Xin Chen - Boston University

Curriculum Vitae

Xin Chen Assistant Professor of Chemistry Boston University Email: [email protected] Phone: 617-358-6188

8 St. Mary’s St, #718 Boston MA, 02215

EDUCATION 2005

Ph.D. in Chemistry Stanford University, Stanford, California Dissertation: Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Gas Phase Ion Reactions

1999

B.E. in Polymer Science and Engineering University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, China Thesis: Curing Properties of Epoxy/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

POSITION AND EMPLOYMENT 2011-present Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Boston University 2011-present Faculty Member of Boston University Photonic Center 2008-2011

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Harvard University

2005-2008

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Texas A&M University

AWARDS 2000-2004 1999 1996-1998

Stanford Graduate Fellowship Proctor & Gamble Scholarship Outstanding Student Awards (three years in a row)

Stanford University USTC USTC

TEACHING EXPERIENCE 2006 2003 2002 2001 2000

Guest Lecturer in Thermodynamics for Engineers Teaching assistant to Prof. David Golden in Kinetics and Combustion Teaching assistant to Prof. Michael Fayer in Quantum Mechanics Teaching assistant to Prof. W. E. Moerner in Physical Chemistry Teaching assistant in General Chemistry Laboratory (for non-chemistry majors)

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Curriculum Vitae

Xin Chen, Boston University

PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 2008-2011

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Harvard University Advisor: George M. Whitesides

2005-2008

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Texas A&M University Advisor: Paul S. Cremer

1999-2005

Graduate Research Assistant, Stanford University Advisor: John I. Brauman

1998-1999

Undergraduate Research Assistant (fulltime), USTC Advisor: Pingsheng He

PREVIOUS MAJOR RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS At Harvard University Contact Electrification. I pioneered using layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte films for the reversible control of the charge development during contact electrification. Furthermore, I investigated the molecular mechanism of contact electrification, and showed that the phenomena involved two distinct mechanisms: a faster process due to the transfer of mobile ions on surfaces and a slower process involving the migration of ionic species residing deeper in bulk. (Ref 23) Soft Materials. I co-led a team effort towards developing a new class of soft robots actuated by micro-pneumatic networks embedded in elastomeric structures. Such structures possessed various modes of manipulation (e.g., gripping, sucking) and locomotion (e.g., crawling, rolling). In addition, I studied solvent diffusion in an elastomeric matrix and developed a chemical modification method to arbitrarily pattern stiffness into an elastomeric film. (Ref 24) At Texas A&M University Interfacial Water Structure. I introduced a nonlinear optical method to investigate interfacial water structures near macromolecules. The results showed that interfacial water depended greatly on the concentration and the identity of small molecule co-solutes such as salts. Typically, either normal or inverted Hofmeister effects were observed, which can be largely attributed to the polarizabilities and solvation energies of the corresponding ions. (Ref 11,12,16,22) Biosensor Development. I participated in developing several types of biosensor platforms. For example, we invented water stain lithography to fabricate arrays of nano-rings/holes; the surface plasmon resonance of these arrays was very sensitive to changes in the local dielectric constant. Another type of biosensor was based on nanopores across a lipid bilayer, which was capable of detecting analytes at the single-molecule level. (Ref 9,10,14) At Stanford University Physical Organics of Solvation. I studied gas phase energetics and kinetics of organic reactions and compared them with their counterparts in solution. The research elucidated how solvation affected, often counter-intuitively, common physical organic properties such as acidities, nucleophilicities and steric effects. (Ref 2,3,13,18,20) I also helped in the experimental design and data interpretation of a series of ultrafast 2D-IR echo spectroscopic studies. One of the studies measured for the first time the rates of dissociation

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Curriculum Vitae


and re-association of hydrogen bonds in solution, and how they depended on the physical organic properties of the hydrogen bonding partners. (Ref 4,5,6) At USTC Composite Materials. I studied the curing properties of various epoxy/Montmorillonite intercalating nanocomposites using a dynamic torsional vibration method. (Ref 1)

PUBLICATION LIST I, PUBLISHED OR ACCEPTED JOURNAL ARTICLES 26. 25. 24. 23.

22.

21.

20. 19.

18. 17.

16. 15. 14.

13.

WJ Choi, M Hashimoto, AK Ellerbee, X Chen, K Bishop, GM Whitesides "Navigating networks based on local information and cooperative interactions." Lab Chip 2011, accepted. F Illievski, A Mazzeo, R Shepherd, X Chen, GM Whitesides "Soft robots for chemists." Angew. Chem. In. Ed. 2011, 50, 1890-1895. YH Hu, X Chen, GM Whitesides, JJ Vlassak, ZH Suo “Indentation of polydimethylsiloxane submerged in organic solvents.” J. Mater. Res. 2011, 26, 785-795. SJ Vella, X Chen, SW Thomas III, X Zhao, ZH Suo, GM Whitesides "The determination of the location of contact electrification-induced discharge events." J. Phy. Chem. C 2010, 114, 20885-20895. X Chen, SC Flores, SM Lim, YJ Zhang, TL Yang, J Kherb, PS Cremer “Specific anion effects on water structure adjacent to protein monolayers.” Langumir 2010, 26, 1644716454. JL Gong, DJ Lipomi, JD Deng, ZH Nie, X Chen, NX Randall, R Nair, GM Whitesides “Micro- and nanopatterning of inorganic and polymeric substrates by indentation lithography.” Nano Lett. 2010, 10, 2702-2708. X Chen, DA Walthall, JI Brauman "Geometry dependence of the ring-opening E2 reaction in lactones." J. Phy. Chem. A 2010, 114, 1392-1397. ZH Nie, CA Nijhuis, JL Gong, X Chen, A Kumachev, AW Martinez, M Narovlyansky, GM Whitesides "Electrochemical sensing in paper-based microfluidic devices." Lab Chip 2010, 10, 477-483. X Chen, CK Regan, SL Craig, EH Krenske, KN Houk, WL Jorgensen, JI Brauman "Steric and solvation effects in ionic SN2 reactions." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 16162-16170. JX Chen, WS Liao, X Chen, TL Yang, SE Wark, DH Son, JD Batteas, PS Cremer "Evaporation-induced assembly of quantum dots into nanorings." ACS Nano 2009, 3, 173180. Fan YB, X Chen, LJ Yang, PS Cremer, YQ Gao "On the structure of water at the aqueous/air interface." J. Phy. Chem. B 2009, 113, 11672-11679. Sagle LB, Zhang YJ, Litosh VA, X Chen, Cho Y, PS Cremer "Investigating the hydrogenbonding model of urea denaturation." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 9304-9310. WS Liao, X Chen, TL Yang, ET Castellana, J Chen, PS Cremer "Benchtop chemistry for the rapid prototyping of label-free biosensors: Transmission localized surface plasmon resonance platforms." Biointerphases 2009, 4, 80-85. X Chen, JI Brauman "Hydrogen bonding lowers intrinsic nucleophilicity of solvated nucleophiles." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 15038-15046. Page 3 of 6

Curriculum Vitae

12. 11. 10.

9. 8. 7. 6.

5.

4.

3. 2. 1.


X Chen, TL Yang, S Kataoka, PS Cremer "Specific ion effects on interfacial water structure near macromolecules." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12272-12279. X Chen, LB Sagle, PS Cremer "Urea orientation at protein surfaces." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 15104-15105. RJ White, EN Ervin, TL Yang, X Chen, S Daniel, PS Cremer, HS White "Single ionchannel recordings using glass nanopore membranes." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 1176611775. WS Liao, X Chen, J Chen, PS Cremer "Templating water stains for nanolithography." Nano Lett. 2007, 7, 2452-2458. F Albertorio, VA Chapa, X Chen, AJ Diaz, PS Cremer "The alpha,alpha-(1->1) linkage of trehalose is key to anhydrobiotic preservation." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 10567-10574. X Chen, PS Cremer "The stochastic nature of gene expression revealed at the singlemolecule level." ACS Chem. Bio. (Point of View) 2006, 1, 129-131. JR Zheng, K Kwak, X Chen, JB Asbury, MD Fayer "Formation and dissociation of intraintermolecular hydrogen-bonded solute-solvent complexes: Chemical exchange twodimensional infrared vibrational echo spectroscopy." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 29772987. JR Zheng, K Kwak, JB Asbury, X Chen, Piletic IR, X Jia, MD Fayer "Ultrafast dynamics of solute-solvent complexation observed at thermal equilibrium in real time." Science 2005, 309, 1338-1343. JR Zheng, K Kwak, T Steinel, JB Asbury, X Chen, J Xie, MD Fayer "Accidental vibrational degeneracy in vibrational excited states observed with ultrafast two-dimensional IR vibrational echo spectroscopy." J. Chem. Phy. 2005, 123, 164301. X Chen, JI Brauman "Proton exchange and transesterification reactions of acetate enolates with alcohols in the gas phase." J. Phy. Chem. A 2005, 109, 8553-8559. X Chen, DA Walthall, JI Brauman "Acidities in cyclohexanediols enhanced by intramolecular hydrogen bonds." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 12614-12620. PS He, X Chen, CH LU "Two cure processes in epoxy/montmorillonite intercalating polymer observed with dynamic torsional vibration method. " J. Func. Poly. 2000, 13, 440.

PUBLICATION LIST II, MANUSCRIPTS SUBMITTED OR IN PREPARATION The following manuscripts are available upon request. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

WS Liao, X Chen, TL Yang, HP Pace, J Kherb, J Chen, JJ Shi, PS Cremer “Evaporative templating for bench-top nanohole array fabrication.” submitted. X Chen, SJ Vella, WJ Choi, JL Gong, GM Whitesides "Layer-by-layer films for tunable and rewritable control of contact electrification." X Chen, ZH Nie, WJ Choi, K Simon, GM Whitesides "Patterning stiffness into elastomeric sheets by impregnation and in-situ polymerization." WJ Choi, M Hashimoto, AK Ellerbee, X Chen, HY Kim, GM Whitesides "Irreversible flows of bubbles in low Reynolds number regime." X Chen, JI Brauman "Understanding the linear relationship between the gas phase and solutions."

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PUBLICATION LIST III, PEER-REVIEWED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS 2.

CD Onal, X Chen, GM Whitesides, D Rus “Portable pressure generation by regulated chemical decomposition of H O for pneumatic actuation.” International Symposium on 2

1.

2

Experimental Robotics (ISER) 2011 EJ Lee, X Chen, CD Onal, W Choi, R Wood, D Rus, GM Whitesides “Fabrication and actuation of a soft robot with dramatic morphing.” Conferences on Foundations of Nanoscience (FANO) 2010.

PATENTS GM Whitesides, X Chen, AW Martinez, M Narovlyansky, ZH Nie, C Nijhuis "Electrochemical Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices." US Patent Application, 2011 158,251. GM Whitesides, X Chen, F Illievski, A Mazzeo, R Shepherd "Soft Robotic Actuator Modules." US Patent Application, 2011 7668180.

PRESENTATIONS 21.

20.

19.

18.

17. 16. 15. 14.

13.

X Chen “Molecular Orientations at Interfaces.” Sep 2011, Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Physics, Materials Science & Engineering, and Polymer Science & Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China. X Chen “Hofmeister Effect in Contact Electrification.” July 2011, Conference of Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Ions and Osmolytes in Solution, Telluride Scientific Research Center, Telluride, CO. X Chen “Water and Ions at Interfaces, from Protein Surfaces to Surfaces of Everything.” March 2011, Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, University of Delaware. SC Flores, X Chen, J Kherb, PS Cremer “Sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy study of the interaction of Hofmeister ions with hydrophilic surfaces” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), March, 2011 X Chen “Water and Ions at Interfaces, from Protein Surfaces to Surfaces of Everything.” Feb 2011, Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University. X Chen “Water and Ions at Interfaces, from Protein Surfaces to Surfaces of Everything.” Feb 2011, Department of Chemistry, Boston University. X Chen “Water and Ions at Interfaces, from Protein Surfaces to Surfaces of Everything.” Jan 2011, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University. X Chen, SJ Vella, W Choi, JL Gong, GM Whitesides "Ion transfer properties of layer-bylayer films during contact electrification." Annual Meeting, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) 2010, Salt Lake City, UT LB Sagle, X Chen, SC Flores, X Chen, PS Cremer “Infrared-visible sum frequency generation spectroscopy as a tool for probing small molecule denaturants and stabilizers at the protein-water interface” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society Page 5 of 6

Curriculum Vitae

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11. 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4.

3. 2. 1.


(ACS), March, 2009 LB Sagle, X Chen, V Lotosh, YH Cho, JY Zhang, PS Cremer “Support for the indirect mechanism of urea denaturation of elastin-like polypeptides.” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), April, 2008 SC Flores, X Chen, PS Cremer “Specific ion effects on molecular orientation at surfaces and interfaces.” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), April, 2008 X Chen, PS Cremer “Urea orientation at protein surface.” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), Aug, 2007 X Chen, PS Cremer “Water/urea structure at protein surfaces; A sum frequency generation study” Texas Protein Folder Conference, 2007 X Chen, YH Cho, YJ Zhang, PS Cremer “Interfacial water structure of biomacromolecules; Effects of hofmeister salts and guandinium salts” Texas Protein Folder Conference, 2007 PS Cremer, Kataoka S, X Chen “Monitoring interfacial orientation and water structure” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), Sep, 2006 JI Brauman, X Chen “Hydrogen bonding: Acidity, basicity, and effects on reactivity ” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), Sep, 2006 PS Cremer, Lim SM, X Chen “Polymer and protein structure at interfaces: Ion effects National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), Sep, 2006 X Chen, PS Cremer “Ion adsorption to macromolecules studied with sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), 2006, San Francisco, CA JI Brauman, X Chen “Gas phase ion chemistry” National Meeting & Exposition, American Chemical Society (ACS), 2004, Lake Arrowhead, CA X Chen, JI Brauman “The role of proton exchange in transesterification reactions of ester enolates with alcohols” Gas Phase Ion Chemistry Conference, 2004, Lake Arrowhead, CA X Chen, DA Walthall, JI Brauman “Gas phase acidities of cyclohexanediols” Gas Phase Ion Chemistry Conference, 2003, Lake Arrowhead, CA

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