Research Directions

High-Value Utilization of Lignin

Lignin is the most abundant renewable aromatic biopolymer in nature; its aromatic-rich backbone and diverse oxygen-containing functionalities make it a key platform for replacing fossil resources and constructing high-performance functional materials. Yet its disordered architecture, broad distribution of bond dissociation energies, and pronounced recalcitrance have long hindered its efficient and selective conversion. Our group pursues high-value lignin utilization as a single, unifying theme, integrating "depolymerization, modification, and materialization" into one coherent whole: guided by target functional materials, lignin is subjected to controlled depolymerization and directed modification and then assembled into a family of high-value materials. Within this framework, the work advances along two progressive levels.

I. Lignin Depolymerization and Modification

The efficient utilization of lignin begins with the controlled depolymerization and directed modification of its macromolecular skeleton. Addressing the intrinsic conflict between activating inert linkages and suppressing the condensation of reactive intermediates, we develop mild, green, and selective depolymerization and oxidation systems that convert lignin into well-defined aromatic monomers and platform compounds, complemented by grafting, copolymerization, sulfonation, amination, and phenolic-hydroxyl regulation to finely tune its reactivity, solubility, and interfacial behavior, thereby furnishing structurally controlled and property-tunable molecular building blocks for downstream materials. To realize such mild yet highly selective transformations, we construct enzyme-mimetic catalytic systems on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and single-atom nanozymes, inspired by natural ligninolytic enzymes (laccases and peroxidases), as the key tools that enable depolymerization and modification.

II. Lignin-Based Functional Materials

Building on the molecular building blocks obtained above, modified lignin serves as a platform molecule for high-value functional materials addressing major needs in energy, environment, biomedicine, and green chemical engineering; in turn, the performance requirements of these materials define and drive the upstream depolymerization and modification routes, establishing a closed-loop paradigm of "application pull, depolymerization and modification, material delivery":

Resins and adhesives: lignin-based phenolic/epoxy resins and adhesives that partially replace petroleum-based feedstocks and enhance both sustainability and overall performance.
Antibacterial materials: exploiting lignin's phenolic-hydroxyl richness and intrinsic antioxidant nature to build antibacterial composites, coatings, and functional films.
Photothermal materials: lignin-based photothermal-conversion materials for solar interfacial evaporation, photothermal sterilization, and anti-counterfeiting.
Carbon materials: lignin-derived porous carbons and carbon fibers for energy storage, adsorption, and catalyst supports.

Publications

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First-author / corresponding-author papers, newest first (29 in total)

Laccase-Inspired Single-Atom Fe-N4 Nanozymes for Pollutant Degradation and Lignin Valorization

Ma, Yingjin; Li, Qifeng; Qiu, Xueqing; Li, Zhixian*

Langmuir, 2025, 41(48): 32876-32884Corresponding author

Biomimetic Dual-Coordination-Sphere Porphyrin-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks Enable Efficient and Selective Furfural Oxidation

Zhan, Jiamin; Wu, Xiaoling; Qiu, Xueqing; Li, Zhixian*

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2025, 17(36): 51043-51052Corresponding author

Chlorine Axial Coordination Enables Peroxidase Mimicking and Lignin Depolymerization in Fe-N3O Single-Atom Nanozymes

Li, Qifeng; Jiang, Wenzhi; Wu, Xiaoling; Lou, Hongming; Qiu, Xueqing; Li, Zhixian*

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2025, 17(30): 43378-43389Corresponding author

Anchoring Effect-Induced Conformation Remodeling in Epoxy-Functionalized Covalent Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Enzymatic Efficiency

Lu, Yikang; Wu, Xiaoling; Lou, Hongming*; Li, Zhixian*

Langmuir, 2025, 41(18): 11765-11775Co-corresponding author

High-Efficiency Dual-Site Biomimetic Catalyst for Lignin Depolymerization

Jiang, Wenzhi; Li, Qifeng; Cao, Meifang; Lou, Hongming; Li, Zhixian*; Qiu, Xueqing*

ACS Catalysis, 2025, 15(3): 2595-2606Co-corresponding author

Harnessing Copper-Metalated Covalent Organic Frameworks: A Biomimetic Approach to High-Efficiency Dye Degradation

Zhan, Jiamin; Li, Liangwei; Ma, Yingjin; Lou, Hongming; Li, Zhixian*

ACS Applied Engineering Materials, 2025, 3(1): 225-232Corresponding author

Boosting Catalytic Performance of Cytochrome c through Tailored Carboxymethylation in Covalent Organic Frameworks

Shi, Lunlun; Chen, Xiupeng; Li, Aitao; Wu, Xiaoling; Kong, Xian*; Lou, Hongming; Li, Zhixian*

ACS Catalysis, 2024, 14(10): 7639-7648Co-corresponding author

Enhanced solar interfacial evaporation through lignin-polyaniline composite coatings on Balsa wood substrates

Lu, Haosheng; Li, Qifeng; Liu, Weifeng; Li, Zhixian*

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024, 281: 136382Corresponding author

Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis of lignin-based ultrasmall silver nanoparticles for photothermal-mediated sterilization

Jiang, Wenzhi; Zhang, Yingchun; Yang, Dongjie; Qiu, Xueqing; Li, Zhixian*

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024, 262: 129827Corresponding author

In Situ Encapsulation of Cytochrome c within Covalent Organic Frames Using Deep Eutectic Solvents under Ambient Conditions

Li, Liangwei; Wu, Xiaoling; Pang, Yuxia; Lou, Hongming; Li, Zhixian*

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2023, 15(46): 53871-53880Corresponding author

Fabrication of tobacco-stem-derived hierarchical porous carbon via synergistic gas exfoliation effect for high-performance supercapacitors

Tan, Haicheng; Fan, Yukang; Pan, Xiaowei; Chen, Senlin*; Tao, Hong; Yang, Dongjie; Zhang, Wenli; Li, Zhixian*

Industrial Crops and Products, 2023, 191: 115981Co-corresponding author

Fabrication of a Highly Efficient Wood-Based Solar Interfacial Evaporator with Self-Desalting and Sterilization Performance

Yan, Caihua; Huang, Jinhao; Liang, Zicong; Fang, Zhiqiang; Yang, Dongjie; Li, Zhixian*

Langmuir, 2022, 38(42): 12813-12821Corresponding author

UV-Assisted Room-Temperature Fabrication of Lignin-Based Nanosilver Complexes for Photothermal-Mediated Sterilization

Zhang, Yingchun; Yang, Dongjie*; Qiu, Xueqing; Li, Zhixian*

ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2022, 5(12): 5943-5952Co-corresponding author

Engineering of Near-Infrared-Activated Lignin-Polydopamine-Nanosilver Composites for Highly Efficient Sterilization

Zhang, Yingchun; Wang, Yalin; Li, Zhixian*; Yang, Dongjie*; Qiu, Xueqing

ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2022, 5(9): 4256-4263Co-corresponding author

Fabrication of a Lignin-Copper Sulfide-Incorporated PVA Hydrogel with Near-Infrared-Activated Photothermal/Photodynamic/Peroxidase-like Performance for Combating Bacteria and Biofilms

Xie, Yuanxiang; Gan, Chuchu; Li, Zhixian*; Liu, Weifeng; Yang, Dongjie*; Qiu, Xueqing

ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 2022, 8(2): 560-569Co-corresponding author

Near-Infrared-Activated Efficient Bacteria-Killing by Lignin-Based Copper Sulfide Nanocomposites with an Enhanced Photothermal Effect and Peroxidase-like Activity

Xie, Yuanxiang; Qian, Yong; Li, Zhixian*; Liang, Zicong; Liu, Weifeng; Yang, Dongjie*; Qiu, Xueqing

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2021, 9(18): 6479-6488Co-corresponding author

Fabrication of litchi-like lignin/zinc oxide composites with enhanced antibacterial activity and their application in polyurethane films

Wang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Huan; Li, Zhixian*; Yang, Dongjie*; Qiu, Xueqing; Liu, Yechen; Yan, Mengzhen; Li, Qiong

Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2021, 594: 316-325Co-corresponding author

Microwave-mediated fabrication of silver nanoparticles incorporated lignin-based composites with enhanced antibacterial activity via electrostatic capture effect

Wang, Yalin; Li, Zhixian*; Yang, Dongjie*; Qiu, Xueqing; Xie, Yuanxiang; Zhang, Xing

Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2021, 583: 80-88Co-corresponding author

Model Compounds Study for the Mechanism of Horseradish Peroxidase-Catalyzed Lignin Modification

Yang, Dongjie; Wang, Yalin; Huang, Wenjing; Li, Zhixian*; Qiu, Xueqing*

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2020, 191(3): 981-995Co-corresponding author

Biomimetic metal-organic frameworks mediated hybrid multi-enzyme mimic for tandem catalysis

Zhong, Xue; Xia, Huan; Huang, Wenquan; Li, Zhixian*; Jiang, Yanbin*

Chemical Engineering Journal, 2020, 381: 122758Co-corresponding author

HKUST-1 catalyzed efficient in situ regeneration of NAD+ for dehydrogenase mediated oxidation

Xia, Huan; Li, Zhixian; Zhong, Xue; Li, Binghui; Jiang, Yunpeng; Jiang, Yanbin*

Chemical Engineering Science, 2019, 203: 43-53Co-first author

Palladium-mediated hybrid biocatalysts with enhanced enzymatic catalytic performance via allosteric effects

Xia, Huan; Zhong, Xue; Li, Zhixian*; Jiang, Yanbin

Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2019, 533: 1-8Corresponding author

Folate-conjugated zein/Fe3O4 nanocomplexes for the enhancement of cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of gefitinib

Pang, Jiafeng; Li, Zhixian*; Li, Shaomin; Lin, Shuying; Wang, Hongdi; Xie, Qiuling*; Jiang, Yanbin

Journal of Materials Science, 2018, 53(21): 14907-14921Co-corresponding author

Polydopamine-Mediated Carrier with Stabilizing and Self-Antioxidative Properties for Polyphenol Delivery Systems

Li, Shaomin; Li, Zhixian*; Pang, Jiafeng; Chen, Jing; Wang, Hongdi; Xie, Qiuling; Jiang, Yanbin*

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2018, 57(2): 590-599Co-corresponding author

In situ hybridization of enzymes and their metal-organic framework analogues with enhanced activity and stability by biomimetic mineralisation

Li, Zhixian; Xia, Huan; Li, Shaomin; Pang, Jiafeng; Zhu, Wei; Jiang, Yanbin*

Nanoscale, 2017, 9(40): 15298-15302First author

Highly active, stable and self-antimicrobial enzyme catalysts prepared by biomimetic mineralization of copper hydroxysulfate

Li, Zhixian; Ding, Yi; Li, Shaomin; Jiang, Yanbin*; Liu, Zheng; Ge, Jun*

Nanoscale, 2016, 8(40): 17440-17445First author

An enzyme-copper nanoparticle hybrid catalyst prepared from disassembly of an enzyme-inorganic nanocrystal three-dimensional nanostructure

Li, Zhixian; Ding, Yi; Wu, Xiaoling; Ge, Jun*; Ouyang, Pingkai; Liu, Zheng

RSC Advances, 2016, 6(25): 20772-20776Co-first author

Spatial co-localization of multi-enzymes by inorganic nanocrystal-protein complexes

Li, Zhixian; Zhang, Yifei; Su, Yechao; Ouyang, Pingkai; Ge, Jun*; Liu, Zheng*

Chem. Commun., 2014, 50(83): 12465-12468First author

Lipase-Catalyzed One-Step and Regioselective Synthesis of Clindamycin Palmitate

Li, Zhixian; Zhang, Yifei; Lin, Mengmeng; Ouyang, Pingkai; Ge, Jun*; Liu, Zheng*

Organic Process Research & Development, 2013, 17(9): 1179-1182First author