Lei XU Research Group

2021
"Achieving adjustable elasticity with non-affine to affine transition", X. Shen, C. Fang, Z. Jin, H. Tong, S. Tang, H. Shen, N. Xu, J. H. Y. Lo, X. Xu and L. Xu, Nature Materials, 20, 1635–1642, 2021. [PDF]

"The role of drop shape in impact and splash", Q. Liu, J. H. Y. Lo, Y. Li, Y. Liu, J. Zhao, and L. Xu, Nature Communications, Volumn 12, 3068, 2021. [PDF]

"Fast crystal growth at ultra-low temperatures", Q. Gao, Ji. Ai, S. Tang, M. Li, Y. Chen, J. Huang, H. Tong, L. Xu, L. Xu, H. Tanaka, P. Tan, Nature Materials, 20, 1431–1439, 2021. [PDF]

2019
"Diffusion-Dominated Pinch-Off of Ultralow Surface Tension Fluids", H. Y. Lo, Y. Liu, S. Y. Mak, Z. Xu, Y. Chao, K. J. Li, H. C. Shum, and L. Xu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 134501, 2019. [PDF]

"A universal state and its relaxation mechanisms of long-range interacting polygons", H. Shen, H. Tong, P. Tan and L. Xu, Nature Communications 10, 1737, 2019. [PDF]

"Application of Microfluidics in Wearable Devices", G. Chen, J. Zheng, L. Liu, and L. Xu, Small method Volumn 3,1900688, 2019. [PDF]

"Drop expansion driven by bubbling on microscale patterned substrates under low air pressure", J. Zheng, J. Li, Y. Huang, S. Wang, G. Chen, L. Xu, Chemical Engineering Journal Volume 391, 123547, 2019. [PDF]

2018
"A sudden-melting event during water freezinginside a copper well", W. Xu, RSC Adv. 8, 35257, 2018. [PDF]

"Emergence of Droplets at the Nonequilibrium All-Aqueous Interface in a Vertical Hele-Shaw Cell", Y. Chao, S. Y. Mak, Q. Ma, J. Wu, Z. Ding, L. Xu, H. C. Shum, Langmuir 34, 3030−3036, 2018. [PDF]

2017
"Mechanism of Contact between a Droplet and an Atomically Smooth Substrate", H. Y. Lo, Y. Liu and L. Xu, Phys. Rev. X. 7, 021036, 2017. [PDF]

2016
"Probing the Role of Mobility in the Collective Motion of Nonequilibrium Systems", H. Shen, P. Tan and L. Xu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 048302, 2016. [PDF-Main], [PDF-SI].

2015
"Superhydrophobic-like tunable droplet bouncing on slippery liquid interfaces", Chonglei Hao, Jing Li, Yuan Liu, Xiaofeng Zhou, Yahua Liu, Rong Liu, Lufeng Che, Wenzhong Zhou, Dong Sun, Lawrence Li, Lei Xu and Zuankai Wang, Nature Communications 6, 7986, 2015. [PDF]

"Kelvin–Helmholtz instability in an ultrathin air film causes drop splashing on smooth surfaces", Y. Liu, P. Tan and L. Xu, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (PNAS) 112, 3280-3284, 2015. [PDF]

2014
"Visualizing kinetic pathways of homogeneous nucleation in colloidal crystallization", P. Tan, N. Xu and L. Xu, Nature Physics 10, 73-79, 2014. [PDF-Main] , [PDF-SI].

2013
"Coalescence of Pickering Emulsion Droplets Induced by an Electric Field", G. Chen, P. Tan, S. Chen, J. Huang, W. Wen and L. Xu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 064502, 2013. [PDF]

"Eliminating cracking during drying", Q. Jin, P. Tan, A. Schofield and L. Xu, Eur. Phys. J. E 36, 28, 2013. [PDF]

"Compressible Air Entrapment in High-Speed Drop Impacts on Solid Surfaces", Y. Liu, P. Tan and L. Xu, J. Fluid Mech. 716, R9, 2013. [PDF]

2012
"Understanding the low-frequency quasilocalized modes in disordered colloidal systems", P. Tan, N. Xu, A. Schofield and L. Xu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 095501, 2012. [PDF]

2011
"Hierarchical Porous Materials Made by Drying Complex Suspensions", A. R. Studart, J. Studer, L. Xu, K. Yoon, H. Shum, and D. A. Weitz, Langmuir 27, 955–964, 2011. [PDF]

2010
"Drying of complex suspensions", L. Xu, A. Berges, P. Lu, A. Studart, H. Oki, A. Schofield, S. Davis and D. Weitz, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 128303, 2010. [PDF]

"Instability development of a viscous liquid drop impacting a smooth substrate", L. Xu, Phys. Rev. E 82, 025303(R), 2010. [PDF]

2008
"Dynamics of drying in 3D porous media", L. Xu, S. Davis, A. Schofield and D. Weitz, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 094502, 2008. [PDF]

"Towards the zero-surface-tension limit in the granular fingering instability", X. Cheng, L. Xu, A. Patterson, H. M. Jaeger and S. R. Nagel, Nature Physics 4, 234-238, 2008. [PDF]

2007
"Splashing of liquids: Interplay of surface roughness with surrounding gas", L. Xu, L.Barcos and S. R. Nagel, Phys. Rev. E 76, 066311, 2007. [PDF]

"Liquid drop splashing on smooth, rough, and textured surfaces", L. Xu, Phys. Rev. E 75, 056316, 2007. [PDF]

2005
"Drop Splashing on a Dry Smooth Surface", L. Xu, W. W. Zhang and S. R. Nagel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 184505, 2005. [PDF]

Press:

Our paper "Probing the Role of Mobility in the Collective Motion of Nonequilibrium Systems" was selected as "Editors' Suggestion" in Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 048302, 2016.

Our paper "Visualizing kinetic pathways of homogeneous nucleation in colloidal crystallization" was reported in the "news and views" in Nature Physics 10, 12-13, 2014.

Our research on drop splashing was chosen as one of the twenty-five "Top Physics Stories for 2005", by American Institute of Physics.
It was also reported in the popular and scientific press, including:
New York Times, April 5, 2005
Nature 435, 1168, 2005
Science 308, 190, 2005
News@Nature.com, Feb. 7, 2005
Scientific American 292, #6, 36, 2005
Science News 167, 99, 2005
Discover 26 #7, 11, 2005
Physics Web, Feb. 1, 2005
Financial Times Deutschland (Financial Times of Germany), April 12, 2005
Chicago Sun-Times, May 4, 2005.