My Journey Into Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials are materials that have at least one dimension in the nanometre scale (10^-9 m). Low-dimensional nanomaterials are even more special — they are extremely small in only one, two or all three directions. For example, in the carbon materials family, we have well-known nanomaterials such as 0D fullerenes, 1D carbon nanotubes and 2D graphene (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Scheme of fullerenes (0D), carbon nanotube (1D) and graphene (2D).

My Encounter with Nanomaterials

Many people learn about nanomaterials in junior high school physics or chemistry classes. For me, the story began much earlier. Before I started primary school, I liked reading popular science books. The topic that impressed me the most was nanotechnology. One book described how scientists could manipulate atoms and molecules at the nanoscale to create new materials directly. It even claimed that one day, humans might never worry about the shortage of natural resources. Of course, looking back now as a research, I know that this statement was overly optimistic. But for a 5- or 6-year-old child, this idea felt amazing and magical. At that moment, nanomaterials planted a small seed in my heart.

Many years later, this seed sprouted and grew. I entered Fuzhou University to study Materials Science and Engineering. There, I took many courses related to nanomaterials, covering various forms of nanomaterials, their different applications in fields such as electronic energy catalysis, and the techniques used to synthesise and characterise nanomaterials. I also entered a research lab for the first time and worked on MOFs, Metal–Organic Framework nanomaterials. It is worth mentioning that this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the inventors of MOFs, which made this experience even more memorable.

Driven by my strong interest in nanomaterials, I continued my studies at the Department of Chemistry at Southern University of Science and Technology. In Professor Feng Yang’s group, I started researching nanoclusters confined inside single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Carbon nanotubes are 1D tube-like nanomaterials with a 1 nm cavity, and nanoclusters are 0D spherical materials with a similar diameter. Their compatible sizes and unique electronic behaviours make it easy for them to form “pea-pod” nanostructures (Figure 2). I studied their assembly mechanism and catalytic properties and eventually published two papers in Nano Letters and Journal of the American Chemical Society (Nano Lett. 2025, doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c04404. and J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 34647).

Figure 2. Scheme of Clusters@SWCNTs.

My current research on nanomaterials.

The next chapter began as I applied for PhD positions. I came across a recruitment post from Professor Paolo Samorì at the University of Strasbourg. Professor Samorì is a world-famous expert on 2D materials, and my co-supervisor Professor Liming Dai is a pioneer in carbon-based catalysis, especially in carbon nanotubes and graphene. I applied without hesitation and was very fortunate to receive the Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence (AUFRANDE) PhD position.

Now, in my PhD research, I work on a graphene-like 2D material called molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) (Figure 3). I hybridise it with other materials and tune its geometric structure and electronic properties. My goal is to improve its performance in energy conversion and storage, hoping that these advances can contribute to solving future energy challenges.

Figure 3. Scheme of MoS₂ (2D).

My first year as a PhD student is coming to an end. After gradually adapting to life in France, I have also found my own scientific rhythm. Next year, as planned, I will move to the University of New South Wales in Australia for the second part of my PhD. I look forward to learning more, diving deeper into the world of low-dimensional nanomaterials and hopefully making new breakthroughs in the coming year.

Find out more about my research project here.