About

Dr. Qilin Li is the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University and serves as Co-Director of the NEWT Center. She teaches courses and conducts research on physical and chemical processes that impact water quality in natural aqueous environments, as well as water and wastewater treatment systems. Her current research focuses on advanced materials and novel processes for desalination, water purification, wastewater reuse, and resource recovery. Dr. Li and her lab develop innovative technologies that utilize renewable energy and unconventional water sources to enhance the resiliency and sustainability of water supplies while minimizing the environmental impact of energy production. Her research areas include nanocomposite membrane materials, membrane separation, novel desalination processes, critical mineral recovery from waste streams, brine concentration, electrochemical processes, and sustainable water infrastructure.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Process engineering
• Computer Science
• Chemistry
• Environmental science
• Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Biochemical engineering
• Environmental engineering
• Inorganic chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Physical chemistry

Selected publications

• Harnessing Bayesian Statistics to Accelerate Iterative Quantum Amplitude Estimation

  Quantum · 2026-01-14

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  We establish a unified statistical framework that underscores the crucial role statistical inference plays in Quantum Amplitude Estimation (QAE), a task essential to fields ranging from chemistry to finance and machine learning. We use this framework to harness Bayesian statistics for improved measurement efficiency with rigorous interval estimates at all iterations of Iterative Quantum Amplitude Estimation. We demonstrate the resulting method, Bayesian Iterative Quantum Amplitude Estimation (BIQAE), accurately and efficiently estimates both quantum amplitudes and molecular ground-state energies to high accuracy, and show in analytic and numerical sample complexity analyses that BIQAE outperforms all other QAE approaches considered. Both rigorous mathematical proofs and numerical simulations conclusively indicate Bayesian statistics is the source of this advantage, a finding that invites further inquiry into the power of statistics to expedite the search for quantum utility.

  PublisherDOI

• Punicalagin with anti-inflammatory activities affects Brd-4 mediated chromatin remodeling for attenuating inflammatory osteolysis

  Scientific Reports · 2026-03-10

  articleOpen access

  Inflammatory osteolysis is primarily characterized by an extensive macrophage-mediated inflammatory response coupled with osteoclast (OC) formation, triggered by bacterial byproducts and/or environmental stressors. And Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common degenerative diseases in clinical medicine. Currently, anti-inflammatory drugs and intra-articular drug injection are mainly used, but the treatments only relieve symptoms. Punicalagin (PUN), a hydrolyzable tannin derived from pomegranate extract, the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages. The therapeutic potential of PUN in alleviating inflammatory osteolysis remains inadequately elucidated. PUN demonstrated favourable biocompatibility and therapeutic potential in vitro, including potent anti-osteoclastic activity, ROS scavenging capacity, and epigenetic regulatory functions. PUN was found to inhibit bromodomain-containing protein 4 (Brd4)-mediated chromatin space remodeling, consequently upregulating the production of endogenous anti-inflammatory factors and antioxidant factors. This study reveals a new therapeutic mechanism that PUN exerts anti-inflammatory effects and regulates epigenetic regulation by influencing Brd4-mediated chromatin remodeling. These findings showed the therapeutic potential of PUN for inflammatory diseases, especially inflammatory osteolysis. Notably, our work identifies a new strategy that synergistically combines osteoclast inhibition with epigenetic regulation, providing a promising direction for the therapies for bone-related inflammatory diseases.

  PublisherDOI

• Endoluminal delivery and expansion-induced anchoring of multiple miniature robots in Y-shaped biliary tract

  Device · 2026-04-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Optimization of Photovoltaic Wind Energy Systems in Coastal Cities in Humid Subtropical Climate Zones

  Applied and Computational Engineering · 2025-02-21

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  In the context of the global energy transition, the layout of photovoltaic and wind energy systems (centralized or distributed) directly affects their energy efficiency and economic efficiency. As a typical city in the subtropical humid climate zone, Brisbane has abundant solar and wind energy resources, and its distribution characteristics and climate conditions provide diverse choices for the layout of the energy system. This paper mainly studies the applicability of centralized and distributed photovoltaic wind energy systems based on climate and energy efficiency indicators, aiming to provide a scientific basis for energy system design under different conditions. Research methods include modeling and simulation analysis based on Brisbane meteorological data, combined with genetic algorithms to optimize PV panel inclination and wind turbine arrangement, and design key decision indicators such as climate conditions (such as solar radiation, seasonal changes in wind speed), land use and energy output efficiency. The energy efficiency performance of different layouts is evaluated to determine the optimal option for selecting a centralized or distributed system. The study shows that distributed systems have a higher cost-benefit ratio, while centralized systems excel in energy output.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mitigating CaCO3 crystal nucleation and growth through continuous ion displacement via alternating electric fields

  Nature Communications · 2025-01-02 · 17 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Mineral crystal formation poses a challenge on surfaces (e.g., heat exchangers, pipes, membranes, etc.) in contact with super-saturated fluids. Applying alternating currents (AC) to such surfaces can prevent surface crystallization under certain conditions. Here, we demonstrate that ion displacement induced by periodic charging and discharging of the electrical double layer (EDL) inhibits both heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation (and crystal growth) of CaCO 3 . Titanium sheets (meant to simulate metallic heat exchanger surfaces) are immersed in super-saturated CaCO 3 solutions with a saturation index >11. We show that at relatively high AC frequencies, incomplete EDL formation leads to an alternating electric field that propagates far into the bulk solution, inducing rapid ion migration that overwhelms the Brownian motion of ions. Electrochemical characterization reveals EDL charging/discharging under AC conditions that greatly inhibits precipitation. Operating at 4 V pp , 0.1–10 Hz reduces turbidity by over 96% and reduces CaCO 3 coverage on the metal plates by over 92%. Based on electrokinetic and crystallization models, the ion displacement velocity (exceeding the mean Brownian velocity) and displacement length disrupts ion collision and crystal nucleation. Overall, the technique has potential for preventing mineral crystal formation in heat exchangers and many other industrially relevant systems.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Review of vibration texturing

  Journal of Materials Processing Technology · 2025-04-11 · 8 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Impact of Underlying Surface Heterogeneity on Energy Fluxes: A Study of Two Synchronous Observed EC Systems in Paddy Ecosystems

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Hierarchical Porous PbO₂ Electrode for Electro‐Degradation of Various Contaminants

  Small Structures · 2025-01-26 · 6 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Persistent organic contaminants in water pose imminent threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health, yet conventional water treatment systems are not able to remove them effectively. Electrochemical oxidation is a promising treatment alternative for the mineralization of persistent organic compounds. Herein, a novel hierarchical porous PbO 2 electrode is fabricated via direct electrodeposition on a templated fluorine‐doped tin oxide surface. Physical and electrochemical characterization confirm the superior properties (e.g., enhanced electrochemical active surface areas) of the produced electrode. In addition, compared with macroporous PbO 2 and PbO 2 electrode films, the hierarchical porous PbO 2 electrode shows significantly improved degradation performance against a variety of pollutants, including sodium dodecyl sulfate, rhodamine B, and sodium diclofenac. Overall, it is demonstrated that the hierarchical porous PbO 2 electrode can be utilized for efficient electrochemical oxidation of organic contaminants.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Non-synchronous ductile and brittle removal mechanisms for conventional and ultrasonic vibration-assisted scratching of ceramic matrix composites

  Composites Part A Applied Science and Manufacturing · 2025-01-07 · 16 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• A Critical Review of Ultrasonic-Assisted Machining of Titanium Alloys

  Machines · 2025-09-11 · 11 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Ultrasonic-assisted machining (UAM) has emerged as a transformative technology for increasing material removal efficiency, improving surface quality and extending tool life in precision manufacturing. This review specifically focuses on the application of it to titanium aluminide (TiAl) alloys. These alloys are widely used in aerospace and automotive sectors due to their low density, high strength and poor machinability. This review covers various aspects of UAM, including ultrasonic vibration-assisted turning (UVAT), milling (UVAM) and grinding (UVAG), with emphasis on their influence on the machinability, tool wear behavior and surface integrity. It also highlights the limitations of single-energy field UAM, such as inconsistent energy transmission and tool fatigue, leading to the increasing demand for multi-field techniques. Therefore, the advanced machining strategies, i.e., ultrasonic plasma oxidation-assisted grinding (UPOAG), protective coating-assisted cutting, and dual-field ultrasonic integration (e.g., ultrasonic-magnetic or ultrasonic-laser machining), were discussed in terms of their potential to further improve TiAl alloys processing. In addition, the importance of predictive force models in optimizing UAM processes was also highlighted, emphasizing the role of analytical and AI-driven simulations for better process control. Overall, this review underscores the ongoing evolution of UAM as a cornerstone of high-efficiency and precision manufacturing, while providing a comprehensive outlook on its current applications and future potential in machining TiAl alloys.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Developing Quantitative Modeling Tools for Design and Performance Assessment of Integrated Water Management Systems: a U.S.-China Joint Research Project

  NSF · $500k · 2017–2023

• A Systematic Investigation on Fouling of NF and RO Membranes by Complex Suspensions Containing Colloids and Dissolved Organic Macromolecules

  NSF · $200k · 2006–2009

• GOALI: A New Strategy for Biofouling Control of Water Filtration Membranes Using D-amino Acids

  NSF · $352k · 2012–2015

Frequent coauthors

• Pedro J. J. Alvarez

  Systems Engineering Research Center

  84 shared

• Kuichang Zuo

  37 shared

• Wendong Gu

  36 shared

• Xiaolei Qu

  State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse

  28 shared

• Jinming Mu

  Xidian University

  28 shared

• Menachem Elimelech

  Yale University

  27 shared

• Xiaochuan Huang

  Rice University

  26 shared

• Jae‐Hong Kim

  Yale University

  22 shared

Education

• PhD, Civil and Environmental Engineering

  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  2002

• MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering

  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  1999

• BE, Environmental Science and Engineering

  Tsinghua University

  1995