Xia Liao is currently a full professor of the College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University. She is the associate director of International Polymer Foaming Research Center of Sichuan University-University of Toronto, and Polymer Foam and Porous Materials Committee, SAMPE-Chinese Mainland. She got Ph.D. degree from Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Science in 2003. She was awarded Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Fellowship to be a postdoctoral fellow of National Research Council of Canada in Jan. 2004. After the Postdoc research at University of Toronto, she joined Sichuan University. Professor Liao has more than 110 research journal papers as first author/corresponding author, 29 issued patents as first inventor in the field of polymer foam processing and characterization, the changes of physical and chemical properties of polymer with the treatment of scCO₂, and processing-structure-property relationships of polymer foam.

Our research group focuses on the fundamental scientific issues of polymer processing and has long been committed to develop new lightweight, high-strength, heat-resistant and functional microcellular polymer foam materials.

1) The morphology, structure and performance of polymer in supercritical fluids

2) High performance microcellular polymer blends, nanocomposites and new biodegradable foam materials prepared by supercritical fluid technology

3) Development of flexible, conductive, electromagnetic shielding, heat conduction, thermal insulation, wave absorption, low dielectric and other functionalized foam materials

Study on the relationship between structure and properties of polymer foam and its failure mechanism

1. Yishen Zhao , Xiaohan Wang , Shaozhe Shi , Bo Wang , Guangxian Li , Xia Liao*. Hierarchical microstructure changes of oriented poly(vinylidene fluoride) foam via supercritical carbon dioxide with increased piezoelectric performance. Polymer, 2024, 308, 127403.

2. Genshi Liu, Yishen Zhao, Meijiang Lin, Lei Zhang, Guangxian Li, and Xia Liao*. Preparation of controllable and repeatable crystalline states through step-by-step self-Nucleation programming and its application for improving the PTC reproducibility of trans-1,4-polyisoprene/carbon black composites. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2024, 63, 9800–9810.

3. Shaowei Xing, Cuifang Lv, Meijiang Lin, Yao Wang, Fangfang Zou, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. A flexible superhydrophobic thermoplastic polyurethane porous surface with good self-cleaning function prepared by supercritical CO₂ foaming. J. Supercrit. Fluids, 2024, 210, 106294.

4. Weiqiang Han, Xia Liao*. Simultaneous thermodynamic favorable compatibility and morphology to achieve balanced physical properties and biodegradability in bio-PEF/PGA/PCL blends. ACS Appl. Polym. Mater., 2024, 6, 5844−5855.

5. Yishen Zhao, Bo Wang, Shulong Zeng, Shaozhe Shi, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. β-phase formation of poly(vinylidene fluoride) foam based on the porous morphology control via supercritical carbon dioxide. Sus. Mater. Techno., 2024, 40, e00987.

6. Wanyu Tang, Shaozhe Shi, Bo Wang, Patrick C. Lee*, Nathan R.S. Chang, Yong Luo, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Constructing structure-gradient silicone rubber/CNTs foam with desirable resilience and strength via green supercritical CO₂ foaming of non-equilibrium gas concentration profiles. Sus. Mater. Techno., 2024, 40, e00943.

7. Yao Wang, Fangfang Zou, Meijiang Lin, Shaowei Xing, Qianyun Peng, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Bio-based poly(lactic acid) foams with enhanced mechanical and heat-resistant properties obtained by facilitating stereocomplex crystallization with addition of D-sorbitol. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 2024, 265, 130902.

8. Cuifang Lv, Suilin Liu, Shaowei Xing, Fangfang Zou, Wanyu Tang, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Clean and effective construction of SLIPS from porous polymer surface prepared by supercritical CO₂ foaming technology. J. Clean. Prod., 2024, 446, 141398.

9. Zuoze Fan, Wanyu Tang, Lei Zhang, Fangfang Zou, Shaozhe Shi, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Porous structures design in liquid silicone rubber foams through CO₂ controlled molecular crosslinking. J. Supercrit. Fluids, 2024, 207, 106212.

10. Shaozhe Shi, Wanyu Tang, Yishen Zhao, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Optimization and regulation of alcohol-based co-foaming agents on foaming behavior of ultra-low dielectric constant polyarylene ether nitrile foam in supercritical CO₂. Appl. Mater. Today, 2024, 37, 102107.

11. Meijiang Lin, Yao Wang, Shaowei Xing, Cuifang Lv, Zuoze Fan, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. A new strategy to fabricate polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foam with low thermal conductivity using PVA-citric acid solution in supercritical carbon dioxide. Eur. Polym. J., 2024, 208, 112869.

12. Wanyu Tang, Suilin Liu, Xiaohan Wang, Bo Wang, Fangfang Zou, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Improved electromagnetic interference shielding performance of silicone rubber/CNTs composites by porous structure design via green supercritical CO₂ foaming. Compos. Commun., 2024, 46, 101808.

13. Yaguang Yang, Fangfang Zou, Cuifang Lv, Zuoze Fan, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Super thermal-insulation PS/PMMA/CNTs composite foams with shape recovery property formed by the synergy of ultrasound and H₂O in scCO₂ foaming. Compos. Sci. Technol., 2024, 245, 110343.

14. Xiaohan Wang, Fangfang Zou, Yishen Zhao, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Electromagnetic interference shielding composites and the foams with gradient structure obtained by selective distribution of MWCNTs into hard domains of thermoplastic polyurethane. Compos. Part A-Appl. S., 2024, 176, 107861.

15. Bo Wang, Wanyu Tang, Fangfang Zou, Suilin Liu, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Foaming behavior regulation of silicone rubber via evolution of crosslinked structure. Sustain. Mater. Techno., 2023, 38, e00764.

16. Qianyun Peng, Shaojie Li, Feng Liu, Fangfang Zou, Weiqiang Han, Yishen Zhao, Guangxian Li, Xia Liao*. Effect of carbon dioxide on lamellar arrangement in poly(lactic acid) ring band spherulites. J. Polym. Sci., 2023; 61: 3118-3127.

17. Cuifang Lv, Xia Liao*, Fangfang Zou, Wanyu Tang, Yaguang Yang, Shaowei Xing, Guangxian Li. Green and effective fabrication of porous surfaces with adjustable cell structure by foaming at incomplete healed polymer-polymer interface. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2023, 645, 743-751.

18. Fangfang Zou, Xia Liao*, Cuifang Lv, Fumin Guo, Shaozhe Shi, Xiaohan Wang, Guangxian Li. Supercritical carbon dioxide assisted phase coarsening of double-percolated polycaprolactone/polystyrene/multi-wall carbon nanotube composites for improved electrical performance and electromagnetic interference shielding. J. Supercrit. Fluids, 2023, 199, 105961.

19. Yao Wang, Fumin Guo, Xia Liao*, Shaojie Li, Zhihui Yan, Fangfang Zou, Qianyun Peng, Guangxian Li. High-expansion-ratio PLLA/PDLA/HNT composite foams with good thermally insulating property and enhanced compression performance via supercritical CO₂. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 2023, 236, 123961.

20. Yaguang Yang, Xia Liao*, Cuifang Lv, Bo Wang, Fangfang Zou, Guangxian Li. Ultrasound and H₂O assisted scCO₂ foaming technology for preparation of PS/PMMA composite foams with ultra-lightweight and super thermal-insulation. Composites Part A, 2023,169, 107527.

21. Qianyun Peng, Shaojie Li, Feng Liu, Xia Liao*, Guangxian Li. Effect of CO₂ on the crystallization of poly(lactic acid) homo-crystallites via influencing the crystal structure of stereocomplex crystallites. Cryst. Eng. Comm., 2023, 25, 473.

22. Fangfang Zou, Xia Liao*, Pengwei Song, Shaozhe Shi, Jia Chen, Xiaohan Wang, Guangxian Li. Enhancement of electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding performance via supercritical CO₂ induced phase coarsening for double percolated polymer blends. Nano Res., 2023, 16, 613-623.

23. Weiqiang Han, Xia Liao*. Degradation of biobased poly(ethylene2,5-furandicarboxylate) and polyglycolide acid blends under lipase conditions. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2023, 140: 53698.

24. Weiqiang Han, Xia Liao*. Specific interchain interactions of poly(ethylene2,5-furandicarboxylate) with polyglycolide acid blends and its effect on miscibility. J. Polym. Sci., 2023, 61: 806-817.

25. Jianming Yang*, Yujian Chen, Bo Wang, Yingguo Zhou, Xianzhi Chai, Xin Yan, Wei Han, Chen Liu, Peng Lin, Youyi Xia, Hexin Zhang, Xia Liao*. Gradient structure silicone rubber composites for selective electromagnetic interference shielding enhancement and low reflection. Compos. Sci. Technol., 2022, 229, 109688.

26. Wanyu Tang, Xia Liao*, Shaozhe Shi, Bo Wang, Cuifang Lv, Fangfang Zou, Guangxian Li. Significantly enhanced porosity of silicone rubber nanocomposite foams via cross-linking structure regulation and heterogeneous nucleation CNTs for ultralow-k dielectrics. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2022, 61, 14251-14259.

27. Feng Liu, Xia Liao*, Qianyun Peng, Yishen Zhao, Shaojie Li, Guangxian Li. Effect of two crystalline forms on the multiple melting and crystallization kinetics of thermoplastic polyurethane. Cryst. Growth Des., 2022, 22, 6015-6022.

28. Feng Liu, Shaojie Li, Xia Liao*, Qianyun Peng, Guangxian Li. Investigation on the crystallization behavior and detail spherulitic morphology of two crystal forms of thermoplastic polyurethanes. J. Polym. Res., 2022, 29, 262.

29. Pengwei Song, Xia Liao*, Fangfang Zou, Xiaohan Wang, Feng Liu, Suilin Liu, Guangxian Li. Frequency-adjustable electromagnetic interference shielding performance of sandwich-structured conductive polymer composites by selective foaming and tunable filler dispersion. Compos. Commun., 2022, 34, 101264.

30. Xiaohan Wang, Gui Wang, Guangjian He, Xia Liao*, Pengwei Song, Fangfang Zou, Suilin Liu, Yong Luo, Guangxian Li. Fabrication of lightweight flexible thermoplastic polyurethane/multiwalled carbon nanotubes composite foams for adjustable frequency-selective electromagnetic interference shielding by supercritical carbon dioxide. J. Supercrit. Fluids, 2022, 188, 105675.

31. Bo Wang, Xia Liao*, Wanyu Tang, Shaojie Li, Qiuyue Jiang, Jianming Yang, Junsong Li, Ruosong Li, Chenxu Tian, Guangxian Li. Cellular structure design by controlling the dissolution and diffusion behavior of gases in silicon rubber. J. Supercrit. Fluids, 2022, 186, 105610.

32. Cuifang Lv, Xia Liao*, Fangfang Zou, Wanyu Tang, Shaowei Xing, Guangxian Li. Generating porous polymer microspheres with cellular surface via a gas-diffusion confined scCO₂ foaming technology to endow the super-hydrophobic coating with hierarchical roughness. Chem. Eng. J., 2022, 442, 136192.

33. Pengwei Song, Yuan Zhang, Yong Luo, Xia Liao*, Wanyu Tang, Jianming Yang, Chenxu Tian, Guangxian Li. Design of lightweight silicone rubber foam for outstanding deformation recoverability based on supercritical CO₂ foaming technology. J. Mater. Sci., 2022, 57, 2292-2304.

34. Shaozhe Shi, Xia Liao*, Wanyu Tang, Pengwei Song, Fangfang Zou, Zuoze Fan, Fumin Guo, Guangxian Li. Ultralow dielectric constant polyarylene ether nitrile/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes foams with high thermal stabilities and excellent mechanical properties prepared by supercritical CO₂. Adv. Eng. Mater., 2022, 24, 2100874.

35. Shaojie Li, Xia Liao*, Wei Xiao, Qiuyue Jiang, Guangxian Li. The improved foaming behavior of PLA caused by the enhanced rheology properties and crystallization behavior via synergistic effect of carbon nanotubes and graphene. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2022, 139, 51874.

2006, Best Paper Award, Foam Division of Annual Technical Conference (ANTEC), Society of Plastics Engineers, USA.