Liang Feng, Ph.D.

Research Themes

Biomechanics & Biomaterials, Energy Systems & Materials, Soft Matter & Nanoscale Materials

Research Interests

Carbon Capture and Removal | Negative Emissions | Decarbonization | Critical Materials, Metals, and Minerals | Bioinspired Soft Matter | Supramolecular & Porous Materials | Polymer Science & Engineering

Bio

Feng Group's mission is to develop innovative materials and mechanisms to address pressing global challenges in energy and health. We have three directions in the group: (1) Carbon Capture and Removal: The climate crisis is reshaping how we harvest, store, and consume energy globally. Our group at Duke is dedicated to tackling grand challenges in environmental sustainability by working at the intersection of materials science, photochemical and electrochemical processes, and polymer science and engineering to capture and remove carbon from complex and often dilute mixtures. (2) Critical Materials, Metals, and Minerals: Our work draws inspiration from biological systems to develop innovative solutions for capturing and utilizing critical materials, metals, and minerals directly from water. (3) Bioinspired Soft Matter: Learning from nature, our project seeks to develop molecular systems that replicate the intricate synthesis and high-fidelity mechanisms seen in biological processes, such as those driven by ribosomes.

Education

• Ph.D. Texas A&M University, 2020

Positions

• Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

• Early Career Editorial Board of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. American Chemical Society. 2025
• IGNIITE Early-Career Innovator. ARPA-E / US Department of Energy. 2024
• ACS Sustainability Star. American Chemical Society. 2024
• Agilent Early Career Professor Award Finalist . Agilent. 2024
• Bezos Earth Fund $1M Greenhouse Gas Removal Ideation Prize Winner. Bezos Earth Fund. 2024
• IUPAC Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. 2024
• Scialog Collaborative Innovation Award. Sloan Foundation. 2024
• Duke Trailblazer. Pratt School of Engineering. 2024
• Scialog Fellow in Negative Emissions Science. Research Corporation for Science Advancement. 2023
• MRS Postdoctoral Award. Materials Research Society. 2022
• Award for Excellence in Publications by a Young Member. International Adsorption Society. 2022
• 12 Under 12 Young Alumni Spotlight. Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University. 2022
• Forbes 30 Under 30. Forbes. 2022
• Distinguished Student Award in Nanotechnology. Foresight Institute. 2020
• Distinguished Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Research. Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University. 2020
• Graduate Student Award . Materials Research Society. 2020

Courses Taught

• ME 555: Advanced Topics in Mechanical Engineering
• ME 491: Special Projects in Mechanical Engineering
• ME 490: Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
• ME 331L: Thermodynamics

Publications

• Feng L. Enabling carbon capture with adsorbent solutions. Nature Reviews Clean Technology. 2025 Jan 20;1(2):111u2013111.
• Wu H, Wang Y, u0110oru0111eviu0107 L, Kundu P, Bhunia S, Chen AX-Y, et al. Dynamic supramolecular snub cubes. Nature. 2025 Jan;637(8045):347u201353.
• Zhang R, Daglar H, Tang C, Li P, Feng L, Han H, et al. Balancing volumetric and gravimetric capacity for hydrogen in supramolecular crystals. Nature chemistry. 2024 Dec;16(12):1982u20138.
• Chen AXY, Kesharwani T, Wu Y, Stern CL, u0110oru0111eviu0107 L, Wu H, et al. Site-selective Cu2013H functionalization in a cyclodextrin metal-organic framework. Chem. 2024 Jan 11;10(1):234u201349.
• Fan W, Wang KY, Welton C, Feng L, Wang X, Liu X, et al. Aluminum metalu2013organic frameworks: From structures to applications. Coordination Chemistry Reviews. 2023 Aug 15;489.
• He H-H, Yuan J-P, Cai P-Y, Wang K-Y, Feng L, Kirchon A, et al. Yolk-Shell and Hollow Zr/Ce-UiO-66 for Manipulating Selectivity in Tandem Reactions and Photoreactions. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2023 Aug;145(31):17164u201375.
• Li F, Wang KY, Liu Z, Han Z, Kuai D, Fan W, et al. Ortho Effects of Tricarboxylate Linkers in Regulating Topologies of Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks. JACS Au. 2023 May 22;3(5):1337u201347.
• Han H, Seale JSW, Feng L, Qiu Y, Stoddart JF. Sequence-controlled synthesis of rotaxanes. Journal of Polymer Science. 2023 May 15;61(10):881u2013902.
• Li Y, Su J, Zhao Y, Feng L, Gao L, Xu X, et al. Dynamic Bond-Directed Synthesis of Stable Mesoporous Metal-Organic Frameworks under Room Temperature. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2023 May;145(18):10227u201335.
• Chen W, Wang Z, Wang Q, El-Yanboui K, Tan K, Barkholtz HM, et al. Monitoring the Activation of Open Metal Sites in [Fe_xM_3-x(u03bc₃-O)] Cluster-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks by Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2023 Mar;145(8):4736u201345.
• Wang K-Y, Yang Z, Zhang J, Banerjee S, Joseph EA, Hsu Y-C, et al. Creating hierarchical pores in metal-organic frameworks via postsynthetic reactions. Nature protocols. 2023 Feb;18(2):604u201325.
• Pandey H, Wang H, Feng L, Wang K-Y, Zhou H-C, Li J, et al. Revisiting Competitive Adsorption of Small Molecules in the Metal-Organic Framework Ni-MOF-74. Inorganic chemistry. 2023 Jan;62(2):950u20136.
• Seale JSW, Feng Y, Feng L, Astumian RD, Stoddart JF. Polyrotaxanes and the pump paradigm. Chemical Society reviews. 2022 Oct;51(20):8450u201375.
• Feng L, Astumian RD, Stoddart JF. Controlling dynamics in extended molecular frameworks. Nature reviews Chemistry. 2022 Oct;6(10):705u201325.
• Zhu C, Yang K, Wang H, Fang Y, Feng L, Zhang J, et al. Enantioseparation in Hierarchically Porous Assemblies of Homochiral Cages. ACS Central Science. 2022 May 25;8(5):562u201370.
• Feng L, Qiu Y, Guo Q-H, Chen Z, Seale JSW, He K, et al. Active mechanisorption driven by pumping cassettes. Science (New York, NY). 2021 Dec;374(6572):1215u201321.
• Chen W, Cai P, Elumalai P, Zhang P, Feng L, Al-Rawashdeh M, et al. Site-Isolated Azobenzene-Containing Metal-Organic Framework for Cyclopalladated Catalyzed Suzuki-Miyuara Coupling in Flow. ACS applied materials & interfaces. 2021 Nov;13(44):51849u201354.
• Chapman E, Ullah S, Wang H, Feng L, Wang K, Zhou H-C, et al. Tuning the Adsorption Properties of Metal-Organic Frameworks through Coadsorbed Ammonia. ACS applied materials & interfaces. 2021 Sep;13(36):43661u20137.
• Wang KY, Feng L, Yan TH, Qin JS, Li CX, Zhou HC. Morphology Transcription in Hierarchical MOF-on-MOF Architectures. ACS Materials Letters. 2021 Jun 7;3(6):738u201343.
• Habibollahzadeh M, Noh J, Feng L, Zhou HC, Abdel-Wahab A, Yu C. Enhancing water permeability with super-hydrophilic metal-organic frameworks and hydrophobic straight pores. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology. 2021 Jun 1;7(6):1137u201345.
• Chen F, Drake HF, Feng L, Powell JA, Wang KY, Yan TH, et al. Metalu2013organic frameworks as versatile platforms for organometallic chemistry. Inorganics. 2021 Apr 1;9(4).
• Lv X-L, Feng L, Xie L-H, He T, Wu W, Wang K-Y, et al. Linker Desymmetrization: Access to a Series of Rare-Earth Tetracarboxylate Frameworks with Eight-Connected Hexanuclear Nodes. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2021 Feb;143(7):2784u201391.
• Lv X-L, Feng L, Wang K-Y, Xie L-H, He T, Wu W, et al. A Series of Mesoporous Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks Constructed from Organic Secondary Building Units. Angewandte Chemie (International ed in English). 2021 Jan;60(4):2053u20137.
• Feng L, Wang K-Y, Day GS, Ryder MR, Zhou H-C. Destruction of Metal-Organic Frameworks: Positive and Negative Aspects of Stability and Lability. Chemical reviews. 2020 Dec;120(23):13087u2013133.
• Feng L, Day GS, Wang KY, Yuan S, Zhou HC. Strategies for Pore Engineering in Zirconium Metal-Organic Frameworks. Chem. 2020 Nov 5;6(11):2902u201323.
• Feng L, Pang J, She P, Li J-L, Qin J-S, Du D-Y, et al. Metal-Organic Frameworks Based on Group 3 and 4 Metals. Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla). 2020 Nov;32(44):e2004414.
• Feng L, Wang K-Y, Lv X-L, Yan T-H, Zhou H-C. Hierarchically porous metal-organic frameworks: synthetic strategies and applications. National science review. 2020 Nov;7(11):1743u201358.
• Tan K, Jensen S, Wang H, Feng L, Wei K, Zhou H, et al. Thermally Activated Adsorption in Metalu2013Organic Frameworks with a Temperatureu2010Tunable Diffusion Barrier Layer. Angewandte Chemie. 2020 Oct 12;132(42):18626u201330.
• Tan K, Jensen S, Wang H, Feng L, Wei K, Zhou H-C, et al. Thermally Activated Adsorption in Metal-Organic Frameworks with a Temperature-Tunable Diffusion Barrier Layer. Angewandte Chemie (International ed in English). 2020 Oct;59(42):18468u201372.
• Jensen S, Tan K, Feng L, Li J, Zhou H-C, Thonhauser T. Porous Ti-MOF-74 Framework as a Strong-Binding Nitric Oxide Scavenger. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2020 Sep;142(39):16562u20138.
• Wang K, Feng L, Yan T, Wu S, Joseph EA, Zhou H. Rapid Generation of Hierarchically Porous Metalu2013Organic Frameworks through Laser Photolysis. Angewandte Chemie. 2020 Jul 6;132(28):11445u201350.
• Wang K-Y, Feng L, Yan T-H, Wu S, Joseph EA, Zhou H-C. Rapid Generation of Hierarchically Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks through Laser Photolysis. Angewandte Chemie (International ed in English). 2020 Jul;59(28):11349u201354.
• Feng L, Wang KY, Joseph E, Zhou HC. Catalytic Porphyrin Framework Compounds. Trends in Chemistry. 2020 Jun 1;2(6):555u201368.
• Fan W, Yuan S, Wang W, Feng L, Liu X, Zhang X, et al. Optimizing Multivariate Metal-Organic Frameworks for Efficient C₂H₂/CO₂ Separation. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2020 May;142(19):8728u201337.
• Feng L, Lo SH, Tan K, Li BH, Yuan S, Lin YF, et al. An Encapsulation-Rearrangement Strategy to Integrate Superhydrophobicity into Mesoporous Metal-Organic Frameworks. Matter. 2020 Apr 1;2(4):988u201399.
• Feng L, Wang K-Y, Willman J, Zhou H-C. Hierarchy in Metal-Organic Frameworks. ACS central science. 2020 Mar;6(3):359u201367.
• Yuan S, Huang L, Huang Z, Sun D, Qin J-S, Feng L, et al. Continuous Variation of Lattice Dimensions and Pore Sizes in Metal-Organic Frameworks. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2020 Mar;142(10):4732u20138.
• Feng L, Wang KY, Yan TH, Zhou HC. Porous Crystalline Spherulite Superstructures. Chem. 2020 Feb 13;6(2):460u201371.
• Feng L, Wang K-Y, Lv X-L, Yan T-H, Li J-R, Zhou H-C. Modular Total Synthesis in Reticular Chemistry. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2020 Feb;142(6):3069u201376.
• Feng L, Wang K-Y, Yan T-H, Zhou H-C. Seed-mediated evolution of hierarchical metal-organic framework quaternary superstructures. Chemical science. 2020 Feb;11(6):1643u20138.
• Huang Q, Liu J, Feng L, Wang Q, Guan W, Dong L-Z, et al. Multielectron transportation of polyoxometalate-grafted metalloporphyrin coordination frameworks for selective CO₂-to-CH₄ photoconversion. National science review. 2020 Jan;7(1):53u201363.
• Lo S-H, Feng L, Tan K, Huang Z, Yuan S, Wang K-Y, et al. Publisher Correction: Rapid desolvation-triggered domino lattice rearrangement in a metal-organic framework. Nature chemistry. 2020 Jan;12(1):98.
• Lo S-H, Feng L, Tan K, Huang Z, Yuan S, Wang K-Y, et al. Rapid desolvation-triggered domino lattice rearrangement in a metal-organic framework. Nature chemistry. 2020 Jan;12(1):90u20137.
• Wang Y, Feng L, Zhang K, Wang K-Y, Fan W, Wang X, et al. Uncovering Structural Opportunities for Zirconium Metal-Organic Frameworks via Linker Desymmetrization. Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). 2019 Dec;6(23):1901855.
• Feng L, Wang Y, Zhang K, Wang K, Fan W, Wang X, et al. Molecular Pivotu2010Hinge Installation to Evolve Topology in Rareu2010Earth Metalu2013Organic Frameworks. Angewandte Chemie. 2019 Nov 11;131(46):16835u201343.
• Feng L, Wang Y, Zhang K, Wang K-Y, Fan W, Wang X, et al. Molecular Pivot-Hinge Installation to Evolve Topology in Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks. Angewandte Chemie (International ed in English). 2019 Nov;58(46):16682u201390.
• Feng L, Wang KY, Powell J, Zhou HC. Controllable Synthesis of Metal-Organic Frameworks and Their Hierarchical Assemblies. Matter. 2019 Oct 2;1(4):801u201324.
• Feng L, Wang K-Y, Day GS, Zhou H-C. The chemistry of multi-component and hierarchical framework compounds. Chemical Society reviews. 2019 Sep;48(18):4823u201353.
• Feng L, Wang K-Y, Lv X-L, Powell JA, Yan T-H, Willman J, et al. Imprinted Apportionment of Functional Groups in Multivariate Metal-Organic Frameworks. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2019 Sep;141(37):14524u20139.
• Feng L, Yuan S, Qin JS, Wang Y, Kirchon A, Qiu D, et al. Lattice Expansion and Contraction in Metal-Organic Frameworks by Sequential Linker Reinstallation. Matter. 2019 Jul 10;1(1):156u201367.
• Feng L, Lv X-L, Yan T-H, Zhou H-C. Modular Programming of Hierarchy and Diversity in Multivariate Polymer/Metal-Organic Framework Hybrid Composites. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2019 Jul;141(26):10342u20139.
• Feng L, Wang Y, Yuan S, Wang KY, Li JL, Day GS, et al. Porphyrinic Metal-Organic Frameworks Installed with Bru00f8nsted Acid Sites for Efficient Tandem Semisynthesis of Artemisinin. ACS Catalysis. 2019 Jun 7;9(6):5111u20138.
• Wang Y, Feng L, Pang J, Li J, Huang N, Day GS, et al. Photosensitizer-Anchored 2D MOF Nanosheets as Highly Stable and Accessible Catalysts toward Artemisinin Production. Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). 2019 Jun;6(11):1802059.
• Xu M, Feng L, Yan L-N, Meng S-S, Yuan S, He M-J, et al. Discovery of precise pH-controlled biomimetic catalysts: defective zirconium metal-organic frameworks as alkaline phosphatase mimics. Nanoscale. 2019 Jun;11(23):11270u20138.
• Feng L, Li JL, Day GS, Lv XL, Zhou HC. Temperature-Controlled Evolution of Nanoporous MOF Crystallites into Hierarchically Porous Superstructures. Chem. 2019 May 9;5(5):1265u201374.
• Jiang Y, Park J, Tan P, Feng L, Liu X-Q, Sun L-B, et al. Maximizing Photoresponsive Efficiency by Isolating Metal-Organic Polyhedra into Confined Nanoscaled Spaces. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2019 May;141(20):8221u20137.
• Wang Y, Feng L, Fan W, Wang K-Y, Wang X, Zhang K, et al. Topology Exploration in Highly Connected Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks via Continuous Hindrance Control. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2019 May;141(17):6967u201375.
• Tan K, Jensen S, Feng L, Wang H, Yuan S, Ferreri M, et al. Reactivity of Atomic Layer Deposition Precursors with OH/H 2 O-Containing Metal Organic Framework Materials. Chemistry of Materials. 2019 Apr 9;31(7):2286u201395.
• Feng L, Chen W-M, Li J-L, Day G, Drake H, Joseph E, et al. Biological Antagonism Inspired Detoxification: Removal of Toxic Elements by Porous Polymer Networks. ACS applied materials & interfaces. 2019 Apr;11(15):14383u201390.
• Cure J, Mattson E, Cocq K, Assi H, Jensen S, Tan K, et al. High stability of ultra-small and isolated gold nanoparticles in metal-organic framework materials. Journal of Materials Chemistry A. 2019 Jan 1;7(29):17536u201346.
• Chen Z, Feng L, Liu L, Bhatt PM, Adil K, Emwas A-H, et al. Enhanced Separation of Butane Isomers via Defect Control in a Fumarate/Zirconium-Based Metal Organic Framework. Langmuiru202f: the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids. 2018 Dec;34(48):14546u201351.
• Elumalai P, Mamlouk H, Yiming W, Feng L, Yuan S, Zhou H-C, et al. Recyclable and Reusable Heteroleptic Nickel Catalyst Immobilized on Metal-Organic Framework for Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling. ACS applied materials & interfaces. 2018 Dec;10(48):41431u20138.
• Kirchon A, Feng L, Drake HF, Joseph EA, Zhou H-C. From fundamentals to applications: a toolbox for robust and multifunctional MOF materials. Chemical Society reviews. 2018 Dec;47(23):8611u201338.
• Feng L, Yuan S, Li J-L, Wang K-Y, Day GS, Zhang P, et al. Uncovering Two Principles of Multivariate Hierarchical Metal-Organic Framework Synthesis via Retrosynthetic Design. ACS central science. 2018 Dec;4(12):1719u201326.
• Yuan S, Feng L, Wang K, Pang J, Bosch M, Lollar C, et al. Stable Metal-Organic Frameworks: Design, Synthesis, and Applications. Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla). 2018 Sep;30(37):e1704303.
• Yuan S, Zhang P, Zhang L, Garcia-Esparza AT, Sokaras D, Qin J-S, et al. Exposed Equatorial Positions of Metal Centers via Sequential Ligand Elimination and Installation in MOFs. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2018 Aug;140(34):10814u20139.
• Zhang L, Yuan S, Feng L, Guo B, Qin J, Xu B, et al. Poreu2010Environment Engineering with Multiple Metal Sites in Rareu2010Earth Porphyrinic Metalu2013Organic Frameworks. Angewandte Chemie. 2018 Apr 23;130(18):5189u201393.
• Zhang L, Yuan S, Feng L, Guo B, Qin J-S, Xu B, et al. Pore-Environment Engineering with Multiple Metal Sites in Rare-Earth Porphyrinic Metal-Organic Frameworks. Angewandte Chemie (International ed in English). 2018 Apr;57(18):5095u20139.
• Yuan S, Qin J-S, Li J, Huang L, Feng L, Fang Y, et al. Retrosynthesis of multi-component metal-organic frameworks. Nature communications. 2018 Feb;9(1):808.
• Feng L, Yuan S, Zhang L-L, Tan K, Li J-L, Kirchon A, et al. Creating Hierarchical Pores by Controlled Linker Thermolysis in Multivariate Metal-Organic Frameworks. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2018 Feb;140(6):2363u201372.
• Yuan S, Zou L, Qin J-S, Li J, Huang L, Feng L, et al. Construction of hierarchically porous metal-organic frameworks through linker labilization. Nature communications. 2017 May;8:15356.

In The News

• Duke Trailblazer: Liang Feng (Aug 26, 2024 | Pratt School of Engineering)
• Liang Feng Wins Early Career Award for Carbon-Capture Research (Jul 23, 2024 | Pratt School of Engineering)
• Meet the American Chemical Societyu2019s first sustainability star, Liang Feng (Jun 3, 2024 | Chemical & Engineering News)
• Liang Feng and Team Land Funding for Negative Emission Science Research (Jan 25, 2024 | Pratt School of Engineering)
• Meet the New Faculty Strengthening Dukeu2019s Work on Climate Change (Nov 16, 2023 | Duke Stories)
• Engineering Solutions to Cutting Greenhouse Gases (Oct 26, 2023 | Pratt School of Engineering)
• Liang Feng: Creating Porous Materials for Enhanced Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Sustainable Energy Solutions (Jul 21, 2023 | Pratt School of Engineering)
• Liang Feng Will Be Joining Duke University as a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor (May 16, 2023 | )
• When push comes to shove (Feb 1, 2022 | )
• Liang Feng named to the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list (Dec 16, 2021 | )
• First fundamentally new form of adsorption for more than 90 years driven by molecular machines (Oct 25, 2021 | )
• Mechanisorption mimics biomolecular machinery (Oct 21, 2021 | )