Xinyue Liu joined the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University as an assistant professor in 2023. Her vision is leveraging material innovations to address key challenges in sustainability and health. Her research group focuses on developing multiscale structures and designing multiphysics behaviors of living materials, and building high-performance living devices for medical, water, agriculture, and construction.
The Hickner Research Group is focused on the synthesis and properties of ion-containing polymers, measurement of water-polymer interactions using spectroscopic techniques, additive manufacturing of polymer and composite materials, and the application of polymeric materials in energy and water treatment technologies. Our group has current projects with the Department of Energy on fuel cells and flow batteries and regularly works on federally-funded research at the intersection of materials and energy.
Because of graduate and post-graduate studies advisers, Dr. Mendoza-Cortes' academic great grandparents are Marie Curie and Paul Dirac.
The Hickey Group is focused on the design of electroactive small molecules, molecular electronics, and polymer materials for a variety of applications related to energy storage, catalysis, and biosensing.
The research in my group falls at the interface of polymer engineering, materials science, and biomimicry. We develop techniques using polymers and polymer networks to produce materials with the order, functionality, and performance of examples surrounding us in nature. Beyond identifying materials that mimic natural functionalities, our research addresses the need for efficient and versatile methods that make this class of mimicry feasible for broad-reaching materials needs.
We develop high performance therapeutics and diagnostics using novel protein engineering methods. Our lab combines directed evolution and high-throughput experiments with structural biology and bioinformatics to elucidate biological processes and their clinical relevance.
The research in my group leverages my background in polymer physics and polymer chemistry. We utilize state-of-the-art polymer synthesis techniques to create novel polymeric materials with targeted properties in an effort to solve real-world challenges. Current projects focus on polymer electrolytes for battery applications, polymeric membranes for clean water, and immune-active polymers to fight addiction.
Responsible for operation, upkeep, and training of various analytical techniques including surface spectroscopy (XPS, AES), molecular spectroscopy (FTIR, UV-Vis), and microscopy (ESEM, optical). Also responsible for materials processing techniques including plasma and UV-ozone surface treatments. Research areas include: electrospinning ceramic and organic fibers for chemical and biological sensing; development of luminescent based oxygen sensors; surface treatment of polymers for adhesive bonding; and assisting the development of graphite based polymer composites.
Biomolecular engineering, thermodynamic and kinetic design of biomolecules, nucleic acid biotechnology, genomics and proteomics, RNA interference, nanobiotechnology, polymeric nanoparticles.
Hydrodynamic and reactor stability theory; solid-fluid separations; turbulent transport phenomena.
