On December 4, 2015, Xie Yi, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and a professor of School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), came to the 46th SUSTC Lecture Hall, and explained the history and development trend of solid state nanochemistry to SUSTC teachers and students. This SUSTC Lecture Hall was presided over by Vice President Tang Tao.

Prof. Xie Yi graduated from the Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University. In 1996, she began to teach at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) after earning a doctorate there. Among other honors, she is a twice winner of second prize of the National Natural Science Awards, a Distinguished Women in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, and a winner of Chemistry Award of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. In 2013, she selected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, becoming the youngest female academician in China. In 2015, she was selected as an academician of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. 

Nanochemistry must be an interdisciplinary science

“Nanochemistry is not an independent science; it must be interdisciplinary.” After these opening remarks, Prof. Xie Yi explained the nature of nanochemistry – “nanochemistry is an emerging branch of solid state chemistry.” The concept of nanochemistry was clarified as early as in 1992. Then how is it that it has been ignored for so many years? From the research content of solid state chemistry, Prof. Xie Yi told us that nanomaterials have been ignored because the traditional solid state chemistry tends to study monocrystal and microcrystal.

Difficulties and challenges facing the ultrathin two-dimensional structure

Prof. Xie Yi went to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of several objects of study of solid state nanochemistry. For example, the nano-structure is such a complex microstructure that we can only give an extensive relationship, but there is no way to give a micro-structure where it plays a critical role. This in turn leads to an atomically-thick two-dimensional ultrathin structure – a structure that can achieve the inherent regulatory advantages of nanomaterials. Besides detailing its advantages, Prof. Xie Yi also analyzed the difficulties and challenges facing this structure. For the ultra-thin two-dimensional structure, we hope to establish a relationship between the atomic structure and the electronic structure.”

Based on her past experiments, Prof. Xie Yi also compared the respective characteristics and advantages of hybridization and adulteration in the study of this structure.

“I hope to dig deeper, and it could be a pyramid down there.”

Finally, Prof. Xie Yi used two international awards that she won this year to demonstrate the position of nanochemistry in the international chemical circles. “So where does solid state nanochemistry come from? It comes from the papers. Where is it going? I don’t know. However, we are still digging. That is our present stage. I hope to dig deeper, and it could be a pyramid down there,” she concluded the report in these words. 

In the Q&A session, Prof. Xie Yi answered every question from students.

(Reported by SUSTC Student Press Service  Text by Xie Shudi)