-stage water harvesting: MIT News, ScienceBlog, Technology.

SEP Our recent work in JACS on 'Aqueous Al-Ion Battery' is featured by Science Magazine.

[learn more]