Prof. Xiao-Lin WANG

Xiao-Lin WANG is a professor of Department of Chemical Engineering and the Director of Beijing Key Laboratory for Membrane Materials and Engineering at Tsinghua University.

Professor WANG received B. Eng. (1983) and M. Eng. (1986) degree in chemical engineering from Nanjing Institute of Chemical Technology, PR China, and he received Dr. Eng. (1995) degree in chemical engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan.

Professor WANG has been engaged in membrane technology and electrochemistry for over 20 years. His research has touched many aspects such as transport phenomena in charged porous membranes, water treatment and product separation with membrane processes, fabrication of nanoporous polymeric membranes by thermally induced phase separation method, as well as development of electrochemical materials and processes.

Professor WANG has published more than 300 papers and taken out more than 20 patents. He has published a chinese treatise (Reverse osimosis and nanofiltration technology, 2004) and a chinese translation (Intermolecular and surface forces, 2014). He has received National Nature Science Award of The Ministry of Education (MOE) of China in 2004, Technological Advance Award of China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF) in 2014 and Technological Invention Award of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission in 2014. He is a subeditor of Membrane Science and Technology (in Chinese) from 2004, a standing editor of Water Treatment Technology (in Chinese) from 2006, a standing committee of the society of seawater desalination and water re-use in China from 2006, vice dean of the Membrane Engineering and Application Committee subjected to China Membrane Industry Association from 2006, the secretary-general of Beijing Membrane Society from 2005, the council member of Aseanian Membrane Society (AMS) from 2004. He was the chairman of the organization committee of the 3rd conferences of AMS in 2005 in Beijing China and the 8th conferences of AMS in 2014 in Xi'an China. He was one of congress chairmen of the 10th International Congress On Membranes and Membrane Processes (ICOM) in 2014 in Suzhou China.

Research:

• Membrane Separation Science
  
  
  1. Membrane transport mechanism
     

     There are many membrane separation processes such as Reverse Osmosis (RO), Nanofiltration (NF), Ultrafiltration (UF), Microfiltration (MF), Electro-Dialysis (ED), Pervaporation (PV), Gas Separation (GS) and so on. Many models and theories, such as non-equilibrium thermodynamics model, statistical mechanics, hydrodynamics, interface science and solution theory, molecular dynamics simulation, are applied to characterize these transport phenomena, to understand these separation mechanism, and to establish quantitative relation between membrane separation performance and the micro-structure and surface properties of the membranes. It is very importance for development of new membrane preparation techniques and application of membrane technology to new separation purposes.

  2. Membrane process integration
     

     Membrane process integration such as ①optimization of reverse osmosis and nanofiltration for highly concentration systems,②integration of nanofiltration, ultrafiltration and microfiltration for compositive separation systems, ③coupling of membrane separation and bio-chemical reaction for microbial zymolytic processes are being designed and carried out to promote membrane technology to the highly concentration of fruity juice, the separation and purification of bio-chemical products such as amino acids, peptides, proteins and oligosaccharides and the recovery of valuable matters from waste effluences.

  3. Preparation of new-type separation membranes
     

     In order to satisfy the development of new separation systems and processes, new-type separation membranes are prepared by selecting new functional materials, adjusting the microporous structure, and modifying surface or interface properties. Now we are trying to prepare "gated" membrane sensitive to temperature or the pH value of solution by using plasma graft pretreatment and pore-filling polymerization method, and new-type proton conducting membrane with high temperature-resistant and inhibiting to methanol permeation.

• Electro-Chemical Engineering
  
  
  1. Sodium chloride electrolysis by ion-exchange membrane method with oxygen cathode
     

     Sodium chloride electrolysis is an energy consumptive process. Oxygen diffusion-reduction cathode have been paid much attention to replace conventional hydrogen evolution cathodes in chlorine-alkali ion-exchange membrane cells since the realization of large voltage saving (about 1.0 V) from hydrogen evolution reaction to oxygen reduction reaction. It is estimated that the new process with oxygen diffusion-reduction cathode will save electric power of about 700 kW·hr in the production of 100% solid sodium hydroxide of 1 ton. In order to promote this technology, lab-scale of sodium chloride electrolysis system with oxygen diffusion-reduction cathode will be designed and investigated for the scale-up; and oxygen diffusion-reduction cathode will be developed at the same time.

  2. Direct methanol fuel cell
     

     Coordinate evolution of the energy development, energy utilization and environment protection should be the base for economic growth in 21st century. Fuel cells constitute an attractive power-generation technology that converts chemical energy directly and with high efficiency into electricity while causing little pollution. The direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are comparable to indirect fuel cells in view of their lower weight and volume. However, there are a number of further serious process engineering problems such as methanol crossover through the cell and sluggish electro-catalytic reaction methanol. In order to improve the performance of the DMFC, it is necessary to eliminate or, at least, to reduce the loss of methanol across the cell. The membrane technology is one of the alternatives for trying to solve this problem.

Selected Publications:

2012

1. Li Q, Bi QY, Liu T Y, Wang XL. Resistance to Protein and Oil Fouling of Sulfobetaine-Grafted Poly(vinylidene Fluoride) Hollow Fiber Membrane and the Electrolyte-Responsive Behavior in NaCl Solution. Applied Surface Science. 2012, DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.04.066.
2. Bi QY, Li Q, Tian Y, Lin YK, Wang XL. The Hydrophilic Modification of PVDF Membrane with PVP via a Cross-linking Reaction. J. Applied Polymer Sci., 2012 DOI: 10.1002/app.37629.
3. Tang YH, He YD, Wang XL. Effect of Adding a Second Diluent on the Membrane Formation of Polymer/diluent System via Thermally Induced Phase Separation: Dissipative Particle Dynamics Simulation and its Experimental Verification. Journal of Membrane Science, 2012, 409-410(1): 164-172.
4. Wang XL, Fang YY, Tu CH, Van Der B. Modelling of the Separation Performance and Electrokinetic Properties of Nanofiltration Membranes. International Reviews in Physical Chemistry, 2012, 31(1):111-130.
5. Li Q, Bi QY, Zhou B, Wang XL. Zwitterionic Sulfobetaine-grafted Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Membrane Surface with Stably Anti-protein-fouling Performance via a Two-step Surface Polymerization. Applied surface science. 2012, 258: 4707-4717. 
6. Ma WZ, Zhang J, Van der Bruggen B, Wang XL. Formation of An Interconnected Lamell-ar Structure in PVDF Membranes with Nanoparticles Addition via Solid-LiquidThermally Ind-uced Phase Separation.Journalof Applied Polymer Science, 2012, DOI: 10.1002/APP.37574.

2011

1. He YD, Tang YH, Wang XL. Dissipative Particle Dynamics Simulation on the Membrane Formation of Polymer-diluent System via Thermally Induced Phase Separation. Journal of Membrane Science, 2011, 368(1-2): 78-85.
2. Tu CH, Fang YY, Zhu J, Van DB, Wang XL. Free Energies of the Ion Equilibrium Partition of KCl into Nanofiltration Membranes Based on Transmembrane Electrical Potential and Rejection. Langmuir, 2011, 27(16): 10274-10281.
3. Ma HY, Tian Y, Wang XL. In situ Optical Microscopy Observation of the Growth and Rearrangement Behavior of Surface Holes in the Breath Figure Process. Polymer, 2011, 52: 489-496.
4. Ma WZ, Wang XL. Crystallization Kinetics of Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/MMT, SiO2, CaCO3 or PTFE Nanocomposite by Differential Scanning Calorimeter [J]. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 2011, 103(1):319-327.

2010

1. Tu CH, Wang HL, Wang XL, Study on Transmembrane Electrical Potential of Nanofiltration Membranes in KCl and MgCl2 Solutions, Langmuir, 2010,26(22): 17656-64 .
2. Tu CH, Wu L, Wang DX, Wang XL, Prediction of Separation Performance of Nanofiltration Membranes for Mixed Electrolytes Solution, Desalination, 2010, 260(1-3): 218-224.
3. Ma WZ, Wang XL, Zhang J. Effect of MMT, SiO2, CaCO3, and PTFE Nanoparticles on the Morphology and Crystallization of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) [J]. Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physic,s 2010, 48(20):2154-2164

2009

1. Tu CH, Tian Y, Wang XL Research and Development, Market and Application on Membrane Separation Technology in China. Membrane,2009, 34(1): 13-17
2. Ma WZ, Chen SG, Zhang J, Wang XL. Morphology and Crystallization Behavior of Polyvinylidene fluoride/Polymethyl methacrylate/Methyl Salicylate and Benzophenone Systems via Thermally Induced Phase Separation, Journal of Polymer Science Part B-Polymer Physics, 2009, 48(3): 248-260.
3. Ma WZ, Chen SJ, Zhang J, Wang XL. Membrane Formation of Polyvinylidene fluoride/ Polymethyl methacrylate/Diluents via Thermally Induced Phase Separation, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2009,111(3): 1235-1245.

2008

1. Yang J, Li DW, Lin YK, Wang XL, Tian F, Wang Z. Formation of a Bicontinuous Structure Membrane of Polyvinylidene Fluoride in Diphenyl Ketone Diluent via Thermally Induced Phase Separation, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2008, 110(1): 341-347.
2. Gu MH, Zhang J, Xia Y, Wang XL. Polyvinylidene fluoride Crystallization Behavior and Membrane Structure Formation via Thermally Induced Phase Separation with Benzophenone Diluent, Journal of Macromolecular Science, Part B-Physics, 2008, 47(1): 180-191.
3. Ma WZ, Zhang J, Wang XL. Crystallizaion and Surface Morphology of Polyvinylidene fluoride/polymethylmethacrylate Films by Solution Casting on Different Substrates, Applied Surface Science, 2008, 254(10): 2947-2954.

2007

1. Ma WZ, Zhang J, Wang XL, Wang SM. Effect of PMMA on Crystallization Behavior and Hydrophilicity of Polyvinylidene fluoride/polymethyl Methacrylate Blend Prepared in Semi-dilute Solutions, Applied Surface Science, 2007, 253(20): 8377-8388.
2. Chen G, Lin YK, Wang XL. Formation of Microporous Membrane of Isotactic Polypropylene in Dibutyl Phthalate-soybean Oil via Thermally Induced Phase Separation, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2007, 105(4): 2000-2007.

2006年

1. Zhang J, Yao Y, Wang XL, Xu JH. Polypropylene/polypropylene-grafted acrylic acid Copolymer/ethylene-acrylic acid Copolymer Ternary Blends for Hydrophilic Polypropylene, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2006, 101(1): 436-442.
2. Gu MH, Zhang J, Wang XL, Tao HJ, Ma WZ. Crystallization Behavior of PVDF in PVDF-DMP System via Thermally Induced Phase Separation, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2006, 102(4): 3714-3719.