Curriculum Vitae
Xin Chen
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Boston University
Email: xc2011@bu.edu
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
Xin Chen, Boston University
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
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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.
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Curriculum Vitae
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Xin Chen, Boston University
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.
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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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Curriculum Vitae
Xin Chen, Boston University
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
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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
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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
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(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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