Peizhou Li | Mechanics of Functional and Smart Structures | Research Excellence Award

Published on by Mechanics Awards

Prof. Dr. Peizhou Li | Mechanics of Functional and Smart Structures | Research Excellence Award

Professor at Shandong University | China

Professor Dr. Peizhou Li, a leading materials chemist at Shandong University, has made outstanding and sustained contributions to the design, synthesis, and application of functional porous materials, especially covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). His research advances critical frontiers in photocatalysis, CO₂ photoreduction, H₂O₂ generation, proton-conductive materials, pollutant removal, and energy conversion technologies. With an exceptional publication record in high-impact journals such as Advanced Materials, JACS, Angewandte Chemie, Nature Communications, ACS Nano, and ACS Catalysis, he has significantly influenced modern materials science. His pioneering work in integrating photoactive units, creating robust frameworks, regulating pore microenvironments, and enhancing catalytic selectivity showcases both scientific creativity and technological relevance. Professor Li’s cross-disciplinary achievements, international research experience, and leadership in porous material innovations make him a highly deserving candidate for the Research Excellence Award.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications:

Integrating multifunctionalities into a 3D covalent organic framework for efficient CO₂ photoreduction. (2025). Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Metalized porphyrin-based COFs for conductive porous layers in perovskite solar cells to enhance electron injection, defect passivation, and lead-protection. (2025). Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Donor-Acceptor-π-Acceptor-Donor-type photosensitive covalent organic framework for effective photocatalytic aerobic oxidation. (2025). Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Integrating two photochromics into one three-dimensional covalent organic framework for synergistically enhancing multiple photocatalytic oxidations. (2025). Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Facile construction of fluorine-free hydrophobic cotton fabrics by thiol-ene click reaction for oil-water separation. (2025). Progress in Organic Coatings.

Thomas Gibaud | Mechanics of Functional and Smart Structures | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Mechanics Awards

Dr. Thomas Gibaud | Mechanics of Functional and Smart Structures | Best Researcher Award

Research Director at Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique | France

Dr. Thomas Gibaud is a physicist specializing in soft condensed matter, with a research focus on the self-assembly, dynamics, and mechanical properties of complex colloidal and biomimetic systems. He completed his physics education in France, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Université du Mans and a Master’s degree from Université Pierre et Marie Curie, followed by the national teaching qualification Agrégation de Sciences Physiques. He received his Ph.D. in 2008 from the Université de Fribourg under Peter Schurtenberger and Anna Stradner, where he explored the interplay between phase separation and the glass transition in protein suspensions. After postdoctoral work at ENS de Lyon and Brandeis University, where he investigated yielding in gels and phage-based self-assembly, he joined CNRS as a researcher in 2012. He earned his Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches in 2018 and became Directeur de Recherche at ENS de Lyon in 2025. Dr. Thomas Gibaud has authored 53 peer-reviewed publications, including work in Nature, PNAS, Science Advances, and PRX, and currently holds an h-index of 24. His research combines rheology, scattering, ultrasound, and advanced microscopy to design and probe innovative soft materials. He is also deeply committed to scientific service, mentoring, and community-building within the soft-matter field.

Profile:  Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications:

Gibaud, T., Barry, E., Zakhary, M. J., Henglin, M., Ward, A., Yang, Y., Berciu, C., … (2012). Reconfigurable self-assembly through chiral control of interfacial tension. Nature, 481, 348.

Cardinaux, F., Gibaud, T., Stradner, A., & Schurtenberger, P. (2007). Interplay between spinodal decomposition and glass formation in proteins exhibiting short-range attractions. Physical Review Letters, 99(11), 118301.

Gibaud, T., Frelat, D., & Manneville, S. (2010). Heterogeneous yielding dynamics in a colloidal gel. Soft Matter, 6(15), 3482–3488.

Gogelein, C., Nagele, G., Tuinier, R., Gibaud, T., Stradner, A., & Schurtenberger, P. (2008). A simple patchy colloid model for the phase behavior of lysozyme dispersions. Journal of Chemical Physics, 8, 085102.

Gibaud, T., & Schurtenberger, P. (2009). A closer look at arrested spinodal decomposition in protein solutions. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 21(32), 322201.