Dr Zhixing Lin
Post doctoral researcher - Theme 1
Zhixing Lin is a Research Fellow in the Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Melbourne, and he works in close collaboration with Prof. Frank Caruso, Prof. Kathryn Mumford, Prof. Deli Chen, and A/Prof. Helen Suter. His research interest focuses on understanding and regulating the material–structure–performance at the nanoscale. Such knowledge can be used to design diverse materials with tunable compositions and structures for various applications spanning physical, material, and biological science. His current work aims to develop engineered coatings for the controlled release of fertilisers. Specifically, he uses nanotechnology to optimize the compositions of coatings for increasing the use efficiency of fertilisers and reducing environmental consequences. He is also passionate about research translation and will work with industry collaborators to develop technical strategies for producing smart fertilisers on a large scale with high reproducibility and flexibility.
Zhixing completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2021 under the direction of Prof. Frank Caruso. His thesis focuses on the direct synthesis of amorphous metal–organic frameworks consisting of metal ions and phenolic ligands, termed metal–phenolic networks (MPNs). The compositions and pore sizes of MPNs were engineered to achieve modular functions or allow the access of guest molecules for storage, separation, or release. He is an expert in materials science and engineering and focuses on discovering and optimizing materials for targeting applications. To date, his major achievement includes 3 patents and more than 20 peer-reviewed publications, including first-author papers in top journals such as Journal of the American Chemical Society, Angewandte Chemie, and Accounts of Chemical Research. He also served as a Committee Member on the Industry Partners Program to outline translation pathways for the Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence in Bio-Nano Science and Technology.