Dr Xiaoying Li BSc, PhD, CEng, FIMMM

Dr Xiaoying Li

Senior Research Fellow
Manager of Surface Engineering Research Group

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0)121 414 7105
Email
x.li.1@bham.ac.uk
View my research portal
Address
School of Metallurgy and Materials
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Xiaoying Li is a Senior Research Fellow of Surface Engineering and the Manager of the Surface Engineering Research Group. She is an expert in developing novel surface engineering technologies and characterisation of surface engineered materials.

In particular, she is a leading expert in the investigation of engineered surfaces and interfaces with a high level of specialist skills in cross-section TEM, environmental nano-indentation and FIB/SEM. She has successfully completed, as a key researcher, a dozen of high-quality research projects, and actively involved in the supervision of postgraduate research students, visiting researchers and junior research fellows.

She has published over 150 research papers, delivered tens of conference/seminar presentations including over 10 invited speaks/lectures at both the national and international stage.

Qualifications

  • Senior Research Fellow, 2015
  • Fellow of IoM3, 2015
  • Chartered Engineer, 2015
  • PhD in Metallurgy & Materials (Surface Engineering), Birmingham University, 1999
  • BSc in Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, China, 1983

Teaching

  • Surface Engineering Lab demonstration
  • Lectures for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programme
  • Co-Supervision of UG and PG research projects

Postgraduate supervision

Current co-supervised postgraduate students and projects

  • Mr Xinhe Xiong (PhD), ‘Catalytic ceramic conversion treatment of Zr-alloys for combating wear’
  • Ms Yingdi Feng (PhD), ‘Development of high-performance & cost-effective graphene-containing coatings for engineering components’
  • Mr Thomas John Collins (PhD), ‘Active-screen plasma surface alloying of advanced TWIP steel’
  • Mr Fangzhou Shi (PhD), ‘Plasma multi-functionalisation of advanced ceramics’
  • Mr Mikdat Gurtaran (PhD), ‘Novel surface coatings for thermo-electric materials based harvesting devices
  • Mr Yepeng Yang (PhD), ‘Plasma surface engineering of high entropy alloys’
  • Miss Xueqi Zhu (PhD), ‘Advanced plasma technologies for high-performance composites for wind turbine applications

For a full list of available Doctoral Research opportunities, please visit our Doctoral Research programme listings.

Other activities

  • Visiting Professor, Ningbo University of Technology,  2012-2015
  • Visiting Professor，Southwest Jiaotong University 2012-2015
  • Editorial Coordinator, Journal of Surface Engineering, 2007-2013
  • Chairman, Chinese Materials Association in in UK (2004-06)

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Hu, H, Hu, C & Li, X 2026, 'Effect of Ti/Ni composite interlayer on the microstructure and mechanical properties of TRIP steel/aluminium alloy laser welded joints', Journal of Materials Research and Technology, vol. 44, pp. 76-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2026.07.272

Wu, D, Yang, Y, Cheng, J & Li, X 2026, 'Improving the wear and corrosion properties of plasma clad CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy coating by low-temperature plasma nitriding', Surface and Coatings Technology, vol. 520, 133080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2025.133080

Tao, X, Azakli, Y, Huang, Z, Lin, Y, Chen, J, Li, X, Dong, H, Matthews, A & Leyland, A 2026, 'Incipient decomposition of nitrogen-expanded Austenite in Si-containing high-Ni alloys during nitriding', Acta Materialia, vol. 309, 122051. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2026.122051

Zhu, X, Dashtbozorg, B, Li, X & Dong, H 2026, 'Investigation into the improved interfacial bonding of active-screen plasma functionalised carbon fibre to epoxy matrix by interfacial testing and Raman mapping', Applied Surface Science, vol. 725, 165848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2026.165848

Fuentes, GG, Redín, M, Palacio, JF, de Ara, JF, Gabriel, H, Dong, H, Li, X, Wu, D, García, JA & Qin, Y 2026, 'Microstructural development of multielement Cr, Mo, W doped TiAlN coatings by hybrid DC-HIPIMS magnetron sputtering', Journal of Alloys and Compounds, vol. 1079, 190115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2026.190115

Pan, T, Huang, X, Dashtbozorg, B, Sun, S, Yang, Y, Ren, K, Stamboulis, A, Li, X, Ma, K & Dong, H 2026, 'Novel surface engineering design enabled surface multi-functionalisation of metastable Ti-15-3 β-titanium alloy', Friction. https://doi.org/10.26599/FRICT.2026.9441262

Yang, Y, Li, X, Tao, X, Cai, B & Dong, H 2025, 'Active screen plasma nitriding of FeCrNiCoMo0.2 high entropy alloy for combating wear', Journal of Materials Research and Technology, vol. 35, pp. 7282-7291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2025.03.082

Pan, T, Li, X, Zhang, Z, Yang, Y, Liu, C, Qiao, G, Huang, H & Dong, H 2025, 'A novel surface engineering technique for improving tribological performance of low-cost beta titanium alloy', Wear, vol. 572-573, 206076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2025.206076

Gurtaran, M, Zhang, Z, Li, X & Dong, H 2025, 'Characterisation of Electro-Brush Plated Nickel Coatings on P-Type (Zr,Ti)Co(Sn,Sb) Half-Heusler Thermoelectric Materials for Stable Contact Layers', Materials, vol. 18, no. 22, 5108. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18225108

Gurtaran, M, Zhang, Z, Li, X & Dong, H 2025, 'Enhanced Oxidation and Thermal Shock Resistance of N‐type Mg2Si0.89(Sn0.1,Sb0.01) Thermoelectric Material via Cr0.9Si0.1 Coating', Advanced Engineering Materials. https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202502262

Zhang, Z, Li, X & Dong, H 2025, 'Impact of Catalytic Metals on the Ceramic Conversion Treatment of Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo Alloy', ACS Omega. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c00209

Gurtaran, M, Zhang, Z, Li, X & Dong, H 2025, 'Protection of N-Type (Ni,Fe)TiSb Half-Heusler Materials against Static and Cyclic Oxidation Using a Si-Doped Cr Coating', ACS Omega. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c09137

Tao, X, Yang, Y, Qi, J, Cai, B, Rainforth, WM, Li, X & Dong, H 2024, 'An investigation on nitrogen uptake and microstructure of equimolar quaternary FeCoNiCr high entropy alloy after active-screen plasma nitriding', Materials Characterization, vol. 208, 113593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2023.113593

Gurtaran, M, Zhang, Z, Li, X & Dong, H 2024, 'Cyclic oxidation behaviour of N-type (Zr,Ti)Ni(Sn,Sb) and P-type (Zr,Ti)Co(Sn,Sb) thermoelectric materials', Journal of Materials Research and Technology, vol. 30, pp. 7476-7484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2024.05.136

Gurtaran, M, Zhang, Z, Li, X & Dong, H 2024, 'Developing advanced CrSi coatings for combatting surface degradation of N-type (Zr,Ti)Ni(Sn,Sb) and P-type (Zr,Ti)Co(Sn,Sb) half Heusler thermoelectric materials', Journal of Materials Research and Technology, vol. 32, pp. 3288-3301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2024.08.169

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