Zhaofu Fei

Make molecules for life!

I was born into a family in a small village in Shandong. However, my father dedicated his life to saving money, which allowed me the opportunity to study Chemistry at Tongji University in Shanghai - an institution founded by a german dentist. 

After working in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Bureau and BASF for several years, I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD, in English: German Academic Exchange Service). This opportunity opened doors for further academic pursuits and provided me with the means to further advance my career. 

I had good time in Schmutzler's group in Braunschweig, Germany, learning the 31P NMR, 19F-31P resonance splitting, the Pt-P satellite signals-it was fun! 

After my Phd, I went to St. Andrews where I learned good chemisttry from an exceptional chemist, Derek Woollins, who often says, "I am a synthetic chemist... I make new molecules... especially those that shouldn't exist."  I like every elements in the main group in the periodic table- Phosphorus, Sulfur, Fluorine, Silicon. 

After St. Andrews, I spent time in Magdeburg, Würzburg. In the place where Röntgen discovered the X-ray, I continued in searching new molecules. I boiled many PCl3, and elemental sodium, potassium.    
The problem for those making new molecules that shouldn't exist is that there are not so many followers.  Without a strong following, the recognition and impact of one's work can be diminished. 

Then I joined EPFL and delved into sustainable chemistry. I began to make simple molecules with cheap starting materials, usually in 100% yield and 100% purity. These simple molecules will have broad applications-from materials science to the modern nanotechnology. By doing so, I gained more followers and citations, increasing the impact of my work. 

Currently, my main focus lies on the development of new functional ionic liquids for the passivation of perovskite solar films. Through the application of a small quantity of ionic liquids, we can significantly enhance the quality of the perovskite films. This, in turn, leads to improved efficiency and stability of the resulting solar devices. By exploring and optimizing the properties of these ionic liquids, we aim to enhance the overall performance of perovskite solar cells and advance the field of renewable energy. 

Another area in which I am currently heavily involved is the utilization of CO2 for the production of value-added chemicals. While CO2 may be considered one of the most uninteresting molecules, it is undeniably problematic and contributes to global warming. As a result, a significant part of my research involves the development of novel catalysts that can effectively convert CO2 into organic carbonates. These organic carbonates hold potential as solvents for electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries, which presents a highly beneficial application. By transforming CO2 into a valuable resource, we can address environmental concerns while simultaneously creating useful chemicals for various industries. I am a CO2-Chemist.

Current work

Ionic Liquid and Ionic Polymers-Design, Synthesis, Application and related Mechanism Study.
Biomass Catalysis-Transforming Biomass into Value-Added Platform Chemicals, 
CO2 Catalysis-Utilizing CO2 for Synthesis of Organic Carbonates for Application in Lithium Ion Battery,
Solar Cells-High Efficiency, Ultra-Stable Perovskite with Ionic Liquids 
 

Biography

Zhaofu Fei  received his Phd degree fromTechnical University Braunschweig(Germany) in 1999. 
Following postdocs in UK, Germany, he joined the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC) at the EPFL in 2002 where he serves as Principal Scientist in the Laboratory of Organometallic and Medicinal Chemistry(LCOM). 
He is the co-supervisor of Professor Paul J. Dyson, who is the head of the Laboratory of Organometallic and Medicinal Chemistry at EPFL and the Dean of the School of Basic Sciences at EPFL.