Dr Ben B. Xu FRSC, FIMMM, FRSA, CENG, CSCI, is a full professor in materials and mechanics with a multi-disciplinary research interest covering functional materials, applied mechanics, micro-engineering and sustainable and energy technology. Ben obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Heriot-watt University in 2011. He subsequently worked as a postdoc researcher in Professor Hayward’s Group (Polymer Science and Engineering) at University of Massachusetts Amherst (2011-2013). He previously worked as a Chemical Engineer in an industrial research institute in Hangzhou (China) from 2006 to 2008.

Ben is leading the Smart Materials and Surfaces Lab (SMSL) in Northumrbria and chairing the Materials Characterisation&Properties Group in the Institute of Materials, Mining and Minerals (IoM³).He has published 5 patents, 6 book(incl. chapters) and over 140 peer-reviewed articles in the leading journals, including Sci. Adv., Nat. Commun., Adv.  Mater., Adv. Energy. Mater., Adv. Fun. Mater., Energy. Environ. Sci., Nano Energy, Small, Phys. Rev. Lett., etc (h-index 28). Ben has been invited to give 80+ invited/plenary talks in international conferences/leading institutions, chaired 10+ international events and reviewed paper publications for 60+ journals. He serves as an associate editor for Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials (Springer Nature) and ES Engineered Science, and an editorial board member for the journal Polymers. He received awards as the Outstanding Paper Award at the 2018 IEEE International Flexible Electronics Technology Conference, Outstanding Reviewer for Journal of Molecular Liquids (2018), 2016 Young Investigator Award from the International Polymer Networks Group, 3^rd prize in the 2016 EPSRC photo competition, 2016 RSC-CSCST Emerging Talent Grant from Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), etc. 

He was elected to the Advisory Council and Nomination Committee in IoM³ from 2019, and the RSC Materials Chemistry Division Council and Newcastle upon Tyne and North East Coast Committee from 2020, the executive committee for The Chinese Society of Chemical Science and Technology (CSCST-UK) from 2016. 

Progresses from Ben’s research have been featured by media presses in 

2020:

EPSRC: https://epsrc.ukri.org/newsevents/news/researchers-discover-novel-optical-sensing-technology/  

Materials World: https://www.iom3.org/materials-world-magazine/news/2020/jun/03/elastic-folding-soft-matter-surfaces-aids-highcontrast

Materials views china: https://www.materialsviewschina.com/2020/09/48634/   

phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2020-04-optical-technology.html

NECONNECTED: https://neconnected.co.uk/fold-to-glitter-researchers-discover-novel-optical-sensing-technology/

polymer.cn: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/6VDqUepzulrDgX_yWjnv2g

2019:

UK Fluids Network: https://fluids.mzs.arpa.cam.ac.uk

phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2019-07-red-wine-key-next-gen-wearable.html

Materials views china: https://www.materialsviewschina.com/2019/08/39476/?from=timeline&isappinstalled=0

Before 2019:

NECONNECTED: https://neconnected.co.uk/northumbria-scientists-win-national-photography-prize/

Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2017/apr/03/from-eureka-to-equipment-images-that-show-another-side-of-science-in-pictures-epsrc-photo-competition-2017

Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/02/epsrc-photography-competition-2017/dr-ben-xu-mr-ding-wang3rd-placeeureka-discovery-categorythis/

Materials views china: https://www.materialsviewschina.com/2016/04/21008/

Dr Xu is currently leading the research group of Smart Materials and Surfaces Lab (SMSL) in Northumbria to develop multidisciplinary research programmes, from fundamental understanding on engineering science to innovating the enabling technologies. His researches in extreme mechanics and functional materials includes the design and understanding of morphing structures, the development of novel flexible/wearable sensing/actuating structure/devices, the realization of functional surface/interface with unique chemical-physical features, the innovation of new circular economy technology using recycled plastic wastes and the exploration of future renewable energy solutions.

He has developed a novel approach to realise the sensing/actuation function by introducing elastic instabilities into the micro-engineered structure in a controllable manner, which shed extra lights in developing future micro-devices, especially in the sectors of flexible/wearable electronics, soft robots, etc. His work on soft active matter and developing novel micro-device is supported by the Royal Society, EPSRC and industries.

Progresses from Ben’s research have been featured by media presses in EPSRC,Materials World, UK Fluids Network, phys.org 2020, NECONNECTED 2020, phys.org 2019, Guardian, Telegraph, NECONNECTED 2019, polymer.cn, Materials views china 2019, Materials views china 2016.