Publications

Mechanochemical nano-writing of an atomically thin metal

Zhang, S., Jia, Y., Samanta, A., Bao, Y., Guan, H., Zheng, Z. J., Cheng, G., Liu, T., Qu, C., Watanabe, K., Taniguchi, T., Yao, N., Martini, A., Schoop, L., Rappe, A. M., Wu, S.* and Carpick, R. W.*

Physical Review X (2026)

Highlighted by Penn Engineering News.

Graphene capsule engineering for ultrasensitive Raman detection through uniform nanogap control

Han, F., Ren, Q., Fang, J., Zhang, S.* and Zhao, P.*

Carbon, 258, 121853 (2026)

Nonmonotonic Angle-Dependent Friction on Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Zhu, M., Wang, S., Xu, H., Zhang, S.*, Ouyang, W.* and Li, Q.*

Nano Letters, 26(11), 3948–3955 (2026)

Unusual Thickness-Dependent Friction on CuInP₂S₆ Originating from Work-Function Regulation

Chen, Z., Song, A.*, Zhang, S.*, Wang, L., Ma, T., Feng, X.-Q. and Li, Q.*

Physical Review Letters, 135, 036202 (2025)

Probing Fracture Mechanics of Graphene through Heterocrack Propagation in a Moiré Superlattice

Hou, Y., Zhou, J., He, Z., Zhang, S., Li, Q., Gao, H. and Lu, Y.

Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 200, 106151 (2025)

WS₂ ribbon arrays with defined chirality and coherent polarity

Xue, G., Zhou, Z., Guo, Q., Zuo, Y., Wei, W., Yang, J., Yin, P., Zhang, S., Zhong, D., You, Y., Sui, X., Liu, C., Wu, M., Hong, H., Wang, Z., Gao, P., Li, Q., Zhang, L., Yu, D., Ding, F.*, Wei, Z.*, Liu, C.* and Liu, K.*

Science, 384, 1100–1104 (2024)

Evolution of the flat band and the role of lattice relaxations in twisted bilayer graphene

Li, Q., Zhang, H., Wang, Y., Chen, W., Bao, C., Liu, Q., Lin, T., Zhang, S., Zhang, H., Watanabe, K., Taniguchi, T., Avila, J., Dudin, P., Li, Q., Yu, P., Duan, W., Song, Z. and Zhou, S.*

Nature Materials, 23, 1070–1076 (2024)

“Stick–slip” fluctuations in local electrical conductivity maps on graphite surfaces: A revisit

Wang, H., Zhang, S. and Li, Q.*

Applied Surface Science, 675, 160888 (2024)

Deducing the internal interfaces of twisted multilayer graphene via moiré-regulated surface conductivity

Wang, H.†, Wang, S.†, Zhang, S.*, Zhu, M., Ouyang, W.* and Li, Q.*

National Science Review, 10(8), nwad175 (2023)

Highlighted by National Science Review and Tsinghua News.

Revealing the interlayer orientations for bilayer graphene grown on hexagonal boron nitride by c-AFM measurement

Chen, L.*, Jiang, C., Zhang, S., Chen, C., Wang, D., Wang, H., Wang, X., Li, Q. and Wang, H.*

Carbon, 213, 118271 (2023)

Modularized batch production of 12-inch transition metal dichalcogenides by local element supply

Xue, G., Sui, X., Yin, P., Zhou, Z., Li, X., Cheng, Y., Guo, Q., Zhang, S., Wen, Y., Zuo, Y., Zhao, C., Wu, M., Gao, P., Li, Q., He, J., Wang, E., Zhang, G., Liu, C.* and Liu, K.*

Science Bulletin, 68(14), 1514–1521 (2023)

Domino-like stacking order switching in twisted monolayer–multilayer graphene

Zhang, S.†, Xu, Q.†, Hou, Y.†, Song, A.†, Ma, Y., Gao, L., Zhu, M., Ma, T.*, Liu, L., Feng, X.-Q.* and Li, Q.*

Nature Materials, 21, 621–626 (2022)

Highlighted in Nature Materials and Tsinghua News.

Dual-scale stick-slip friction on graphene/h-BN superlattice structure

Zhang, S., Yao, Q., Chen, L., Ma, T., Wang, H.*, Feng, X.-Q. and Li, Q.*

Physical Review Letters, 128, 226101 (2022)

Highlighted in Tsinghua News.

Abnormal anti-oxidation behavior of hexagonal boron nitride grown on copper

Wang, L.†*, Qi, J.†, Zhang, S.†, Ding, M., Wei, W., Wang, J., Zhang, Z., Qiao, R., Zhang, Z., Li, Z., Liu, K., Fu, Y., Hong, H., Liu, C., Wu, M., Wang, W., He, J., Cui, Y., Li, Q.*, Bai, X.* and Liu, K.*

Nano Research, 15, 7577–7583 (2022)

Continuous epitaxy of single-crystal graphite films by isothermal carbon diffusion through nickel

Zhang, Z., Ding, M., Cheng, T., Qiao, R., Zhao, M., Luo, M., Wang, E., Sun, Y., Zhang, S., Li, X., Zhang, Z., Mao, H., Liu, F., Fu, Y., Liu, K., Zou, D., Liu, C., Wu, M., Fan, C., Zhu, Q., Wang, X., Gao, P., Li, Q., Liu, K., Zhang, Y., Bai, X., Yu, D.*, Ding, F.*, Wang, E.* and Liu, K.*

Nature Nanotechnology, 17, 1258–1264 (2022)

Revisiting frictional characteristics of graphene: Effect of in-plane straining

Xu, C.*, Zhang, S., Du, H., Xue, T., Kang, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhao, P. and Li, Q.*

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 14(36), 41571–41576 (2022)

The Origin of Moiré-Level Stick-Slip Behavior on Graphene/h-BN Heterostructures

Huang, K., Qin, H., Zhang, S., Li, Q., Ouyang, W.* and Liu, Y.*

Advanced Functional Materials, 2204209 (2022)

Visualizing the Anomalous Catalysis in Two-Dimensional Confined Space

Wang, Z.-J., Liang, Z., Kong, X., Zhang, X., Qiao, R., Wang, J., Zhang, S., Zhang, Z., Xue, C., Cui, G., Zhang, Z., Zou, D., Liu, Z., Li, Q., Wei, W., Zhou, X., Tang, Z., Yu, D., Wang, E., Liu, K.*, Ding, F.* and Xu, X.*

Nano Letters, 22(12), 4661–4668 (2022)

Dual-coupling-guided epitaxial growth of wafer-scale single-crystal WS₂ monolayer on vicinal a-plane sapphire

Wang, J., Xu, X., Cheng, T., Gu, L., Qiao, R., Liang, Z., Ding, D., Hong, H., Zheng, P., Zhang, Z., Zhang, Z., Zhang, S., Cui, G., Chang, C., Huang, C., Qi, J., Liang, J., Liu, C., Zuo, Y., Xue, G., Fang, X., Tian, J., Wu, M., Guo, Y., Yao, Z., Jiao, Q., Liu, L., Gao, P., Li, Q., Yang, R., Zhang, G., Tang, Z., Yu, D., Wang, E., Lu, J., Zhao, Y.*, Wu, S.*, Ding, F.* and Liu, K.*

Nature Nanotechnology, 17, 33–38 (2022)

Evaluation local strain of twisted bilayer graphene via moiré pattern

Hou, Y., Zhang, S., Li, Q., Liu, L.*, Wu, X. and Zhang, Z.*

Optics and Lasers in Engineering, 152, 106946 (2022)

Mechanical Behavior of Blisters Spontaneously Formed by Multilayer 2D Materials

Wang, W., Ma, X., Dai, Z., Zhang, S., Hou, Y., Wang, G., Li, Q., Zhang, Z.*, Wei, Y.* and Liu, L.*

Advanced Materials Interfaces, 2101939 (2022)

Elastocapillary cleaning of twisted bilayer graphene interfaces

Hou, Y.†, Dai, Z.†, Zhang, S.†, Feng, S., Wang, G., Weng, C., Li, Y., Xu, Z., Liu, L.*, Li, Q.* and Zhang, Z.*

Nature Communications, 12, 5069 (2021)

Tuning frictional properties of molecularly thin erucamide films through controlled self-assembling

Di, Y., Zhang, S., Feng, X.-Q. and Li, Q.*

Acta Mechanica Sinica, 37, 1041–1049 (2021)

Featured as a Cover Story.

Sequential growth and twisted stacking of chemical-vapor-deposited graphene

Liu, J., Zhang, X., Zhang, S., Zou, Z., Zhang, Z., Wu, Z., Xia, Y., Li, Q., Zhao, P. and Wang, H.

Nanoscale Advances, 3, 983 (2021)

Abnormal conductivity in low-angle twisted bilayer graphene

Zhang, S.†, Song, A.†, Chen, L.†, Jiang, C., Chen, C., Gao, L.*, Hou, Y., Liu, L., Ma, T., Wang, H.*, Feng, X.-Q. and Li, Q.*

Science Advances, 6(47), eabc5555 (2020)

Highlighted in Phys.org and Tsinghua News.

Length scale effect in frictional aging of silica contacts

Li, S., Zhang, S., Chen, Z., Feng, X.-Q. and Li, Q.*

Physical Review Letters, 125, 215502 (2020)

Highlighted in Tsinghua News.

Preparation of Twisted Bilayer Graphene via Wetting Transfer Method

Hou, Y., Ren, X., Fan, J., Wang, G., Dai, Z., Jin, C., Wang, W., Zhu, Y., Zhang, S., Liu, L.* and Zhang, Z.*

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 12(36), 40958–40967 (2020)

Wrinkle networks in exfoliated multilayer graphene and other layered materials

Meng, L., Li, Y., Liu, T., Zhu, C., Li, Q., Chen, X., Zhang, S., Zhang, X., Bao, L., Huang, Y.*, Xu, F.* and Ruoff, R. S.*

Carbon, 156, 24–30 (2020)

Metal Nanoparticle Harvesting by Continuous Rotating Electrodeposition and Separation

Huang, Y., Yang, C., Lang, J., Zhang, S., Feng, S., Schaefer, L.-A., Carney, T. J., Mu, J., Lin, S., Zhou, Y., Long, Y., Kong, D., Li, Q., Li, X. and Wu, H.

Matter, 3(4), 1294–1307 (2020)

Tuning friction to a superlubric state via in-plane straining

Zhang, S.†, Hou, Y.†, Li, S.†, Liu, L., Zhang, Z., Feng, X.-Q. and Li, Q.*

PNAS, 116(49), 24452–24456 (2019)

Highlighted in a PNAS commentary and Tsinghua News.

Tribology of two-dimensional materials: From mechanisms to modulating strategies

Zhang, S., Ma, T., Erdemir, A. and Li, Q.*

Materials Today, 26, 67–86 (2019)

Highlighted in Tsinghua News.

Epitaxial growth of a 100-square-centimetre single-crystal hexagonal boron nitride monolayer on copper

Wang, L., Xu, X., Zhang, L., Qiao, R., Wu, M., Wang, Z., Zhang, S., Liang, J., Zhang, Z., Zhang, Z., Chen, W., Xie, X., Zong, J., Shan, Y., Guo, Y., Willinger, M., Wu, H., Li, Q., Wang, W., Gao, P., Wu, S., Zhang, Y., Jiang, Y., Yu, D., Wang, E., Bai, X.*, Wang, Z.-J.*, Ding, F.* and Liu, K.*

Nature, 570, 91–95 (2019)

Mechanical responses of boron-doped monolayer graphene

Dai, Z., Wang, G., Zheng, Z., Wang, Y., Zhang, S., Qi, X., Tan, P., Liu, L.*, Xu, Z., Li, Q., Cheng, Z.* and Zhang, Z.*

Carbon, 147, 594–601 (2019)

Impacts of the substrate stiffness on the anti-wear performance of graphene

Yao, Q., Qi, Y., Zhang, J., Zhang, S., Zhao, P., Wang, H., Feng, X.-Q. and Li, Q.*

AIP Advances, 9, 075317 (2019)

Tuning local electrical conductivity via fine atomic-scale structures of two-dimensional interfaces

Zhang, S.†, Gao, L.†, Song, A., Zheng, X., Yao, Q., Ma, T.*, Di, Z., Feng, X.-Q. and Li, Q.*

Nano Letters, 18(9), 6030–6036 (2018)

Oxide-assisted growth of scalable single-crystalline graphene with seamlessly stitched millimeter-sized domains on commercial copper foils

Wang, Y., Cheng, Y., Wang, Y., Zhang, S., Zhang, X., Yin, S., Wang, M., Xi, Y., Li, Q., Zhao, P.* and Wang, H.*

RSC Advances, 8, 8800–8804 (2018)

Ice Melting to Release Reactants in Solution Syntheses

Wei, H., Huang, K., Zhang, L., Ge, B.*, Wang, D., Lang, J., Ma, J., Wang, D., Zhang, S., Li, Q., Zhang, R., Hussain, N., Lei, M., Liu, L.* and Wu, H.*

Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 57, 3354–3359 (2018)

Anti-wear performance of monolayer MoS₂ modulated by residual straining

Huang, Y., Yao, Q., Lu, Z., Jiao, L., Zhang, S., Li, Q.* and Meng, Y.*

ACS Applied Nano Materials, 1(12), 7092–7097 (2018)

Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of Graphene Domains across the Cu Grain Boundaries

Wang, Y., Cheng, Y., Wang, Y., Zhang, S., Xu, C., Zhang, X., Wang, M., Xia, Y., Li, Q., Zhao, P.* and Wang, H.*

Nano, 13(8), 1850088 (2018)

Scalable synthesis of two-dimensional Si nanosheets

Lang, J.†, Ding, B.†, Zhang, S.†, Su, H., Ge, B., Qi, L., Gao, H., Li, X.*, Li, Q.* and Wu, H.*

Advanced Materials, 29(31), 1701777 (2017)

Lateral force modulation by moiré superlattice structure: Surfing on periodically undulated graphene sheets

Liu, J., Zhang, S., Li, Q.*, Feng, X.-Q., Di, Z., Ye, C. and Dong, Y.*

Carbon, 125, 76–83 (2017)

Friction of two-dimensional materials at the nanoscale: Behavior and mechanisms (in Chinese, invited review)

Li, Q.*, Zhang, S., Qi, Y., Yao, Q. and Huang, Y.

Chinese Journal of Solid Mechanics, 38(3), 189–214 (2017)

Iced Photochemical Reduction to Synthesize Atomically Dispersed Metals by Suppressing Nanocrystal Growth

Wei, H., Huang, K., Wang, D., Zhang, R., Ge, B.*, Ma, J., Wen, B., Zhang, S., Li, Q., Lei, M., Zhang, C., Irawan, J., Liu, L.-M.* and Wu, H.*

Nature Communications, 8, 1490 (2017)

Moiré superlattice-level stick-slip instability originated from geometrically corrugated graphene on a strongly interacting substrate

Shi, R., Gao, L., Lu, H., Li, Q.*, Ma, T.-B.*, Guo, H., Du, S., Feng, X.-Q., Zhang, S., Liu, Y., Cheng, P., Hu, Y.-Z., Gao, H. and Luo, J.*

2D Materials, 4(2), 025079 (2017)