Energy Conversion and Storage

Fuel Cell

Electrochemistry

Organic Molecular Electrocatalysts

Computational Modeling and Molecular Simulations

Ph.D. , Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

M.S. , Materials Science, University of Rochester

B.S. and M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University

Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Professor, 2020-present

Los Alamos National Lab/NMC, Research Scientist, 2018-2020

Los Alamos National Lab, Postdoctoral Research Associate, 2015-2018

1. W. Shi, L. Chen, M. Huang, W. Cui, J. Chen, J. Yang, R. Ding, L. Gan, X. Yin, “Thermodynamics‐guided design of carbon catalysts for efficient on‐site hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis”, Advanced Functional Materials, 2026, doi: 10.1002/adfm.74917
2. C. Han, H. Liu, J. Yang, W. Shi, Q. Wang, R. Ding, X. Yin, "Precision pore engineering of platinum group metal-free catalysts for high performance anion-exchange membrane fuel cells", Chemical Engineering Journal, 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2026.174729
3. J. Song, Y. Ni, C. Han, H. Lan, X. Jing, M. Huang, L. Chen, Q. Wang, W. Shi, R. Ding, X. Yin, “Dual‐atom‐site‐rich support engineering enables strong electronic metal‐support interaction for superior PtZn intermetallic fuel cell catalyst”, Advanced Functional Materials, 2026, doi: 10.1002/adfm.7468i
4. C. Han, M. Chen, W. Shi, R. Ding, J. Zhang, X. Yin, “Engineering hierarchical pores in FeCo-N-C catalysts to construct advanced cathode catalyst layers for AEMFCs with alleviated water management”, Chemical Engineering Journal, 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2026.174174
5. G. Liu, L. Chen, Z. Liu, J. Chen, R. Ding, X. Yin, “Short‐range‐engineered Nd‐doped IrOx enables oxide path mechanism for high‐performance PEM water electrolysis”, Small, 2026, doi: 10.1002/smll.202511956
6. J. Yang, L. Chen, X. Zhu, W. Shi, M. Huang, C. Liu, R. Ding, L. Gan, X. Yin, “Structure-activity relationship in Co-N-C catalysts for multiple H2O2-related electrochemical reactions”, EES Catalysis, 2026, 4, 201-212
7. Q. Wang, L. Chen, R. Ding, X. Yin, “Theoretical insights into the hydrogen peroxide oxidation and reduction reactions on low-index Pt surfaces”, Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology, 2026, 54 (1), 20250142
8. Y. Ni, J. Song, H. Lan, X. Jing, W. Shi, R. Ding, Xi Yin, “Trace-LiCl-assisted synthesis of high-loading ordered Pt3Co intermetallic catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells”, Green Chemistry, 2025, 27, 15236-15248
9. X. Jing, H. Lan, C. Liu, R. Ding, X. Yin, “Performance evaluation of boron-doped carbon-supported platinum catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells”, Journal of Power Sources, 2025, 658, 238227
10. H. Lan, H. Zhang, W. Shi, J. Chen, R. Ding, X. Yin, “Achieving high platinum utilization in proton exchange membrane fuel cell through synergistic engineering of carbon support structure and ionomer content”, Journal of Power Sources, 2025, 655, 237960
11. L. Chen, J. Li, X. Yin, “Angle-dependent electrocatalytic activity of twisted bilayer graphene for hydrogen evolution reaction”, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2025, 27 (31), 16664-16670
12. Y. Yuan, C. Liu, S. Liu, R. Ding, X. Yin, “Interface engineering of RuO2/Ru–Co3O4 heterostructures for high-efficiency oxygen evolution in acid”, CrystEngComm, 2025, 27 (28), 4835-4843
13. C. Liu, Q. Yuan, R. Ding, X. Yang, X. Yin, “Effect of H2O2 concentration on the electrochemical H2O2 oxidation and reduction reactions on the Pt/C catalyst in acid solutions”, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2025, 17 (24), 35364-35371
14. C. Liu, R. Ding, X. Yin, “Self-compensating effects on the stability of Pt/C catalysts for hydrogen peroxide oxidation reaction in acid”, Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2025, 172 (3), 034507
15. S. Li, E. Sun, P. Wei, W. Zhao, S. Pei, Y. Chen, J. Yang, H, Chen, X. Yin, M. Wang, Y. Li, “Impregnation of ionic liquid into porous Fe-N-C electrocatalyst to improve electrode kinetics and mass transport for polymer electrolyte fuel cells”, Chinese Journal of Catalysis, 2025, 72, 277-288
16. Q. Qin, M. Huang, C. Han, X. Jing, W. Shi, R. Ding, Xi Yin, “Molecular coordination inheritance of single Co atom catalysts for two-electron oxygen reduction reaction”, Nanoscale, 2025, 17 (14), 8672-8679
17. M. Huang, X. Zhu, W. Shi, Q. Qin, J. Yang, S. Liu, L. Chen, R. Ding, L. Gan, X. Yin, "Manipulating the coordination dice: alkali metals directed synthesis of Co-N-C catalysts with CoN4 sites", Science Advances, 2025, 11 (9), eads6658 [Open Access]
18. C. Liu, R. Ding, X. Yin, "Comprehensive study on the electrochemical evolution, reaction kinetics, and mass transport at the anion exchange ionomer-Pt interface for oxygen reduction reaction", ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2024, 16 (38), 51660-51668 [Link] 
19. S. Shi, J. Yang, L. Chen, M. Huang, C. Liu, R. Ding, X. Yin, "Identifying electrocatalytic activity sequence of metal phthalocyanines for the hydrogen peroxide oxidation reaction", Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2024, 171, 046504 [Open Access]
20. J. Yang, R. Ding, C. Liu, L. Chen, Q. Wang, S. Liu, Q. Xu, X. Yin, "Maximization of hydrogen peroxide utilization in a proton exchange membrane H2O2 electrolyzer for efficient power-to-hydrogen conversion", Green Chemistry, 2024, 26 (13), 7769-7778 [Open Access]
21. J. Yang, R. Ding, C. Liu, Q. Xu, S. Liu, X. Yin, "Optimal MEA structure and operating conditions for fuel cell reactors with hydrogen peroxide and power cogeneration", Journal of Physics: Energy, 2024, 6 (1), 015022 [Open Access]
22. C. Han, W. Shi, M. Huang, Q. Wang, J. Yang, J. Chen, R. Ding, X. Yin, "Solvent effects on the catalyst ink and layer microstructure for anion exchange membrane fuel cells", ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2024, 16 (4), 4550-4560 [link]
23. L. Chen, J. Li, X. Yin, "Angle-dependent electrocatalytic activity of twisted bilayer graphene for hydrogen evolution reaction", ChemRxiv, 2024, Preprint DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-t9c21
24. J. Yang, W. Shi, Q. Xu, X. Yin*, P. Zelenay*, "Kinetic Analysis of Carbon Corrosion-Induced Degradation of Platinum Group Metal-Free Catalysts in Acidic Media", ACS Catalysis, 2023, 13 (22), 14476-15218 [Link]
25. J. Chen, J. Yang, R. Ding, S. Liu, L. Chen, W. Shi, X. Yin, "Highly efficient sensing of hydrogen peroxide based on atomically dispersed iron- and nitrogen-doped carbon", Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2023, 170 (2), 027503 [Open Acess]
26. (cover) C. Liu^†, R. Ding^†, J. Yang, S. Liu, L. Chen, Q. Xu, J. Li, X. Yin, "Low-Voltage Hydrogen Peroxide Electrolyzer for Highly Efficient Power-to-Hydrogen Conversion", ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2023, 11 (6), 2599-2606 (^†Equal contributors.) [Link]
27. M. Huang, L. Chen, R. Ding, W. Shi, Q. Qin, J. Yang, S. Shi, S. Liu, X. Yin, "Solution-phase synthesis of Co-N-C catalysts using alkali metals-induced NC templates with metal vacancy-Nx sites", ChemRxiv, 2022, Preprint. https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2022-xnh88
28. H. Tang, K. Geng, D. Aili, Q. Ju, J. Pan, G. Chao, X. Yin, X. Guo, Q. Li, N. Li, "Low Pt loading for high-performance fuel cell electrodes enabled by hydrogen-bonding microporous polymer binders", Nature Communications, 2022, 13, 7577
29. M. Huang, R. Ding, J. Yang, W. Shi, S. Shi, L. Chen, S. Liu, X. Yin, "Formation of nitrogen-coordinated metal sites (M = Fe, Co) via solution-phase coordination on nickel- and nitrogen-co-doped carbon templates with metal vacancy-N_x sites", Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2022, 169 (10), 106507 [Open Access]
30. J. Yang, R. Ding, C. Liu, S. Liu, Q. Xu, L. Chen, J. Chen, J. Li, X. Yin, "Highly efficient unitized regenerative hydrogen peroxide cycle cell with ultra-low overpotential for renewable energy storage", Journal of Power Sources, 2022, 545, 231945 [link]
31. H. Song, Y.-T. Liu, W.-S. Zhang, X.-F Zhang, X. Yin, J. Li, G.-P. Wu, "Rational design of carbon network structure in microporous layer toward enhanced mass transport of proton exchange membrane fuel cell", Journal of Power Sources, 2022, 539, 231623
32. J. Yang, J. Li, R. Ding, C. Liu, X. Yin, "Kinetic effects of temperature on Fe-N-C catalysts for 2e- and 4e-oxygen reduction reactions", Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2021, 168 (9), 096502 [Open Access]
33. X. Yin, E. F. Holby, P. Zelenay, Comment on "Non-PGM electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells: effect of fluorination on the activity and stability of a highly active NC_Ar+ NH 3 catalyst”, Energy & Environmental Science, 2021, 14, 1029-1033
34. M. C. Elvington, H. T. Chung, L. Lin, X. Yin, P. Ganesan, P. Zelenay, H. R. Colón-Mercado, "Communication—On the lack of correlation between the voltammetric redox couple and ORR activity of Fe-NC catalysts", Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2020, 167 (13), 134510
35. (cover) T. Al-Zoubi, Y. Zhou, X. Yin, B. Janicek, C. Sun, C. E. Schulz, X. Zhang, A. A. Gewirth, P. Huang, P. Zelenay, H. Yang, "Preparation of nonprecious metal electrocatalysts for the reduction of oxygen using a low-temperature sacrificial metal", Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2020, 142 (12), 5477-5481
36. (cover) X. Yin, L. Lin, U. Martinez, P. Zelenay, "2,2’-Dipyridylamine as heterogeneous organic molecular electrocatalyst for two-electron oxygen reduction reaction in acid media", ACS Applied Energy Materials, 2019, 2 (10), 7272-7278.
37. X. Yin, L. Lin, H. T. Chung, U. Martinez, A. M. Baker, S. Maurya, P. Zelenay, "2,2'-Dipyridylamine as organic molecular electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic electrolytes", 2019. (Preprint on ChemRxiv, doi: 10.26434/chemrxiv.8273627)
38. X. Yin, H. T. Chung, U. Martinez, L. Lin, K. Artyushkova, P. Zelenay, “PGM-free ORR catalysts designed by templating PANI-type polymers containing functional groups with high affinity to iron", Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2019, 166 (7), F3240-F3245
39. L. Osmieri, R. K. Ahluwalia, X. Wang, H. T. Chung, X. Yin, A. J. Kropf, J. Park, D. A. Cullen, K. L. More, P. Zelenay, D. J. Myers, K. C. Neyerlin, "Elucidation of Fe-N-C electrocatalyst active site functionality via in-situ X-ray absorption and operando determination of oxygen reduction reaction kinetics in a PEFC", Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2019, 117929
40. (back cover) U. Martinez, S. K. Babu, E. F. Holby, H. T. Chung, X. Yin, P. Zelenay, “Progress in the development of Fe-based PGM-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction”, Advanced Materials, 2019, 31 (31), 1806545
41. (cover) X. Yin, M. Shi, K. S. Kwok, H. Zhao, D. L. Gray, J. A. Bertke, H. Yang, “Dish-like higher-ordered palladium nanostructures through metal ion-ligand complexation”, Nano Research, 2018, 11 (6), 3442–3452
42. X. Yin, P. Zelenay, “(Invited) Kinetic Models for the Degradation Mechanisms of PGM-Free ORR Catalysts”, ECS Transactions, 2018, 85 (13), 1239-1250
43. X. Yin, M. Shi, J. Wu, Y.-T. Pan, D. L. Gray, J. A. Bertke, H. Yang, “Quantitative analysis of different formation modes of platinum nanocrystals controlled by ligand chemistry”, Nano Letters, 2017, 17 (10), 6146–6150
44. X. Yin^†, L. Lin^†, H. T. Chung, S. K. Babu, U. Martinez, G. M. Purdy, P. Zelenay, “Effects of MEA fabrication and ionomer composition on fuel cell performance of PGM-free ORR catalyst”, ECS Transactions, 2017, 77 (11), 1273–1281 (^†Equal contributors.)
45. J. Kim, P.-C. Shih, K.-C. Tsao, Y.-T. Pan, X. Yin, C. J. Sun, H. Yang, “High-performance pyrochlore-type yttrium ruthenate electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction in acidic media”, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2017, 139 (34), 12076–12083
46. Y.-T. Pan, J. Wu, X. Yin, H. Yang, “In situ ETEM study of composition redistribution in Pt-Ni octahedral catalysts for electrochemical reduction of oxygen”, AIChE Journal, 2016, 62 (2), 399–407
47. (front cover) X. Yin, J. Wu, P. P. Li, J., H. Yang, “Self-heating approach to the fast production of uniform metal nanotructures”, ChemNanoMat, 2016, 2 (1), 37–41
48. X. Yin, X. H. Liu, Y.-T. Pan, K. A. Walsh, H. Yang, “Hanoi tower-like multilayered ultrathin palladium nanosheets”, Nano Letters, 2014, 14 (12), 7188–7194
49. X. Yin, S. A. Warren, Y.-T. Pan, K.-C. Tsao, D. L. Gray, J. Bertke, H. Yang, “A new motif for infinite metal atom wires”, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2014, 53 (51), 14087–14091
50. Y.-T. Pan^†, X. Yin^†, K. S. Kwok, H. Yang, “Higher-ordered nanostructures of flexible palladium two-dimensional nanosheets for fast hydrogen sensing”, Nano Letters, 2014, 14 (10), 5953–5959 (^†Equal contributors.)
51. J. Kim, X. Yin, K.-C. Tsao, S. Fang, H. Yang, “Ca2Mn2O5 as oxygen-deficient perovskite electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction”, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2014, 136 (42), 14646–14649
52. J. Wu^†, M. Shi^†, X. Yin, H. Yang, “Enhanced oxidation reduction stability of (111) surface dominant Pt3Ni@Pt3Pd core-shell nanoparticle catalysts”, ChemSusChem, 2013, 6 (10), 1888–1892 (^†Equal contributors.)
53. J. Wu, P. Li, Y.-T. Pan, S. Warren, X. Yin, H. Yang, “Surface lattice-engineered bimetallic nanoparticles and their catalytic properties”, Chemical Society Reviews, 2012, 41, 8066–8074
54. X. Yin, K. X. Chen, H. P. Zhou, X. S. Ning, “Combustion synthesis of Ti3SiC2/TiC composites from elemental powders under high gravity conditions”, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 2010, 93 (8), 2182–2187
55. X. Yin, K. X. Chen, H. P. Zhou, X. S. Ning, “Combustion synthesis of Ti3SiC2 from Ti/Si/C powders under high gravity conditions”, Rare Metal Materials and Engineering, 2008, 37 (9), 1606–1609