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Staff Profile

Dr Xinwei Li

Assistant Professor

  • Email: xinwei.li@ncl.ac.uk
  • Telephone: +65 6908 6072
  • Address: 172A Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8
    #05-01 SIT at NYP
    Singapore 567739
Background

Dr. Xinwei Li is currently an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle University's Singapore campus. Before joining Newcastle University, he worked as a Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore (NUS), where he also completed his Ph.D. studies. His doctoral research centered around the topic of "Additively Manufactured Lightweight Steel Structures." Dr. Li's research interests revolve around materials physics, finite element analysis, and additive manufacturing. Presently, his research interest lies primarily in the design, modeling, mechanism studies, and 3D printing of functional lattice structures for mechanical and acoustics applications. On these subject areas, he has published > 40 peer-reviewed articles, including first-authored and corresponding author articles in top materials science journals such as Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, Advanced Science, Materials Horizons, Small, etc, with > 1300 citations and an h-index > 23. He is also currently an Assistant Managing Editor in Materials & Design (IF = 8.4).

Academic Qualifications

  • 2016 - 2020: Ph.D., Materials Science & Engineering, National Universal of Singapore
  • 2012 - 2016: Bachelor of Engineering (Honors, Distinction), Materials Science & Engineering, National Universal of Singapore

Professional Commitments

Achievements

  • Awarded the Singapore Ministry of Education RSB Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020-2023)
  • Awarded NUS Research Scholarship for Ph.D. studies (2016-2020)
  • Dean’s List, AY13/14 Semester 2 and AY14/15 Semester 2

Google Scholar

ResearchGate

LinkedIn

Research

With the advent of additive manufacturing (3D printing), lattice structures have emerged as an innovative category of advanced materials. Lattice structures are three-dimensional arrangements comprised of interconnected struts, shells, plates, or a combination thereof, forming a repeating pattern. These structures provide extensive design flexibility, allowing for tailored feature-pore morphology and interconnectivity, thus enabling precise customization of physical properties. My research interests lie with the design, modelling, materials physics, and 3D printing of functional lattice structures for various applications, including but not limited to, lightweight materials, energy absorption, and acoustics.

Theme 1: Lattice structures for sound absorption

The mitigation of noise, accomplished by means of absorption, holds utmost significance for the welfare of both individuals and mechanical systems. It is only recently that the acoustic properties of lattice structures are gaining popularity. I have devoted numerous efforts to the materials physics and performance studies of lattice structures for sound absorption. Utilizing fundamental structures, I have developed high-fidelity analytical models that can accurately predict the absorption coefficient curves of various lattice structures. Furthermore, I have applied these models to the design and structural optimization of heterogeneously architectured lattice structures, which exhibit a broader effective absorption bandwidth.

Representative publications in this theme are as follows:

Theme 2: Lattice structures as lightweight materials and energy absorbers

There is a significant demand for lattice structures that possess both exceptional strength and specific energy absorption, making them extremely valuable for a wide range of engineering applications. My research interests lie with exploring novel approaches in design and materials, as well as their synergistic combinations, to achieve these desirable properties. Thus far, I have worked on developing innovative design methods, including drawing inspiration from natural structures, employing finite element analysis (FEA) optimization techniques, optimizing elastic isotropy, and exploring novel 3D printable materials such as reinforced composite feedstock materials and newly processed printable ductile metals.

Representative publications in this theme are as follows:

  • X. Li, Y.H. Tan, H.J. Willy, P. Wang, W. Lu, M. Cagirici, C.Y.A. Ong, T.S. Herng, J. Wei, J. Ding, Heterogeneously tempered martensitic high strength steel by selective laser melting and its micro-lattice: Processing, microstructure, superior performance and mechanisms, Materials & Design 178 (2019) 107881.
  • P. Wang*,1, X. Li,1, Y. Jiang, M.L.S. Nai, J. Ding, J. Wei, Electron beam melted heterogeneously porous microlattices for metallic bone applications: design and investigations of boundary and edge effects, Additive Manufacturing (2020) 101566.
  • M. Zhao, X. Li, D.Z. Zhang, W. Zhai*, Geometry effect on mechanical properties and elastic isotropy optimization of bamboo-inspired lattice structures, Additive Manufacturing (2023) 103438.

Theme 3: 3D printed tough composites

Materials are bounded by the tradeoff between strength and toughness under compression deformation. Till this end, I have worked on polymer-infilled lattice structures, otherwise known as interpenetrating phase composites, which display the potential to overcome this. Apart from this, I have also worked on composites developed directly through multimaterial 3D printing.

Representative publications in this theme are as follows:

  • X. Li, Y.H. Tan, P. Wang*, X. Su, H.J. Willy, T.S. Herng, J. Ding*, Metallic microlattice and epoxy interpenetrating phase composites: Experimental and simulation studies on superior mechanical properties and their mechanisms, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing (2020) 105934.
  • X. Li, M. Kim, W. Zhai*, Ceramic microlattice and epoxy interpenetrating phase composites with simultaneous high specific strength and specific energy absorption, Materials & Design (2022) 111206.

Theme 4: Novel 3D printing technologies

I am interested in developing novel 3D printing technologies. Till date, I have worked on and modified a digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer equipped with ultrasonic field direct-self assembly capabilities. Using this modified DLP technique, I have come up with a new type of discontinuous particle composite, where the composite displays a similar strength, but elongated plateau stress, as compared to its pure bulk matrix material. Representative publications in this theme are as follows:

  • X. Li, K.M. Lim*, W. Zhai*, A novel class of bioinspired composite via ultrasound-assisted directed self-assembly digital light 3D printing, Applied Materials Today 26 (2022) 101388.

Book Chapter

X. Li, W. Zhai, Additive Manufacturing of Lattice Structures, in: Y. Yu, S. Zhang (Eds.), Materials in Advanced Manufacturing, CRC Press, Florida, 2022.


Full list of articles: Google Scholar

Do feel free to reach out to me for discussions or collaborations.

Teaching

Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineering (NU-SIT Joint Degree Program)

  • MME1271 Fundamentals of Thermofluids
  • MME1262 Materials for Sustainable Design and Manufacturing
  • MME2211 Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation
  • MME2261 Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies
  • MME3001 Integrated Work Study Programme
  • MME3191 Capstone Project
Publications