Research in the Li laboratory is in the interdisciplinary field of nanoscience and nanotechnology,with an emphasis on the development of novel applications of micro-/nano- devices in chemical/biochemical analysis, biomedicine, energy conversion and storage, environmental monitoring and protection, and electronics. Our foci are the fundamental understanding of new phenomena involved in nanomaterials growth/assembly, characterization, surface modification, device fabrication, and function evaluation. The projects involve close collaboration with partners from academia, industry, and government labs. Current projects include: (a) Nanomaterials growth and composite materials synthesis: mainly focused on high-aspect ratio 1D nanofibers (carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, semiconducting inorganic nanowires), 2D planar mnanomaterials (graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, transitional metal dichacogenides and other graphene analogues), and assembly of nanomaterials into 3D hierarchical hybrids, particularly those consisting of nanocarbon cores and functional nanomaterials shells; (b) Biosensor development: mainly focused on nanostructed electrodes for electrochemical detection of proteases activity and nanoscale dielectrophoretic capture and detection of virus/bacterial particles; (c) Energy conversion and storage : mainly focused on developing 3D architectures based on core-shell hybrid materials for lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, electrocatalysts, and dye-sensitized solar cells.