Tianxiang Chen（陈天翔）

Tianxiang Chen（陈天翔）

Research Assistant Professor | Adaptive Catalysis Group

Publications

55 peer-reviewed publications
20 first, co-first, or corresponding-author papers

[# denotes co-first author, * denotes corresponding author]

Google Scholar

I. First, Co-first (#) & Corresponding Author (*) Papers (20/55)

  1. Li, X.#, Chen, T.#, He, J.#, Gao, M., He, F., Marini, C., Villalobos-Portillo, E., Liu, L.* “Structural Evolution of Pd-Zeolite Catalyst and Its Consequence in the Activation and Deactivation for Methane Combustion.” ACS Catal., 2026, 16(17), 17298–17313. [DOI]

  2. Shan, L.#, Chen, T.#, Li, S.#, Tang, B., Yang, Y., Rao, P., Li, J., Wun, C. K. T., Lee, D., Li, M., Lo, T. W. B., Yang, S. “Exceptional Electroreduction of Nitrate to Ammonia Promoted by Concerted Electron–Proton Transfer in Cu-Decorated MFI Zeolites.” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2025, 17(39), 54807–54815. [DOI]

  3. Chen, T.#, Li, Y.#, Ho, P.-L.#, Leung, K. C., Liu, J., Wun, C. K. T., Li, Z., Tang, C. C., Kawaguchi, S., Wu, T.-S., Soo, Y.-L., Yin, J., Edman Tsang, S. C., Lo, T. W. B.* “Unraveling the Nuclearity Effect of Atomically Choreographed Triatom Cu3 Clusters Supported on Zeolites.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2025, 147(20), 17170–17180. [DOI]

  4. Li, Y., Wun, C. K. T., Chen, T.*, Lo, T. W. B. “Investigating Size-Dependent Selectivity in Benzaldehyde Reductive Amination via Ni Nanoparticles.” Mater. Today Catal., 2025, 9, 100100. [DOI]

  5. Liu, H., Zhang, Y., Liu, L., Chen, T.*, Zhang, X., Hu, P., Xiong, C., Zhou, J., Zhang, H., Dong, L., Lo, T. W. B., Nan, B., He, X., Ji, H. “Platinum Clusters Stabilized by Zincosilicate Zeolite for Efficient Propane Dehydrogenation.” Chinese J. Catal., 2025, 71, 208–219. [DOI]

  6. He, Z.#, Li, K.#, Chen, T.#, Feng, Y., Villalobos-Portillo, E., Marini, C., Lo, T. W. B., Yang, F., Zhang, L., Liu, L. “High-Purity Hydrogen Production from Dehydrogenation of Methylcyclohexane Catalyzed by Zeolite-Encapsulated Subnanometer Platinum-Iron Clusters.” Nat. Commun., 2025, 16(1), 92. [DOI]

  7. Fu, G., Li, Y., Hou, Z., Wang, S., Jiang, S., Chen, T.*, Lo, T. W. B., Chen, X. “Diatomic Cobalt–Catalyzed Cyclization of o-Aminobenzyl Alcohol with Amidine for the Synthesis of Quinazolines.” J. Catal., 2025, 442, 115889. [DOI]

  8. Liu, H.#, Chu, B.#, Chen, T.#, Zhou, J., Dong, L., Lo, T. W. B., Li, B., He, X., Ji, H. “Modulation of the Cobalt Species State on Zincosilicate to Maximize Propane Dehydrogenation to Propylene.” Chinese J. Catal., 2024, 66, 168–180. [DOI]

  9. Zhu, C.#, Li, W.#, Chen, T.#, He, Z., Villalobos, E., Marini, C., Zhou, J., Woon Lo, B. T., Xiao, H., Liu, L. “Boosting the Stability of Subnanometer Pt Catalysts by the Presence of Framework Indium(III) Sites in Zeolite.” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2024, 63(41), e202409784. [DOI]

  10. Chen, T.#, Yu, W.#, Wun, C. K. T., Wu, T. S., Sun, M., Day, S. J., Li, Z., Yuan, B., Wang, Y., Li, M., Wang, Z., Peng, Y. K., Yu, W. Y., Wong, K. Y., Huang, B., Liang, T., Lo, T. W. B.* “Cu–Co Dual-Atom Catalysts Supported on Hierarchical USY Zeolites for an Efficient Cross-Dehydrogenative C(sp2)–N Coupling Reaction.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2023, 145(15), 8464–8473. [DOI]

  11. Li, Z.#, Chen, T.#, Chen, Y., Chen, X., Li, L., Kuang, S., Gao, J., Guo, Y., Lo, T. W. B., Du, J. “Improved H2O2 Photogeneration on Rb-Doped-Polymeric Carbon Nitride via Enhanced O2 Adsorption.” J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023, 11(11), 5925–5936. [DOI]

  12. Xue, Q.#, Wun, C. K. T.#, Chen, T.#, Kawaguchi, S., Day, S., Tang, C., Wu, T.-S., Soo, Y.-L., Lin, C., Peng, Y.-K., Yin, J., Lo, T. W. B. “Controlled Synthesis of Cu,Fe Dual-Atom Catalysts Restrained on Metal–Organic Frameworks for Efficient O2 Activation.” J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023, 11(26), 14204–14212. [DOI]

  13. Chen, T.#, Wang, Y.#, Xue, Q., Wun, C. K. T., So, P. K., Yung, K. F., Wu, T.-S., Soo, Y.-L., Taniya, K., Day, S., Tang, C. C., Li, Z., Huang, B., Tsang, S. C. E., Wong, K. Y., Lo, T. W. B.* “Atomically Precise Bimetallic Metal Ensembles with Tailorable Synergistic Effects.” Cell Reports Phys. Sci., 2022, 3(4), 100850. [DOI]

  14. Wun, C. K. T.#, Mok, H. K.#, Chen, T.#, Wu, T. S., Taniya, K., Nakagawa, K., Day, S., Tang, C. C., Huang, Z., Su, H., Yu, W. Y., Lee, T. K. W., Lo, T. W. B. “Atomically Dispersed 3d Metal Bimetallic Dual-Atom Catalysts and Classification of the Structural Descriptors.” Chem Catal., 2022, 2(9), 2346–2363. [DOI]

  15. Lu, Y.#, Chen, T.#, Xiao, X., Huang, N., Dou, Y., Wei, W., Zhang, Z., Lo, T. W. B., Liang, T. “Copper Dual-Atom Catalyst Mediated C3–H Amination of Indoles at Room Temperature.” Catal. Sci. Technol., 2022, 12(17), 5390–5396. [DOI]

  16. Chen, T., Ye, L., Lo, T. W. B.* “Designing the Electronic and Geometric Structures of Single-Atom and Nanocluster Catalysts.” J. Mater. Chem. A, 2021, 9(35), 18773–18784. [DOI]

  17. Chen, T., Huang, B., Day, S., Tang, C. C., Tsang, S. C. E., Wong, K. Y., Lo, T. W. B.* “Differential Adsorption of L- and D-Lysine on Achiral MFI Zeolites as Determined by Synchrotron X-Ray Powder Diffraction and Thermogravimetric Analysis.” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2020, 59(3), 1093–1097. [DOI]

  18. Chen, T., Wun, C. K. T., Day, S. J., Tang, C. C., Lo, T. W. B.* “Enantiospecificity in Achiral Zeolites for Asymmetric Catalysis.” Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2020, 22(34), 18757–18764. [DOI]

  19. Chen, T., Xue, Q., Leung, K., Lo, B. T. W.* “Recent Advances of Precise Cu Nanoclusters in Microporous Materials.” Chem. Asian J., 2020, 15(12), 1819–1828. [DOI]

  20. Chen, T., Chen, C., Liu, Q., Zhang, Z., Fang, X.* “A One-Step Process for Preparing a Phenyl-Modified g-C3N4 Green Phosphor with a High Quantum Yield.” RSC Adv., 2017, 7(81), 51702–51710. [DOI]

II. Collaborative Publications (35/55)

  1. Tao, Z., Li, J., Ling, J., Chen, T., Yu, W.-Y., Lin, C., Lo, T. W. B. “Programmable Guest-Induced 5-Phase-Transition Topological Reconstructions of Cobalt Formate Metal–Organic Frameworks.” Adv. Sci., 2026, Early View, e77629. [DOI]

  2. Luo, B., Wu, Y., Chen, T., Marini, C., Villalobos-Portillo, E., Dong, L., Li, D., Li, B., He, H., Chen, Z. “Tailoring Atomic-Level Electron Redistribution of Metal Phosphides/Oxides Heterostructural Catalyst for Efficient Alkaline Freshwater/Seawater Hydrogen Evolution.” J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2027, 278, 114–122. [DOI]

  3. Chen, K., Yang, T., Xu, J., Liu, Y., Wu, H., Wang, Y., Wu, Z., Pei, Z., Chen, S., Chen, T., Tan, H., Zhou, Z. “Direct Cl–Cl Coupling Over Atomically Dispersed Ir2 Pairs for Efficient Chlorine Electrosynthesis.” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2026, e4415455. [DOI]

  4. He, F., Li, W., Chen, T., Skorynina, A., Liu, L. “Harnessing Reaction-Driven Structural Evolution of Zeolite-Supported Gold Catalyst for Selective Oxidation Reactions.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2026, 148(32), 34456–34471. [DOI]

  5. Liu, Q., Chen, T., Lo, T. W. B., Wang, F., Ouyang, G. “Oxygen-Oxygen Bond Cleavage Enables Efficient Photocatalytic H2O2 Production via an *O2 Dissociation Pathway.” Nat. Commun., 2026, 17, 7218. [DOI]

  6. Zhu, C., Dou, X., Qian, L., Chen, T., Li, W., Marini, C., Villalobos-Portillo, E., Zhang, L., Liu, L. “Circumventing the Wettability Issue of Heterogeneous Metal Catalysts for Solvent-Free Organic Transformations.” Nat. Commun., 2026, 17, 7921. [DOI]

  7. Zhou, R., Li, W., Chen, T. W., Chen, T., Marini, C., Villalobos-Portillo, E., Gong, J., Liu, L. “Modulating the Degree of the Dehydrogenation Reaction of Long-Chain Alkanes via Tuning the Pt-Based Catalytic Ensembles.” ACS Catal., 2026, 16(14), 13821–13836. [DOI]

  8. Wang, H., Gao, M., Li, W., He, Z., Chen, T., Watanabe, T., Liu, L. “Direct Alkane–Benzene Coupling Reactions with Bifunctional Zeolite-Encapsulated Metal Catalysts with Subnanoscale Intimacy.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2026, 148(22), 22464–22480. [DOI]

  9. He, Z., Li, W., Chen, T., Marini, C., Lopez Haro, M., Xiao, H., Liu, L. “Managing the Atom Migration in Zeolite-Encapsulated K–Pt–Sn Clusters for Non-Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane.” Nat. Catal., 2026, 9, 516–529. [DOI]

  10. Feng, Y., Wang, H., Chen, T., Gao, M., He, Z., Yuan, G., Liu, L. “Shape-Selective Conversion of High-Density Polyethylene into Benzene with Zeolite-Encapsulated Subnanometer Pt Catalysts.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2026, 148(11), 11503–11514. [DOI]

  11. He, F., Lopez-Haro, M., Chen, T., Marini, C., Dou, X., Wang, Q.-M., Liu, L. “A Gold Catalyst Stabilized in an Open-Porosity TS-1 Zeolite for the Direct Epoxidation of Propylene.” Nat. Synth., 2026, 5(5), 761–774. [DOI]

  12. Liu, Q., Cheng, H., Wun, C. K. T., Chen, T., Lo, T. W. B., Wang, F. “Oxygen-Tolerant Photocatalytic Conversion of Simulated Flue Gas to Ethylene.” Chem, 2025, 11(5), 102391. [DOI]

  13. Lin, Y., Hou, Z., Yu, T., Lin, M., Fu, G., Chen, T., Li, L., Zhu, Z., Chen, X. “Skeleton Editing of Benzothiazoles to Spiro[Benzothiazole-n-Alkanes] by Carbon-to-Carbon Single-Atom Swapping.” J. Org. Chem., 2025, 90(11), 3877–3887. [DOI]

  14. Dou, X., Yan, T., Li, W., Zhu, C., Chen, T., Lo, B. T. W., Marini, C., Xiao, H., Liu, L. “Structure–Reactivity Relationship of Zeolite-Confined Rh Catalysts for Hydroformylation of Linear α-Olefins.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2025, 147(3), 2726–2736. [DOI]

  15. Li, Y., Li, X., Zhang, H., He, J., Su, K., Chen, T., Zhang, R., Xu, H., Wu, Y., Yang, W., Liu, L. “Tuning the Spatial Distribution and Chemical Nature of Acid Sites in MCM-22 Zeolite by Atomically Dispersed Lanthanum Species for Alkylation of 2-Methylnaphthalene.” ACS Catal., 2025, 15(2), 623–638. [DOI]

  16. Zhang, J., Ding, H., Hui, H., Yao, Q., Feng, W., Chen, T., Lo, T. W. B., Ren, Y., Ye, L., Yue, B., He, H. “Confined Cu Single Sites in ZSM-5 for Photocatalytic Hydroxylation of Benzene to Phenol.” Small, 2024, 20(49), 2405150. [DOI]

  17. Wun, C. K. T., Wang, Z., Kawaguchi, S., Kobayashi, S., Wu, T.-S., Chen, T., Lin, C., Tang, C. C., Yin, J., Lo, T. W. B. “Investigating Synergistic Cooperativity of Metal-Brønsted Acid Site Pair in MFI-Type Zeolites by Synchrotron X-Ray Powder Diffraction.” J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12(37), 25442–25448. [DOI]

  18. Feng, Y., Wang, H., Chen, T., Lopez-Haro, M., He, F., He, Z., Marini, C., Lo, T. W. B., Liu, L. “Water-Promoted Oxidative Coupling of Aromatics with Subnanometer Palladium Clusters Confined in Zeolites.” Nat. Commun., 2024, 15(1), 9373. [DOI]

  19. Huang, J., Fu, J., Yuan, B., Xia, H., Chen, T., Lang, Y., Liu, H., Ren, Z., Liang, Q., Liu, K., Guan, Z., Zou, G., Chandran, H. T., Lo, T. W. B., Lu, X., Lee, C.-S., Yip, H.-L., Peng, Y.-K., Li, G. “19.5% Inverted Organic Photovoltaic with Record Long-Lifetime via Multifunctional Interface Engineering Featuring Radical Scavenger.” Nat. Commun., 2024, 15(1), 10565. [DOI]

  20. Zhang, S., Zhao, C., Reyes, Y. I. A., Xiong, P., Chen, T., Cheng, T., Yi, X., Chou, S.-W., Chien, C.-Y., Yang, Y.-Y., Chen, J. L., Lo, T. W. B., Li, M. M. J., Chen, H. Y. T., Zheng, A., Peng, Y.-K. “Facile Gram-Scale Synthesis of Size-Tunable MgO Nanosheets Enclosed by (111) Surface with Remarkable Stability and Uniform Host Sites for Atom Dispersion.” Chem. Mater., 2024, 36(9), 4204–4214. [DOI]

  21. Liang, B., Cai, X., Liu, J. Y., Huang, J., Chen, Y., Deng, H., Zhou, Q., Chen, T., Chen, X., Zhu, Z. “Syntheses of 3H-1,2,4-Triazol-3-Ones by Copper-Promoted Oxidative N–N Bond Formation of Amidines with Isocyanates.” Org. Chem. Front., 2024, 11(2), 343–347. [DOI]

  22. Chen, X., Shi, J., Lin, Y., Li, Y., Jiang, S., Chen, T., Zhu, Z., Ma, A. “Direct Synthesis of N-Alkyl-2-Pyridones Using 2-Halogenated Pyridines.” Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2024, 27(6), e202301184. [DOI]

  23. Liang, B., Deng, H., Xu, S., Huang, J., Liu, J., Cai, X., Chen, T., Chen, X., Zhu, Z. “Base-Mediated Synthesis of 1,3-Diazaphenothiazines from 2-Methylbenzothiazoliums, Aryl Aldehydes and Amidines.” Adv. Synth. Catal., 2024, 366(1), 77–81. [DOI]

  24. Xu, S., Zhu, Z., Yang, Z., Mai, Z., Chen, T., Ma, A., Chen, X. “Ring-Opening-Recombination Strategy Based on 2-Methylbenzothiazole Salts: Syntheses of Thiazinopyrrole Fused-Ring Derivatives.” Adv. Synth. Catal., 2023, 365(22), 3819–3823. [DOI]

  25. Liu, H., Zhou, J., Chen, T., Hu, P., Xiong, C., Sun, Q., Chen, S., Lo, T. W. B., Ji, H. “Isolated Pt Species Anchored by Hierarchical-Like Heteroatomic Fe-Silicalite-1 Catalyze Propane Dehydrogenation near the Thermodynamic Limit.” ACS Catal., 2023, 13(5), 2928–2936. [DOI]

  26. Ying, B., Fitzpatrick, J. R., Teng, Z., Chen, T., Lo, T. W. B., Siozios, V., Murray, C. A., Brand, H. E. A., Day, S., Tang, C. C., Weatherup, R. S., Merz, M., Nagel, P., Schuppler, S., Winter, M., Kleiner, K. “Monitoring the Formation of Nickel-Poor and Nickel-Rich Oxide Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries with Synchrotron Radiation.” Chem. Mater., 2023, 35(4), 1514–1526. [DOI]

  27. Fan, Y., Xu, S., Cai, X., Hou, Z., Chen, T., Fu, G., Zhu, Z., Chen, X. “Bifunctionalization of Styrene through Ring-Opening-Recombination Strategy of Phenylpropathiazole Salt.” Org. Biomol. Chem., 2023, 21(37), 7593–7596. [DOI]

  28. Liu, Q., Cheng, H., Chen, T., Lo, T. W. B., Xiang, Z., Wang, F. “Regulating the *OCCHO Intermediate Pathway towards Highly Selective Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction to CH3CHO over Locally Crystallized Carbon Nitride.” Energy Environ. Sci., 2022, 15(1), 225–233. [DOI]

  29. Xie, Y., Ou, P., Wang, X., Xu, Z., Li, Y. C., Wang, Z., Huang, J. E., Wicks, J., McCallum, C., Wang, N., Wang, Y., Chen, T., Lo, B. T. W., Sinton, D., Yu, J. C., Wang, Y., Sargent, E. H. “High Carbon Utilization in CO2 Reduction to Multi-Carbon Products in Acidic Media.” Nat. Catal., 2022, 5(6), 564–570. [DOI]

  30. Liu, Q., Cheng, H., Chen, T., Lo, T. W. B., Ma, J., Ling, A., Wang, F. “Boosted CO Desorption Behaviors Induced by Spatial Dyadic Heterostructure in Polymeric Carbon Nitride for Efficient Photocatalytic CO2 Conversion.” Appl. Catal. B Environ., 2021, 295, 120289. [DOI]

  31. Xue, Q., Chan, K. H., Yim, C. K., Ng, B. K. Y., Chen, T., Day, S. J., Tang, C. C., Kawaguchi, S., Wong, K.-Y., Lo, T. W. B. “Guest-Anion-Induced Rotation-Restricted Emission in UiO-66-NH2 and Advanced Structure Elucidation.” Chem. Mater., 2021, 33(13), 5422–5429. [DOI]

  32. Duan, X., Chen, T., Chen, T., Huang, L., Ye, L., Lo, B. T. W., Yuan, Y., Tsang, S. C. E. “Intercalating Lithium into the Lattice of Silver Nanoparticles Boosts Catalytic Hydrogenation of Carbon–Oxygen Bonds.” Chem. Sci., 2021, 12(25), 8791–8802. [DOI]

  33. Liu, Q., Chen, T., Guo, Y., Zhang, Z., Fang, X. “Grafting Fe(III) Species on Carbon Nanodots/Fe-Doped g-C3N4 via Interfacial Charge Transfer Effect for Highly Improved Photocatalytic Performance.” Appl. Catal. B Environ., 2017, 205, 173–181. [DOI]

  34. Liu, Q., Chen, T., Guo, Y., Zhang, Z., Fang, X. “Ultrathin g-C3N4 Nanosheets Coupled with Carbon Nanodots as 2D/0D Composites for Efficient Photocatalytic H2 Evolution.” Appl. Catal. B Environ., 2016, 193, 248–258. [DOI]

  35. Guo, Y., Chen, T., Liu, Q., Zhang, Z., Fang, X. “Insight into the Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Potassium and Iodine Codoped Graphitic Carbon Nitride Photocatalysts.” J. Phys. Chem. C, 2016, 120(44), 25328–25337. [DOI]