Kang Liang

Kang Liang
UNSW Sydney | UNSW · School of Chemical Engineering & Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering

PhD

About

225
Publications
45,901
Reads
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14,061
Citations
Additional affiliations
February 2010 - present
University of Melbourne
Education
February 2006 - December 2009
University of Melbourne
Field of study
  • Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Material Science

Publications

Publications (225)
Article
Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) have been widely investigated for their use in separation, gas adsorption, catalysis, and biotechnology. Their practical applications, however, can be hampered by their structural instability in humid acidic conditions. Here, guided by density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that the acidic stab...
Article
Self-propelled chemical motors have found vast promise for applications from nanomedicine to environmental remediation. However, strategies for controlling their directional motion on demand still represents one of the major challenges for the development of smart motor systems to be realized in real-world applications. Here, we report for the firs...
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Despite the promise of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as functional matrices for enzyme stabilization, the development of a stimulus-responsive approach to induce multi-enzyme cascade reaction in MOFs remains a critical challenge. Here, a novel method using peptide-induced super-assembly of MOFs is developed for programmed enzyme cascade reactions...
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Nanobiohybrids, synthesized by integrating functional nanomaterials with living systems, have emerged as an exciting branch of research at the interface of materials engineering and biological science. Nanobiohybrids use synthetic nanomaterials to impart organisms with emergent properties outside their scope of evolution. Consequently, they endow n...
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Artificial cells or cell mimics have drawn significant attention in cell biology and material science in the last decade and its development will provide a powerful toolbox for studying the origin of life and pave the way for novel biomedical applications. Artificial cells and their subcompartments are typically constructed from a semipermeable mem...
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Biomimetic photosynthesis, which leverages nanomaterials with light‐responsive capabilities, represents an innovative approach for replicating natural photosynthetic processes for green and sustainable energy conversion. In this study, a covalent‐organic framework (COF)‐based artificial photosynthesis system is realized through the co‐assembly of a...
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Ion‐selective nanochannel membranes assembled from two‐dimensional (2D) nanosheets hold immense promise for power conversion using salinity gradient. However, they face challenges stemming from insufficient surface charge density, which impairs both permselectivity and durability. Herein, we present a novel vacancy‐engineered, oxygen‐deficient NiCo...
Article
Ion‐selective nanochannel membranes assembled from two‐dimensional (2D) nanosheets hold immense promise for power conversion using salinity gradient. However, they face challenges stemming from insufficient surface charge density, which impairs both permselectivity and durability. Herein, we present a novel vacancy‐engineered, oxygen‐deficient NiCo...
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Drug-eluting stents are a commonly used treatment for coronary artery disease. However, the coatings used in drug-eluting stents have some limitations such as poor biocompatibility and drug loading capacity. In recent years, self-assembly methods have emerged as a promising alternative for stent coatings. Self-assembled coatings employ biomaterials...
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Hydrogel actuators with anisotropic structures exhibit reversible responsiveness upon the trigger of various external stimuli, rendering them promising for applications in many fields including artificial muscles and soft robotics. However, their effective operation across multiple environments remains a persistent challenge, even for widely studie...
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Hydrogen, a clean energy carrier, has emerged as a promising solution to decarbonize the power sector and move towards a more sustainable future. However, the heavy dependence of its production on fossil fuels highlights the pressing need to prioritize the acquisition of green hydrogen from renewable sources, ideally without any additional energy i...
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Integrating hydrogel with other materials is always challenging due to the low mass content of hydrogels and the abundance of water at the interfaces. Adhesion through nanoparticles offers characteristics such as ease of use, reversibility, and universality, but still grapples with challenges like weak bonding. Here, a simple yet powerful strategy...
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We present a novel study introducing a durable and robust covalent-organic framework (COF) nanocoating, developed in situ on living cells. This COF nanocoating demonstrates remarkable resistance against a diverse range of lethal stressors, including high temperature, extreme pH, ultraviolet radiation, toxic metal ions, organic pollutants, and stron...
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Human skin comprises multiple hierarchical layers that perform various functions such as protection, sensing, and structural support. Developing electronic skin (E‐skin) with similar properties has broad implications in health monitoring, prosthetics, and soft robotics. While previous efforts have predominantly concentrated on sensory capabilities,...
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The utilization of sustained and green energy is believed to alleviate increasing menace of global environmental concerns and energy dilemma. Interfacial assembly of two‐dimensional graphene‐derived ion channels (2D‐GDIC) with tunable ion/fluid transport behavior enables efficient harvesting of renewable green energy from ubiquitous water, especial...
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Metal–organic framework (MOF) glass is a versatile and processible material that retains its porous nature while transitioning between liquid and solid states. Incorporating composites into MOF glass can enhance its functionalities, but the effect of the added material on the solid–liquid phase transition of MOF glass remains understudied. This res...
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Since Cu²⁺ ions play a pivotal role in both ecosystems and human health, the development of a rapid and sensitive method for Cu²⁺ detection holds significant importance. Fluorescent mesoporous silica materials (FMSMs) have garnered considerable attention in the realm of chemical sensing, biosensing, and bioimaging due to their distinctive structure...
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Heterogeneous membranes play a crucial role in osmotic energy conversion by effectively reducing concentration polarization. However, most heterogeneous membranes mitigate concentration polarization through an asymmetric charge distribution, resulting in compromised ion selectivity. Herein, hetero‐nanochannels with asymmetric wettability composed o...
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Autonomously self-propelled nanoswimmers represent the next-generation nano-devices for bio- and environmental technology. However, current nanoswimmers generate limited energy output and can only move in short distances and duration, thus are struggling to be applied in practical challenges, such as living cell transportation. Here, we describe th...
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Chemotherapy remains as the first-choice treatment option for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the limited tumor penetration and low cellular internalization efficiency of current nanocarrier-based systems impede the access of anticancer drugs to TNBC with dense stroma and thereby greatly restricts clinical therapeutic efficacy, espec...
Preprint
Metal-organic framework (MOF) glass is a versatile and processible material that retains its porous nature while transitioning between liquid and solid states. Incorporating composites into MOF glass can enhance its functionalities, but the effect on its state conversion remains understudied. This research explores the impact of silver ions on the...
Article
The use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as delivery systems for biologically functional macromolecules has been explored widely in recent years due to their ability to protect their payload from a wide range of harsh conditions. Given the wide usage and diversity of potential applications, optimising the encapsulation efficiency by MOFs for diff...
Article
Light-responsive nanochannels have attracted extensive attention due to their noninvasive external field control and intelligent ion regulation. However, the limited photoresponsive current and the low photoelectric conversion efficiency still restrict their development. Here, a light-controlled nanochannel composed of 4-aminothiophenol and gold na...
Article
Micro/nanomotors are nano‐devices that can convert energy into power to achieve self‐propulsion. Compared to ordinary nanoparticles, the driving force of nanomotors is their unique advantage. This driving force enables the controllable movement with defined direction and speed, allowing these nanoswimmers to perform more complex functions. Biomarke...
Article
Micropollutants contamination and global warming are critical environmental issues that require urgent attention due to natural and anthropogenic activities posing serious threats to human health and ecosystems. However, traditional technologies (such as adsorption, precipitation, biodegradation, and membrane separation et al.) are facing challenge...
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Selecting a suitable support material for enzyme immobilization with excellent biocatalytic activity and stability is a critical aspect in the development of functional biosystems. The highly stable and metal‐free properties of covalent‐organic frameworks (COFs) make them ideal supports for enzyme immobilization. Herein, we constructed three kinds...
Article
Selecting a suitable support material for enzyme immobilization with excellent biocatalytic activity and stability is a critical aspect in the development of functional biosystems. The highly stable and metal‐free properties of covalent‐organic frameworks (COFs) make them ideal supports for enzyme immobilization. Herein, we constructed three kinds...
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Flexible Zn–air batteries (FZABs) exhibit low cost and inherent safety and have potential for application in wearable electronic devices. Nevertheless, balancing the high energy density and flexibility of the self-supported electrodes in FZABs is still a challenge. Herein, we develop a novel superassembly strategy for the preparation of N, S-codope...
Article
Balancing the trade-off between permeability and selectivity while realizing multiple sieving from complex matrices remains as bottlenecks for membrane-based separation. Here, a unique nanolaminate film of transition metal carbide (MXene) nanosheets intercalated by metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles was developed. The intercalation of MOFs...
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Flexible Mesoporous Electronics In article number 2204946, Hoang‐Phuong Phan, Yusuke Yamauchi, Tuan‐Khoa Nguyen, Mostafa Kamal Masud, and co‐workers develop flexible mesoporous architectures using selective electrochemical deposition. Soft metallic nanopores formed on thin polyimide films offer excellent mechanical bendability, high sensitivity for...
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The application of nanomotors for cancer diagnosis and therapy is a new and exciting area of research, which when combined with precision nanomedicine, promises to solve many of the issues encountered by previous development of passive nanoparticles. The goal of this article is to introduce nanomotor and nanomedicine researchers to the deep pool of...
Article
Developing a next-generation oral drug delivery system with enhanced efficacy and limited side effects is highly desired for refractory diseases treatment such as colitis. The bioinspired assembly of drugs within food-grade plants highlights its potential value of this unique hybrid material. Herein, we report the preparation of drug-encapsulated v...
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Antibody‐nanoparticle conjugates are promising candidates for precision medicine. However, developing a controllable method for conjugating antibodies to nanoparticles without compromising the antibody activity represents a critical challenge. Here, a facile and generalizable film‐coating method is presented using zeolitic imidazole framework‐8 (ZI...
Preprint
Full-text available
Chemotherapy remains as the first-choice treatment option for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the limited tumor penetration and low cellular internalization efficiency of current nanocarrier-based systems impede the access of anticancer drugs to TNBC with dense stroma and thereby greatly restricts clinical therapeutic efficacy, espec...
Preprint
Full-text available
The outmost layer of skin epidermis comprises of nanostructured corneocytes embedded in extracellular lipid matrix that endows the epidermis with permeative and protective properties. Inspired by such structure, here we produced multifunctional porous polymer films on hydrogels by a simple yet robust in situ interfacial precipitation polymerization...
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Flexible and implantable electronics hold tremendous promises for advanced healthcare applications, especially for physiological neural recording and modulations. Key requirements in neural interfaces include miniature dimensions for spatial physiological mapping and low impedance for recognizing small biopotential signals. Herein, a bottom‐up meso...
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Engineering 2D nanosheets with well‐defined porous structures and their assembled heterostructure membrane is a promising method to improve osmotic energy conversion. However, it is still a great challenge to directly fabricate 2D nanosheets with regular parallel nanochannels in aqueous media. Here, the desired functional nanosheets and heterostruc...
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Asymmetric nanofluidic devices hold great potential in energy conversion applications. However, most of the existing asymmetric nanofluidic devices remain a single-level asymmetric structure and a single-ion selective layer, which results in weak ion selectivity and limited energy conversion efficiency. Herein, a multi-level asymmetric mesoporous c...
Article
Bioinspired artificial nanochannels have emerged as promising candidates for developing smart nanofluidic sensors due to their highly controllable size and surface functionality. However, little attention has been paid to the role of the outer surface of the nanochannels in enhancing the detection sensitivity. Herein, an asymmetric nanochannel-base...
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Chondroitin sulfate (CS) proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) is a cell surface proteoglycan that is currently under investigation as a marker of cancer malignancy, and as a potential target of anticancer drug treatment. CSPG4 acts as a driver of tumourigenesis by regulating turnover of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to promote tumour cell invasion, migration as...
Preprint
Chondroitin sulfate (CS) proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) is a cell surface proteoglycan that is currently under investigation as a marker of cancer malignancy, and as a potential target of anticancer drug treatment. CSPG4 acts as a driver of tumourigenesis by regulating turnover of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to promote tumour cell invasion, migration as...
Article
Single‐Atom Catalysts In article number 2205674, Kang Liang and co‐workers develop a generalized strategy to construct highly active ferric‐centered single‐atom catalysts via a biomineralization strategy that enables the homogeneous encapsulation of metalloproteins within metal‐organic frameworks followed by pyrolysis. The enhanced activity of the...
Article
Carbon capture and conversion into chemical fuels are often considered distinct processes, whereby a sorbent is responsible for enriching a CO2 stream while a catalyst facilitates transformation into value-added commodities. Herein, we implement NiMg-CUK-1, a metal-organic framework (MOF) possessing the characteristics of both adsorbent and catalys...
Article
Mechanochemical synthesis is a greener synthesis route to form functional metal organic frameworks (MOFs) compared to the typical solvothermal method. Here we demonstrate crystal phase control of a widely functional...
Article
The development of hybrid sorbent/catalysts for carbon capture and conversion to chemical fuels involves several material and engineering design considerations. Herein, a metal-organic framework (MOF), known as Mg-CUK-1, is loaded with Ru and Ni nanoparticles and assessed as a hybrid material for the sequential capture and conversion of carbon diox...
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Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit unparalleled atomic utilization and catalytic efficiency, yet it is challenging to modulate SACs with highly dispersed single‐atoms, mesopores and well‐regulated coordination environment simultaneously and ultimately maximize their catalytic efficiency. Here, we successfully developed a generalized strategy to c...
Article
Enhancing the enzymatic activity inside metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is a critical challenge in chemical technology and bio-technology, which, if addressed, will broaden their scope in energy, food, environmental, and pharmaceutical industries. Here, we report a simple yet versatile and effective strategy to optimize biocatalytic activity by usi...
Article
Biocatalysis has become an indispensable tool for modern organic synthesis, both in academia and across pharmaceutical and chemical industries. In the past decade, new materials chemistry strategies have been employed to modulate and enhance the enzyme activity, uncovering the frontier of natural enzyme catalysis. In this review, we spotlight cutti...
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Impact experiments enable single particle analysis for many applications. However, the effect of the trajectory of a particle to an electrode on impact signals still requires further exploration. Here, we investigate the particle impact measurements versus motion using micromotors with controllable vertical motion. With biocatalytic cascade reactio...
Article
Impact experiments enable single particle analysis for many applications. However, the effect of the trajectory of a particle to an electrode on impact signals still requires further exploration. Here, we investigate the particle impact measurements versus motion using micromotors with controllable vertical motion. With biocatalytic cascade reactio...
Article
With the increasing global threat of various diseases and infections, it is essential to develop a fast, low-cost, and easy-to-use point-of-care testing (POCT) system for inspections at all levels of medical institutions and self-examination at home. In this work, gold magnetic nanoparticles (GMNPs) are used as the key material, and a rapid visual...
Article
Enzyme-based nanobiohybrids (EnNBHs) are an emerging biocatalyst family that can manufacture industrial products such as fuels and chemicals in a green and low-carbon manner. Designing high-performance EnNBHs could confer enzymes with superior robustness and durability, while current strategies confront grand challenges. Indeed, the reticular chemi...
Article
Hypothesis Micromotor and nanomotor particles are typically made using dense solid particles that can sediment or be trapped in confined flow environments. Creation of much larger motors should be possible if a very low-density system is used with sufficient strength to carry liquid and still experience propulsive motion. Light, dense millimotors s...
Article
In the context of sustainable development, chirality, especially chiral drugs, has attracted great interest in the pharmaceutical industry, yet the smart and sensitive separation of enantiomers still presents a major scientific challenge. Herein, inspired by supramolecular templating via chiral transcription nanoparticles, an artificial chiral nano...
Article
The escalating issue of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria indicates the urgent need for new and effective strategies to combat this global health challenge. Here, we describe a new combinatorial approach that can be put forward for experimental therapy application against MDR bacteria. Specifically, we have developed a tri-system that includes the...
Preprint
Full-text available
Micromotor and nanomotor particles are typically made using dense solid particles that can sediment or be trapped in confined flow environments. Creation of much larger motors should be possible if a very low-density system is used with sufficient strength to carry liquid and still experience propulsive motion. Light, dense millimotors should also...
Article
Full-text available
Transient devices represent an emerging type of electronics whose main characteristic is the constituent materials that could fully or partially dissolute or disintegrate by chemical or physical processes after completing the mission, and are considered as new research directions for implantable devices. However, research on transient devices is st...
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Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Biao Kong at Fudan University. The image depicts a hierarchical asymmetric magnetic mesoporous hollow nanorobot that combines the functionalities of magnetic responsiveness, reusability, sustainable motility and durable motion, showing excellent pollutant degradation capability. Read the full text...
Article
A hierarchical asymmetric magnetic mesoporous hollow nanorobot was constructed in a sequential interfacial super‐assembly strategy. This nanorobot with magnetic responsiveness, confined catalytic degradation, durable motion and recyclability not only sets a platform for manipulating motion behavior, but also provides a promising tool for future app...
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Micro/nanoscale robotics has received great attention in many important fields. However, it is still a great challenge to construct nanorobots simultaneously possessing multifunctionality, well‐controlled directionality, and fast and durable motion as well as fully compatible and biodegradable components. Here, a hierarchical, asymmetric, hollow, c...