About

Xudong Wang is a Professor and Associate Chair of the Named MS Studies Department in Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds a PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology earned in 2005, an MS from Hunan University obtained in 2001, and a BS from Jilin University completed in 1998. His research interests include oxide nanomaterials growth and characterization, piezoelectric nanostructures and nanodevices for mechanical energy harvesting, semiconductor nanomaterials and devices for solar energy harvesting and energy storage, nanoscale piezoelectric effects and piezotronics, as well as piezocatalysis and the interface between piezoelectricity and electrochemistry. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards such as the 2023 Nano Energy Award, the 2020 H. I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship, the 2019 Grainger Institute for Engineering Professorship, and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2019. He is actively involved in teaching courses related to materials science and engineering, including master's research, independent studies, and special topics in materials science.

Research topics

• Chemistry
• Materials science
• Optoelectronics
• Organic chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Biochemistry
• Internal medicine
• Composite material
• Physical chemistry
• Astronomy
• Photochemistry
• Physics
• Nanotechnology
• Mathematics
• Medicine
• Astrophysics

Selected publications

• UFGraphFR: graph federation recommendation system based on user text description features

  The Journal of Supercomputing · 2026-03-10

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Progress of the TianQin project

  Classical and Quantum Gravity · 2025-08-19 · 34 citations

  article

  Abstract TianQin is a future space-based gravitational wave (GW) observatory targeting the frequency window of 10 −4 –1 Hz. A large variety of GW sources are expected in this frequency band, including the merger of massive black hole binaries, the inspiral of extreme/intermediate mass ratio systems, stellar-mass black hole binaries, Galactic compact binaries, and so on. TianQin will consist of three Earth orbiting satellites on nearly identical orbits with orbital radii of about 10 5 km. The satellites will form a normal triangle constellation whose plane is nearly perpendicular to the ecliptic plane. The TianQin project has been progressing smoothly following the ‘0123’ technology roadmap. In step ‘0’, the TianQin laser ranging station has been constructed and it has successfully ranged to all the five retro-reflectors on the Moon. In step ‘1’, the drag-free control technology has been tested and demonstrated using the TianQin-1 satellite. In step ‘2’, the inter-satellite laser interferometry technology will be tested using the pair of TianQin-2 satellites. The TianQin-2 mission has been officially approved and the satellites will be launched around 2026. In step ‘3’, i.e. the TianQin-3 mission, three identical satellites will be launched around 2035 to form the space-based GW detector, TianQin, and to start GW detection in space.

  PublisherDOI

• Morphology and transformation of heavy metal during ammonia nitrogen recovery from landfill leachate by struvite: Correlation analysis and risk assessment

  Journal of Hazardous Materials · 2025-11-25

  article
  PublisherDOI

• A Hydro‐Expansive and Degradable Biomaterial Enabling Shape Recovery of Film‐Based Devices in Biofluids

  Advanced Materials · 2025-07-29 · 5 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Hygroscopic actuation is an important material function, which enables a broad range of applications such as self-healing devices, soft robotics, and catheter implantation. With the current paradigm of implantable devices shifting toward soft and tissue-mimicking systems, this function however, is particularly weak in soft- and bio-materials due to the rapid loss of intermolecular interactions upon water incorporation. Here, a chitosan-based bio-composite is developed, which sustains the intermolecular repulsive force during water absorption through synergistic effects of hydrogen bonding, plasticization, and nano-confinement. When interact with body fluids, this material provides a stable and strong tensile force throughout its volume expansion process. Therefore, it serves as a functional coating that self-flattens a thin film-based device which holds a tubular shape needed for catheter delivery, and then degrades naturally. This capability is further demonstrated in vivo using a rolled triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for intracardiac implantation. The TENG device recovers its original shape after being placed inside the heart left ventricle and restores its regular energy harvesting function, evidencing the feasibility for minimally invasive implantation of flexible film-based devices.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 2D/2d nanoconfined catalytic membrane for efficient water purification under photocatalysis-assisted peroxymonosulfate activation system

  Journal of Membrane Science · 2025-08-08 · 2 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Breaking the Efficiency‐Stability‐Sustainability Trilemma in all‐perovskite Tandem Solar Modules via Oxidative Blockchain Molecular Engineering

  Advanced Materials · 2025-08-21 · 6 citations

  article

  Abstract Narrow‐bandgap (NBG) tin‐lead (Sn ‐ Pb) perovskites are vital for all‐perovskite tandem solar modules (TSMs), yet their commercialization remains limited by challenges in balancing efficiency, stability, and sustainability. Here, we presented an oxidation‐triggered blockchain molecular (BCM) interface engineering strategy, which modified the poly (3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) surface and constructed a dynamic functional layer at the buried PEDOT:PSS/Sn‐Pb perovskite interface through synergistic effects of biocompatible rutin molecules and their oxidation derivatives. This approach enabled full‐cycle optimization from film formation to operational longevity via sequential regulation of crystallization and carrier dynamics, along with persistent defect passivation through synergistic coordination and hydrogen bonding. Resulting NBG devices achieved champion efficiencies of 23.50% (0.045 cm 2 ) and 17.10% (10.4 cm 2 ), respectively. The all‐perovskite TSMs (10.4 cm 2 ) attained a 23.00% aperture efficiency (an active‐area efficiency of 24.30%) and retained ∼90% efficiency after 640 h of continuous illumination (extrapolated T PCE80 lifetime of 3900 h) and after 15 cycles of day ‐ night fatigue tests. Additionally, BCM's dual protection effects (physical barrier and chemical chelation) reduced lead leakage of severely damaged TSMs by 90% under simulated heavy rainfall, demonstrating strong environmental resilience. This work offers a scalable molecular strategy for advancing perovskite photovoltaics from lab‐scale innovation to industrial viability.

  PublisherDOI

• Flexible Proton-Conducting Biocomposites Based on Amino Acid Biomolecules

  Nano Letters · 2025-06-20 · 3 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Proton-conducting biomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for bioelectronics due to their excellent biocompatibilities and tunable electronic properties. Primarily built on proteins, this group of materials suffers from high humidity-dependent conductivity, poor stability, and brittleness under dry conditions. To address these challenges, we developed a proton-conducting biocomposite film by integrating amino acids and glycerol into a poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) matrix. Introducing polar groups from amino acids, along with the enhanced water absorption and retention from glycerol, makes this biocomposite an excellent flexible proton conductor, achieving comparable proton conductivities as dried natural proteins and maintaining stability under moderate mechanical stresses. The as-prepared film was successfully applied as the active layer in a moisture electric generator (MEG), generating a stable voltage of ∼0.17 V and a short-circuit current of 0.18 μA under ambient conditions. These findings highlight the potential of PAA-amino acid-glycerol films for next-generation self-powered wearable electronics and biointegrated devices.

  PublisherDOI

• CO ₂ Capture, Utilization, and Storage using Amino Acids

  Advanced Sustainable Systems · 2025-11-29 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract The capture, utilization, and storage of CO 2 are the primary options to minimize the adverse effects of global warming and related climate change resulting from increased anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. In recent years, amino acids and amino acid‐based ionic liquids (AAILs) are proposed as promising alternatives to the traditional aqueous amine solvent‐based CO 2 capture technology due to the presence of the ─NH 2 group and a CO 2 adsorption mechanism like amines, but with many additional advantages. Besides CO 2 absorption in solvent form, amino acids/AAILs‐functionalized porous sorbents demonstrate potential in CO 2 adsorption technology, a promising alternative to solvent‐based CO 2 absorption technology, as they can avoid the huge energy penalty associated with aqueous solution regeneration by heating. Additionally, amino acids/AAILs, with their CO 2 capture abilities, have demonstrated their potential in other promising CO 2 sequestration technologies: direct air capture, CO 2 mineralization using alkaline industrial waste, and conversion of CO 2 into value‐added products. This article reviews the mechanism, comparative performance, and prospects of amino acid‐based state‐of‐the‐art technologies for CO 2 absorption and adsorption, direct air capture, bio‐mineralization, and conversion of CO 2 into value‐added products, which is helpful for the further development of amino acid‐based CO 2 sequestration technologies.

  PublisherDOI

• Lattice Anchoring Stabilizes α-FAPbI3 Perovskite for High-Performance X-Ray Detectors

  Nano-Micro Letters · 2025-07-29 · 11 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI 3 ) perovskite exhibits an impressive X-ray absorption coefficient and a large carrier mobility-lifetime product (µτ), making it as a highly promising candidate for X-ray detection application. However, the presence of larger FA + cation induces to an expansion of the Pb-I octahedral framework, which unfortunately affects both the stability and charge carrier mobility of the corresponding devices. To address this challenge, we develop a novel low-dimensional (HtrzT)PbI 3 perovskite featuring a conjugated organic cation (1H-1,2,4-Triazole-3-thiol, HtrzT + ) which matches well with the α-FAPbI 3 lattices in two-dimensional plane. Benefiting from the matched lattice between (HtrzT)PbI 3 and α-FAPbI 3 , the anchored lattice enhances the Pb-I bond strength and effectively mitigates the inherent tensile strain of the α-FAPbI 3 crystal lattice. The X-ray detector based on (HtrzT)PbI 3 (1.0)/FAPbI 3 device achieves a remarkable sensitivity up to 1.83 × 10 5 μC Gy air −1 cm −2 , along with a low detection limit of 27.6 nGy air s −1 , attributed to the release of residual stress, and the enhancement in carrier mobility-lifetime product. Furthermore, the detector exhibits outstanding stability under X-ray irradiation with tolerating doses equivalent to nearly 1.17 × 10 6 chest imaging doses.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The optimized operation mode in mature landfill leachate treatment based on EEM-PARAFAC-SOM

  Waste Management · 2025-08-02 · 2 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Coupling between Piezoelectricity and Charge Transport Property in ZnO Nanowires

  NSF · $257k · 2009–2012

• Nanogenerator-Driven Self-Sustainable Power Source for Intracardiac Pacemakers

  NIH · $2.7M · 2021–2026

• Self-Controlled Surface-Selective Atomic Layer Deposition for Integrated Vertical Nanowire Field Effect Transistors

  NSF · $159k · 2009–2012

• Defect-Rich Quasi Two Dimensional Metal Oxides with Strong Ferromagnetism

  NSF · $550k · 2021–2026

• Ultrasound-Activated Piezoelectric P(VDF-TrFE) Nanoparticles for Electric Ablation of Cancer Cells

  NIH · $413k · 2019–2022

Frequent coauthors

• Zhong Lin Wang

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  93 shared

• Yanhao Yu

  60 shared

• Jun Li

  Northwestern University

  56 shared

• Xin Yin

  Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences

  48 shared

• Miaolu He

  42 shared

• Zhaodong Li

  China Iron and Steel Research Institute Group

  41 shared

• Yong Ding

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  40 shared

• Ziyi Zhang

  North China University of Science and Technology

  39 shared

Awards & honors

• Nano Energy Award (2023)
• H. I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship (2020)
• Grainger Institute for Engineering Professorship (2019)
• Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineer…
• Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator Award (2017)