Xiaoguang Duan

Associate Professor Xiaoguang Duan

ARC Future Fellow

School of Chemical Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD, but is currently at capacity - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Xiaoguang Duan is currently an Associate Professor and ARC DECRA Fellow (2021-24) & ARC Future Fellow (2024-28), and he also serves as the Deputy Director of Research and Discipline Lead (Chemical Engineering) in the School of Chemical Engineering. His research areas focus on environmental science, green catalysis, functional materials, advanced water purification technologies, and computational science. Dr Duan has published over 300 peer-reviewed research papers including over 70 ESI Highly Cited Papers (1%) on Chemical Society Review, Accounts of Chemical Research, Advanced Materials, Angew Chem Int Ed, PNAS, Matter, ACS Catalysis, Environmental Science & Technology, Water Research etc. His publications received >30,000 citations with h-index of 91 (web of science) and >33,000 and h-index of 95 (Google Scholar).

He has successfully secured over 3M AUD grant from Australian Research Council (ARC) including ARC DECRA Fellowship (DE21), ARC Future Fellowship (Level 2, FT23), two Discovery Projects (DP21, DP23), one ARC LIEF grant, six merit beamline grants from Australian Synchrotron and four projects from Australia's National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) as a chief investigator. Based on research excellence, he was awarded the ACS Catalysis ECR Award, and JMCA Emerging Investigator Award. He has been selected by The Australian (largest national newspaper) as the Australian Research TOP 40 Rising Stars in 2018-2021 based on research performances. He was awarded the MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 (MIT IU35, Asian Pacific) in 2021 and ES&T James J. Morgan Award in 2022. He was recognised as the Global Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate Analytics) in two fields of 'Environment/Ecology' and 'Chemistry' in 2022-2023, and in 'Cross-Field' in 2020-2021.

Dr Duan has been dedicated to seeking feasible applications of nanomaterials, nanocarbons and functional materials, in environmental remediation, sustainability, energy, and medical applications. He has significantly contributed to facilitating mechanistic insights into materials sciences and green catalysis with advanced protocols of in situ characterisation/analysis and computations.

His research areas include:

  • Heterogeneous and green catalysis
  • Water purification and advanced oxidation technologies
  • Functional nanomaterials and nanotechnology
  • Microplastic control, purification, and catalytic upgrading
  • Theoretical calculations
  • Green and safe disinfection and sterilization technologies 
  • Slow-release technology and Fenton-based tumor therapy 

Featured publications:

  1. Xiaoguang Duan; Hongqi Sun; Shaobin Wang. Metal-free carbocatalysis in advanced oxidation reactions. Accounts of Chemical Research 2018, 51 (3), 678-687 (IF = 22.384, ESI Highly Cited Paper). 
  2. Shishu Zhu; Xiaochen Huang; Fang Ma; Li Wang*; Xiaoguang Duan*; Shaobin Wang. Catalytic removal of aqueous contaminants on N-doped graphitic biochars: Inherent roles of adsorption and nonradical mechanism. Environmental Science & Technology 2018, 52 (15), 8649-8658 (IF = 9.028, ESI Highly Cited Paper, ESI Hot Paper) 
  3. Wei Ren; Liangliang Xiong; Xuehong Yuan; Ziwei Yu; Hui Zhang*; Xiaoguang Duan*; Shaobin Wang. Activation of peroxydisulfate on carbon nanotubes: Electron transfer mechanism. Environmental Science & Technology 2019, 53 (24), 14595-14603 (IF = 9.028, ESI Highly Cited Paper) 
  4. Shishu Zhu; Xiaojie Li; Jian Kang; Xiaoguang Duan*; Shaobin Wang*. Persulfate activation on crystallographic manganese oxides: Mechanism of singlet oxygen evolution for nonradical selective degradation of aqueous contaminants. Environmental Science & Technology 2019, 53 (1), 307-315 (IF = 9.028, ESI Highly Cited Paper, HOT paper)
  5. Jian Kang; Li Zhou; Xiaoguang Duan*; Hongqi Sun; Shaobin Wang*. Degradation of cosmetic microplastics via functionalized carbon nanosprings. Matter 2019, 1 (3), 745-758 (IF=15.589)
  6. Wei Ren; Gang Nie; Peng Zhou; Hui Zhang*; Xiaoguang Duan*; Shaobin Wang. The intrinsic nature of persulfate activation and N-doping in carbocatalysis. Environmental Science & Technology. 2020, 54 (10), 6438–6447 (IF = 9.028, ESI Highly Cited Paper).
  7. Wei Ren; Liangliang Xiong; Gang Nie; Hui Zhang*; Xiaoguang Duan*; Shaobin Wang. insights into the electron-transfer regime of peroxydisulfate activation on carbon nanotubes: The role of oxygen functional groups. Environmental Science & Technology 2020, 54, 1267-1275. (IF = 9.028, ESI Highly Cited Paper; ES&T Best Paper Award for Best Environmental Technology Article in 2020). 
  8. Peng Zhou; Wei Ren; Gang Nie; Xiaojie Li; Xiaoguang Duan*; Yongli Zhang; Shaobin Wang*. Fast and long‐lasting Iron (Ⅲ) reduction by boron toward green and accelerated Fenton chemistry. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2020, 59, 2-11 (IF = 15.336) 
  9. Yanan Shang; Xing Xu; Baoyu Gao; Shaobin Wang; Xiaoguang Duan*. Single-Atom Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation. Chemical Society Reviews, 2021, 50, 5281-5322. (IF = 54.564) 
  10. Wei Ren; Cheng Cheng; Penghui Shao; Xubiao Luo; Hui Zhang; Shaobin Wang; Xiaoguang Duan*. Origins of Electron-Transfer Regime in Persulfate-based Nonradical Oxidation Processes. Environmental Science & Technology 2021, 2, 1, 110–120.
  11. Mengxue Yang; Zexi Hou; Xin Zhang; Baoyu Gao; Yanwei Li; Yanan Shang; Qinyan Yue; Xiaoguang Duan*; Xing Xu*. Unveiling the Origins of Selective Oxidation in Single Atom Catalysis via Co-N4-C Intensified Radical and Nonradical Pathways. 2022, Environmental Science & Technology 2022, (Cover Featuring)
  12. Wei Ren; Qiming Zhang; Cheng Cheng; Fei Miao; Hui Zhang*; Xubiao Luo; Shaobin Wang; Xiaoguang Duan*. Electro-induced Carbon Nanotubes Discrete Electrodes for Sustainable Persulfate Activation Environmental Science & Technology 2022, (Cover Featuring)
  13. Hongyu Zhou; Jiali Peng; Xiaoguang Duan* (*Corresponding author); Haoxiang Yin; Bingkun Huang; Chenying Zhou; Shuang Zhong; Heng Zhang; Peng Zhou; Zhaokun Xiong; Zhimin Ao; Shaobin Wang; Gang Yao; Bo Lai*. Redox-active Polymers as Robust Electron-Shuttle Co-Catalysts for Fast Fe3+/Fe2+ Circulation and Green Fenton Oxidation. Environmental Science & Technology 2023, 57, 3334–3344. (IF = 11.357, Cover Featuring)
  14. Kunsheng Hu; Peng Zhou; Yangyang Yang; Tony Hall; Gang Nie; Yu Yao; Xiaoguang Duan*(*Corresponding author); Shaobin Wang. Microplastics degradation by thermal Fenton reaction. ACS ES&T Engineering, 2021, 2, 110-120.
  15. Mengying Qian; Xi-Lin Wu*; Meichi Lu; Lizhou Huang; Wenxuan Li; Hongjun Lin; Jianrong Chen; Shaobin Wang; Xiaoguang Duan*(*Corresponding author) Modulation of Charge Trapping by Island-like Single-Atom Cobalt Catalyst for Enhanced Photo-Fenton-Like reaction. Advanced Functional Materials 2023, 2208688 (IF=19.924, Cover Featuring)
  16. Feng Chen; Xi-Lin Wu*; Chenyang Shi; Hongjun Lin; Jianrong Chen*; Yanpeng Shi; Shaobin Wang; Xiaoguang Duan* (*Corresponding author). Molecular Engineering toward Pyrrolic N-Rich M-N4 (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu) Single-Atom Sites for Enhanced Heterogeneous Fenton-Like Reaction. Advanced Functional Materials 2021, 31(13), 2007877. (IF=19.924, 2022 Top 10 most downloaded papers of Advanced Functional Materials)
  17. Xi-Lin Wu*; Shiang Liu; Yu Li; Minjia Yan; Hongjun Lin; Jianrong Chen; Shoujie Liu; Shaobin Wang; Xiaoguang Duan* (*Corresponding author). Directional and Ultrafast Charge Transfer in Oxygen-Vacancy-Rich ZnO@Single-Atom Cobalt Core-Shell Junction for Photo-Fenton-Like Reaction. Angewandte Chemie International Eddition 2023 (IF = 15.336) 
  18. Yidi Chen, Wei Ren, Tianyi Ma, Nanqi Ren, Shaobin Wang, Xiaoguang Duan*(*Corresponding author) Transformative Removal of Aqueous Micropollutants into Polymeric Products by Advanced Oxidation Processes. Environmental Science & Technology 2024 (IF = 11.357, Cover Featuring
  19. Yizhen Cheng, Zhonglin Chen, Pengwei Yan*, Jimin Shen, Jing Kang, Shaobin Wang, Xiaoguang Duan*(*Corresponding author). Synergistic Catalytic Ozonation Mediated by Dual Active Sites of Oxygen Vacancies and Defects in Biomass-Derived Composites for Long-Lasting Water Decontamination. ACS Catalysis 2024, 14, 4040-4052. (IF = 13.7) 

 

 

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2023 - ongoing Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow The University of Adelaide
    2023 - ongoing Discipline Lead - Chemical Engineering University of Adelaide
    2021 - 2023 Lecturer / Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2021 - ongoing Deputy Director of Research University of Adeliade
    2021 - 2024 ARC DECRA Fellow University of Adelaide
    2018 - 2020 Research Fellow University of Adelaide
    2016 - 2018 Postdoc Curtin University
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2023 Award 2023 Highly Cited Researcher in 'Environment/Ecology' and 'Chemistry' Clarivate Analytics Australia -
    2022 Award James J. Morgan Award from Environmental Science & Technology American Chemical Society United States -
    2022 Achievement 2022 Highly Cited Researcher in 'Environment/Ecology' and 'Chemistry' Clarivate Analytics United States -
    2021 Achievement 2021 Global Highly Cited Researcher in Cross-Field Clarivate Analytics Australia -
    2021 Award MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 (TR35 Asian Pacific) MIT Technology Review United States -
    2021 Award 2021 The Australian Research: Top 40 Rising Stars The Australia Australia -
    2021 Fellowship Australian Research Council - Discovery Early Career Researcher Award The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2020 Achievement 2020 Global Highly Cited Researcher in Cross-Field Clarivate Analytics Australia -
    2020 Achievement 2020 The Australian Research Early Achievers: Top 40 Rising Stars The Australian news paper Australia -
    2019 Award Journal of Materials Chemistry A Emerging Investigators Royal Society of Chemistry United Kingdom -
    2019 Achievement 2019 The Australian Research Early Achievers: Top 40 Rising Stars The Australian Australia -
    2018 Award ACS Catalysis Early Career Researcher Award American Chemical Society United States -
    2018 Achievement 2018 The Australian Research Early Career Leaderboard: Top 8 Australia's Young Researchers The Australian Australia -
    2016 Recognition Materials Horizons Community Board The Royal Society of Chemistry United Kingdom -
    2016 Award Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad Chinese Scholarship Council China -
    2016 Award Chancellor‘’s Commendation for Outstanding Graduates Curtin University Australia -
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    Chinese (Mandarin) Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2013 - 2016 Curtin University Australia PhD
  • Research Interests

14.    Xiaoguang Duan (CI). Engineered redox polymers for catalytic water purification. Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (Level 2, FT230100526), 2024-2028, 989, 541 AUD.

13.  Xiaoguang Duan (CI). Australian Synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy beamline (AS232/SXR/20537), ANSTO In-kind Grant Value: $98,352 AUD.

12.  Xiaoguang Duan (CI). Australian Synchrotron Soft X-ray spectroscopy beamline (AS231/SXR/19680), ANSTO In-kind Grant Value: $98,352 AUD.

11.   Xiaoguang Duan (CI); Panpan Zhang. National Computational Infrastructure (NCI), 2022-2023, 1,000 kSU (kilo-service units) (NCMAS-2023-78).

10.   Xiaoguang Duan (CI). Australian Synchrotron Soft X-ray spectroscopy beamline (AS232/SXR/20130), 2023, ANSTO In-kind Grant Value: 98, 352 AUD.

9.      Xiaoguang Duan (CI). Australian Synchrotron Infrared microscopy beamline (AS232/IRM/20169), 2023, ANSTO In-kind Grant Value:131,136 AUD.

8.    Shaobin Wang, Xiaoguang Duan (CI), Wenjie Tian. Integrated nonmetal-metal single-atom catalysis for selective synthesis, ARC Discovery Project (DP230102406), 2023-2025, $530,000 AUD
7.    Xiaoguang Duan (CI). A multifunctional batch reaction system with temperature controller and magnetic stirrer, University Research Small Equipment Support Scheme, 2022-2023, $15,000 AUD
6.    Zhongfan Jia; Xiaoguang Duan (CI); Michelle Coote; Justin Chalker; Melanie MacGregor; Cameron Shearer; Christopher Gibson. Materials for Sustainability Analysis Facility. ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LE230100168), 2023-2024, 620, 000AUD
5.    Xiaoguang Duan (CI). Functional carbon hybrids for green catalysis and clean water. Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (ARC-DECRA,DE210100253), 2021-2024, 450, 948 AUD.
4.    Xiaoguang Duan (CI). Next-generation of recyclable low-release nanocapsules toward on-site remediation and hospital disinfection. Faculty of Engineering, Computer, Mathematics, and Sciences ECR/MCR Seed Funding, 2021-2022, 10, 000 AUD.
3.    Chunsheng Li; Xiaoguang Duan (CI); Panpan Zhang. National Computational Infrastructure (NCI), 2021-2022, 700 kSU (pawsey0371).

2. Shaobin Wang, Xiaoguang Duan (CI), Hongqi Sun. Smart self-propelled nanoreactors for catalytic environmental remediation, (DP190103548), Australia Research Council - Discovery Project (ARC-DP), 2019-2021, 410, 000 AUD

1.    Xiaoguang Duan (sole CI), National Computational Infrastructure, 2020-2021, 250 kSU (pawsey0344).

 

  • CHEM ENG 7105: Materials for Catalysis (Tutor/course coordinator) 2021 Semester 2-
  • CHEM ENG 7110: Fundamentals of Materials (Guest Lecturer) 2021 Semester 1-
  • CHEM ENG 3036: Unit Operations Laboratory (Tutor) 2019 Semester 2
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Principal Supervisor Engineered nanomaterials for catalytic oxidation and transformation of (micro)plastic pollutants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Xiao Lu
    2023 Co-Supervisor Removal of micropollutants from water via chemical catalysis by nanoscale materials Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Yalan Mo
    2023 Principal Supervisor Photocatalytic and photothermal reforming for sustainable hydrogen evolution Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Yu Yao
    2023 Co-Supervisor Catalytic decomposition of aqueous organic pollutants in contaminated water Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Ya Liu
    2023 Principal Supervisor Upscale engineered catalysts for sustainable water decontamination Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Lingli Zhu
    2023 Principal Supervisor Redox-active polymers and modified carbonaceous materials as heterogeneous reducing agents to boost Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle for peroxide activation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Hongyu Zhou
    2023 Principal Supervisor Supported Transition Metal Catalyst for Advanced Oxidation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Junwen Chen
    2023 Principal Supervisor Polymeric materials for photocatalytic CO2 reduction and water decontamination Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jie He
    2021 Co-Supervisor Single Atom Catalysis for Advanced Oxidation Reactions Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Zhongshuai Zhu
    2021 Co-Supervisor Catalytic Production of Hydrogen Peroxide and Fenton Oxidation for Water Purification Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Shuang Zhong
    2021 Co-Supervisor Catalytic microplastic degradation and transformation to value-added products Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Shiying Ren
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Carbon dots engineered carbon nitride as green catalysts for environmental purification Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Yu Yao
    2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Microplastics Degradation by Advanced Oxidation Technologies Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Kunsheng Hu
    2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Smart Nanoreactors for Catalytic Environmental Remediation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Yangyang Yang
  • Position: ARC Future Fellow
  • Phone: 83133867
  • Email: xiaoguang.duan@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Engineering Annex, floor 1
  • Org Unit: Chemical Engineering

Connect With Me
External Profiles

Other Links