About

James M. Tour is a synthetic organic chemist and the T. T. and W. F. Chao Professor of Chemistry at Rice University, where he also holds positions in the Departments of Computer Science and Materials Science and NanoEngineering. His scientific research encompasses a broad range of areas including nanoelectronics, graphene electronics, silicon oxide electronics, carbon nanovectors for medical applications, green carbon research for enhanced oil recovery and environmentally friendly oil and gas extraction, graphene photovoltaics, carbon supercapacitors, lithium ion and lithium metal batteries, CO2 capture, water splitting, water purification, and the synthesis and modification of carbon nanomaterials such as nanotubes and graphene. He has also developed strategies for retarding chemical terrorist attacks and has contributed to pre-college education through innovative programs like NanoKids and SciRave, which promote nanoscale science education among K-12 students. With approximately 650 research publications and over 200 patents, his work has significantly impacted nanotechnology and organic chemistry. He has received numerous awards and honors, including induction into the National Academy of Inventors, recognition as one of the most influential scientists in the world, and several prestigious awards from scientific societies and institutions.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Chemistry
• Nanotechnology
• Composite material
• Metallurgy
• Chemical engineering
• Organic chemistry
• Optics
• Thermodynamics
• Waste management
• Electrical engineering
• Optoelectronics
• Environmental science

Selected publications

• Fluorine-assisted flash Joule heating synthesis for morphology controllable carbide materials

  Matter · 2026-03-05 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Accelerate Flash Removal of PFAS from Soil by Human-Guided Bayesian Optimization and Interpretable Machine Learning

  ACS Nano · 2026-03-23

  articleOpen access

  Flash Joule heating (FJH) presents an attractive method to decompose per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) but suffers from an optimization challenge due to its complex reaction dynamics. In this study, we introduce a data-driven workflow that includes a Human-Guided Bayesian Optimization (HGBO) algorithm and an interpretable multibranch neural network (MBNN) to understand and optimize PFAS removal from soil. The HGBO algorithm incorporates expert intuition into the optimization cycle via a probabilistic acquisition strategy to enhance efficiency. In two iterations, HGBO improves the PFAS removal efficiency by 60%, outperforming vanilla BO and human-centered optimization. The results are well interpreted by SHapley additive expansion (SHAP) values and partial dependence analysis (PDA) to quantify feature significance and interactions. An interpretable MBNN is then developed to quantify the contributions of functional groups in various PFAS to the FJH degradation mechanism, which is further validated by density functional theory calculations. Seamless integration of HGBO and interpretable MBNN in one data-driven workflow not only accelerates experimental optimization but also provides interpretability, enabling more informed experimental decisions in complex chemical synthesis with limited data.

  PublisherDOI

• Trace-metal-assisted flash synthesis for fast-charging graphite anodes

  ChemRxiv · 2026-04-09

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Graphite has remained the dominant anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), powering portable electronics and electric vehicles (EVs). However, sluggish Li+ diffusion kinetics in natural and synthetic graphite can severely limit charging rates. Overcoming this bottleneck requires the rational design of graphite architectures that enable rapid Li+ transport in LIBs. Here, we disclose a trace-metal-assisted flash (TMF) process for the millisecond synthesis of catalytic flashed graphite (CFGr) with exceptionally fast-charging capabilities. The TMF process induces in situ formation of trace nickel nanoclusters that catalyze ultrafast graphitization of amorphous carbon into highly ordered graphite within <1 s. Raman spectroscopy shows an exceedingly clean graphite material with ID/IG of 0.09, with calculations yielding a binding energy (Eb) of −2.297 eV, while diffraction reveals a sub-angstrom-level interlayer expansion (d002) of 3.4 Å. These afford an enhanced structural stability and Li+ accessibility. Consequently, optimized CFGr achieves a high reversible capacity of 347.4 mAh g−1 at 0.25 C and retains 158.8 mAh g−1 at 15 C with 80% capacity retention after 1000 cycles, outperforming the rate and cyclability of both commercial graphite and graphite prepared by flash Joule heating. The TMF route can replace conventional energy-intensive calcination, reducing energy use and emissions by over 80% and lowering the production cost of premium fast-charging synthetic graphite by ~80% to only US$0.84 kg−1. These findings establish a sustainable, scalable pathway to advance fast-charging graphite anodes into next-generation LIBs.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• MXene Synthesis in Seconds by Flash Joule Heating

  ChemRxiv · 2026-02-08

  articleSenior author

  MXenes exhibit exceptional structural and physicochemical properties, enabling them to be applied in a wide range of fields, including energy storage and electromagnetic shielding. However, conventional etching synthesis routes, such as hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching, Lewis acid etching, and molten-salt etching, are limited by long reaction times, high energy consumption, and severe chemical hazards. Here, we developed a rapid, scalable, and environmentally benign approach for MXene synthesis via sequential flash Joule heating-chlorination and fluorination (FJH-ClF). By precisely tuning the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, diverse high-quality layered MXenes with excellent electrochemical performance were synthesized through the selective removal of interstitial atoms from nine different MAX phases, each within 30 s. This universal FJH-ClF strategy drastically reduces energy and reagent usage, establishing a safe, cost-effective, and sustainable method for next-generation MXene manufacturing.

  PublisherDOI

• Flash Recycling of Waste Cement

  ChemRxiv · 2026-01-22

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) production accounts for ~8% of global anthropogenic CO 2 emissions, while the hydrated cement paste (HCP) fraction of demolished concrete is largely landfilled worldwide. Here, we introduce an electrified flash recycling process (FRP) that directly converts waste HCP into OPC-like clinker within 60 s, fully restoring mineralogy, hydraulic reactivity, and mechanical performance. FRP employs intense Joule heating to raise temperatures above 1,600 °C within seconds, enabling rapid dehydration and regeneration of reactive clinker phases. Life-cycle assessment shows that flash-recycled cement exhibits ~40% lower energy use and ~60% lower CO 2 emissions than OPC, with further reductions under renewable electricity or in OPC-slag blended systems. Techno-economic analysis indicates ~35% lower production costs than OPC, with additional gains where waste tipping fees apply. By regenerating standard OPC chemistry, FRP enables immediate compatibility with existing specifications while supporting decentralized, electrified waste recycling, establishing FRP as a viable pathway for circular, lowcarbon cement production.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Antimony Recovery and Debromination of Flame-Retardant Electronic Waste Plastics

  ChemRxiv · 2026-02-08

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Antimony oxide is a common synergist for brominated aromatic flame retardants. These are combined in plastic housings for electronics from televisions to computers, as well as plastics used in transportation vehicles such as automobiles, ships and aircraft. Antimony is deemed a critical metal that is insufficiently mined to meet demands; hence, routes for its recovery are essential. Conventional pyrolysis results in substantial antimony loss and toxic emissions, whereas solvent-based recycling relies on time-consuming and hazardous sequential steps of debromination followed by antimony recovery. Here, we introduce isothermal-clamped flash Joule heating (IC-FJH), which generates a spatially isothermal reaction zone and enables simultaneous debromination and Sb recovery within seconds. Ultrafast isothermal heating stabilizes Sb predominantly as the metal, achieving a recovery yield of ~90% and a purity of >97%, reducing losses from vapor-phase transport and from residual solids. At the same time, IC-FJH achieves deep debromination, reducing toxic brominated organic species by 34 to 51%, compared to slow heating conditions. The toxic brominated organics were converted into inorganic streams, predominantly forming HBr with 83% recovery. By life-cycle assessment, IC-FJH reduces resource consumption by 72%, climate change burdens by 65%, water use by 80%, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation by 100% compared to conventional pathways. Overall, IC-FJH offers a viable route for the sustainable recovery of antimony and the end-of-life management of e-waste, while advancing cleaner production and a circular economy.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sustainable separation of rare earth elements from wastes

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2025-09-29 · 6 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Rare earth elements (REEs) are indispensable in modern technologies, but their supply chain faces challenges due to limited geographical availability and political difficulties. Recycling REEs from industrial waste provides a sustainable alternative to mining, promoting a circular economy and reducing environmental impacts. The mainstay approaches for REE recovery, hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical methods, can be inefficient, consuming high energy and generating large aqueous and acid waste streams. Here, we introduce flash Joule heating (FJH) combined with chlorination (FJH-Cl 2 ) as an efficient method for REE separation and recovery by capitalizing on the free energies of formation (ΔG form ) of the metal chlorides and the boiling points of those metal chlorides. FJH-Cl 2 enables high-purity (>90%) and high-yield (>90%) REE recovery from waste magnets in a single step. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis show that this process reduces the number of steps by 3× while reducing energy consumption by 87%, greenhouse gas emissions by 84%, and operating costs by 54% while eliminating water and acid use by 100% compared to traditional methods. This offers an environmentally friendly and economically viable pathway for sustainable REE recycling and recovery.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Programmed Cell Death via Type IV Photodynamic Therapy Using Internalized Two-Photon Activated Molecular Nanomachines

  ACS Applied Bio Materials · 2025-10-13

  articleOpen access

  Direct photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a growing research area currently being explored as an alternative treatment for various cancers. Compared to traditional, indirect PDT, which exploits the reaction of oxygen with the photosensitizer (PS) to damage specially targeted cells, direct PDT utilizes the PS itself to disrupt the target cell, meaning no reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated. The activation of Type IV technologies specifically induces a structural change within the photosensitizer, resulting in the activation of its therapeutic effect. In contrast to traditional invasive surgeries, chemotherapy, or ROS-based methods, direct methods of PDT pose significantly less damaging off-target effects. Here, we propose an exciting extension of our prior reported, near-infrared light-activated, molecular nanomachines (MNMs), previously shown to promote cell-specific necrosis via disruption of cellular membranes. We show that the modification of MNMs with polyethylene glycol (PEG), or triphenol phosphonium (TPP+) containing functional groups, allows for homeostatic crossing of the phospholipid bilayer and localization at the mitochondrial membrane. By subsequent activation of the rotor from within the targeted cells, we present the ability to eliminate cells without triggering necrotic cell death, instead inducing an additional mechanism of programmed cell death (PCD), while maintaining the integrity of the cellular membrane, thus enacting a significantly cleaner, more therapeutically favorable mode of inducing cell death. A significant development is in the use of light-activated molecular machines for cancer treatments, with a single MNM-based technology being able to access both necrotic and non-necrotic modes of cell elimination by simply switching the excitation procedure.

  PublisherDOI

• Nanodiamond Synthesis from Coal via Flash Joule Heating

  ACS Nano · 2025-11-09 · 2 citations

  articleCorresponding

  As the coal industry transitions toward cleaner production, it demands advanced coal utilization strategies. Converting low-value coal into high-value nanodiamonds (NDs) is a promising approach. NDs exhibit exceptional properties with broad potential applications. NDs are typically synthesized from high-purity graphite, whereas coal serves as a lower-cost alternative. However, existing coal-based NDs (C-NDs) are synthesized in low purity and low efficiency, restricting their applicability and scalability. To address these challenges, a fluorine (F)-assisted flash Joule heating (FJH) method is developed using coke as a feedstock to synthesize C-NDs within 1 s. After post-treatment, C-NDs achieve ∼ 100% purity with an 8% yield and exhibit thermal stability comparable to commercial NDs. Theoretical calculations indicate that F atoms induce electronic rearrangement and promote the formation of interlayer C-C bonds. The application of C-NDs as seed crystals was demonstrated to produce a high-quality diamond film. Life cycle assessment (LCA) shows that C-NDs perform better than the high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) method in cost, carbon emissions, water consumption, and electricity usage. Given their economic and environmental benefits, a coal-to-diamond production system is proposed that may contribute to cleaner coal utilization and the advancement of the coal industry.

  PublisherDOI

• Molecular Motors Activate Skeletal Muscle

  ACS Applied Bio Materials · 2025-11-05

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Precise remote control of skeletal muscle contraction could be beneficial to the study and treatment of muscular dysfunction. Recently, we reported a method regulating intracellular calcium signaling using molecular motors (MMs), molecules that rotate submolecular components unidirectionally upon absorption of light. Here, we explore the application of this methodology to skeletal muscle tissue. Our results demonstrate that MMs induce intracellular calcium release in C2C12 myoblasts and differentiated myotubes via IP3-mediated signaling in a fashion that depends on their fast unidirectional rotation. Inhibition of proteins involved in the cAMP pathway such as adenylyl cyclase and protein kinase A also reduced the magnitude of the elicited calcium responses. We further show that, in differentiated C2C12 myotubes, the calcium signaling events driven by MM activation cause localized myotube contraction. This work demonstrates the use of a molecular mechanical technique to directly control skeletal muscle contraction, expanding the scope of available tools to study muscle contraction in a single-cell regime and treat a range of myopathies.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Novel Carbon Nanozyme Mechanisms for Traumatic Brain Injury

  NIH · $4.1M · 2015–2026

• NIRT: Synthesis, Actuation and Control of Single-Molecule Nanocars

  NSF · $1.2M · 2007–2012

• Synthesis, Fluorescence Imaging and Tracking of Inherently Fluorescent Single-Molecule Nanocars

  NSF · $790k · 2010–2014

• NIH Grant R21NS084290

  NIH · $435k · 2017

Frequent coauthors

• Yuxing Yao

  Fujian Medical University

  200 shared

• David W. Price

  Atomic Weapons Establishment

  159 shared

• Shawn M. Dirk

  131 shared

• Paul S. Weiss

  California NanoSystems Institute

  117 shared

• Thomas A. Kent

  Rice University

  114 shared

• Long Cheng

  Hunan University

  106 shared

• Carter Kittrell

  93 shared

• Lintao Cai

  Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital

  80 shared

Education

• NIH Postdoc, Chemistry

  Stanford University

  1988

• Postdoc, Chemistry

  University of Wisconsin Madison

  1987

• Ph.D., Chemistry

  Purdue University

  1986

• B.S., Chemistry

  Syracuse University

  1981

Awards & honors

• Inducted into the National Academy of Inventors (2015)
• Named among “The 50 Most Influential Scientists in the World…
• Listed in “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds” by…
• Recipient of the Trotter Prize in “Information, Complexity a…
• Lady Davis Visiting Professor, Hebrew University (June, 2014…