XJTLU Chemists Attend CCS Conference in Guangzhou

The 34th Chinese Chemical Society (CCS) Congress was held June 15-18 in Guangzhou, Guangdong with a theme of Toward Higher Quality Chemistry Research. The biennial congress is the largest academic conference hosted by CCS, which attracts chemistry researchers, teachers, and students from across China. The XJTLU Chemistry Department from the School of Science was well represented at the Guangzhou conference by a contingent of faculty and students, including Dr. Xiaotai Wang and Dr. Danlei Li as well as PhD students Weihao Da and Lin Liu and UG students Pengrui Sun and Shao-Chi Wu.

Wu, Sun, Liu, Wang, Da, and Li (from left to right)

Dr. Wang gave an invited talk entitled "Understanding the Power and Versatility of Nickel Catalysis in Newly Developed Cross-Coupling and Hydrofunctionalization Reactions." Dr. Wang stated that there is intense interest in sustainable catalysis with the Earth-abundant metal nickel. Given its low cost and unique and rich properties, nickel has the potential to replace the expensive metal palladium in catalyzing reactions that are used in the production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and electronic materials.

The students each presented a poster on their research that covers organometallic catalysis and inorganic and organic materials chemistry:

Liu: Mechanistic Insight into CoH-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Quinolines: a DFT Study
Da: Synthesis and Characterization of Tetrathienoanthracene Derivatives for Application in Organic Photovoltaics
Sun: Study on the Performance of Lithium Cobalt Manganese Oxide Capacitive Deionization for Highly Selective Lithium Extraction from Salt Lake
Wu: Conversion of Spent Coffee Ground into Carbon Materials for Heavy Metal Adsorption

The students felt this was a great opportunity to present their research work and build a strong network. Pengrui Sun is graduating from XJTLU and will begin studying for a Master’s degree at the National University of Singapore (NUS). She said: "I was honored to attend the 34th CCS Congress before going to NUS. I learned about the latest developments in chemical science and had the opportunity to connect with outstanding researchers and students from other top universities."

Pengrui Sun

Lin Liu has a Master’s degree from Shandong University and is currently pursuing a PhD in chemistry at XJTLU. She said: "At the 34th CCS Congress, I communicated with other researchers and fellow PhD students in my field, which strengthened my passion for computational chemistry. I’m grateful for the support I received from XJTLU and excited about the opportunity to further develop my skills."

Lin Liu

Dr. Li is the coordinator of the chemistry UG Final Year Project, and she thinks the UG students gained valuable experience at the conference.

"They presented their research and connected with professional chemists from academia and industry. This interaction with the broader scientific community will enhance their academic and professional growth.

XJTLU and the School of Science are proud to provide generous support for faculty and students (UGs included) to attend academic conferences, where they highlight and disseminate key research findings and build connections with peers from other academic institutions in China and worldwide."

Content source: Dr Xiaotai Wang
Reviewer: Professor John Moraros