Ho Leung Ho LeeFund 2024 Annual Award Ceremony
Held grandly at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing
This year, the award was granted to 56 outstanding science and technology workers
Foreign Academician of the Canadian Academy of Engineering
Professor Qiu Xueqing, President of Guangdong University of Technology
Won the 2024Ho Leung Ho LeeFund
Science and Technology Progress Award
It is reported that the Ho Leung Ho Lee Fund was established in 1994 by Hong Kong patriotic financiers Ho Sin-hang, Liang Shu-chu, Ho Tim, and Lee Kwok-wai, aiming to reward outstanding Chinese scientists and serve the national modernization construction. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Fund. Over the past 30 years, it has rewarded a total of 1,638 science and technology workers, becoming a successful model for social forces in China to create science and technology awards, and has played a positive role in stimulating the vitality of China's scientific and technological development and cultivating independent innovation talents.
Qiu Xueqing "Lignin High-value Utilization" Dream Pursuer
Qiu Xueqing, PhD, Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, Foreign Member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. Currently serves as the President of Guangdong University of Technology. Expert with special government allowances from the State Council, recipient of the National Outstanding Youth Science Fund, and selected for the National New Century "Hundred-Thousand-Ten Thousand" Talents Project. Concurrently serves as Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Association for Science and Technology, Fellow of the Global Chinese Chemical Engineering Scholars Society, Standing Director of the Chinese Chemical Society, Executive Chairman of the Guangdong Chemical Society, member of the 7th and 8th State Council Discipline Appraisal Group (Chemical Engineering and Technology Discipline Group), and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of journals such as "Carbon Research" and "Journal of Chemical Engineering of Universities."
Primarily engaged in research on the efficient utilization of industrial lignin resources and new extraction process methods, has won the National Technology Invention Award Second Prize twice (ranked first both times), seven provincial and ministerial-level science and technology first and second prizes, four China Patent Excellence Awards, and two Guangdong Patent Gold Awards. Has won the National Teaching Achievement First Prize once and Second Prize twice. Has received awards such as the "Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award" and the "Min Enze Energy and Chemical Award Outstanding Contribution Award."
"Black Liquor" Triggering a Green Revolution
You might never have noticed that in paper mills,
those black waste liquids considered a "burden"
were once an intractable problem in the industry that could not be solved.
These waste liquids are full of a mysterious substance—lignin,
it is the "muscle" that supports plant growth,
endowing trees with toughness and uprightness,
accounting for about one-quarter of the tree's composition,
yet difficult to utilize due to its complex structure,
and even becoming one of the sources of pollution,
hindering the pace of green development.
This huge contrast
has sparked scientists' thoughts:
Will there come a day when these waste liquids can turn decay into magic,
be transformed into a "green treasure" that drives industry progress?
This would not only rejuvenate the paper industry,
but also inject strong scientific and technological power into the nation's environmental protection strategy,
fundamentally reducing environmental pollution.
Figure | Qiu Xueqing delivering a keynote speech at the Third National Lignin Science and Technology Academic Seminar
This sounds like an impossible revolution,
but in Qiu Xueqing's view,
this is precisely his mission.
For thirty years, he has led his team
to strive to break through the bottlenecks in the high-value utilization of lignin
giving this once useless industrial byproduct
new life and value
It is this research rooted in practical needs,
serving national development,
that is quietly changing the future of green technology.
Qiu Xueqing uses his perseverance and innovation
to open a technological revolution from "black" to "green" for China's and even the global environmental protection cause.
Sparked a technological revolution from “black” to “green”
The Huge Potential Behind "Waste"
Qiu Xueqing's research path
began at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University,
later, he chose to continue his master's and doctoral studies at South China University of Technology.
Pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees
Solid academic training
has given him a deep understanding of complex issues in the field of chemical engineering.
Gained a deeper understanding
In 1995, Qiu Xueqing was surveying the paper mill when
noticed that in the pulping process, there was produced
a large amount of wastewater rich in lignin
They were either directly discharged covertly
or incinerated for recovery
which could not be effectively utilized
and also caused serious pollution to the environment
Figure | In 2013, Qiu Xueqing was conducting experiments on the behavior of lignin solutions in the laboratory
At that time, Qiu Xueqing was devoted to
the forefront of surfactant research
deeply aware that lignin in fields such as construction
had already had preliminary applications
he keenly perceived
the enormous potential behind this "waste":
If lignin can be modified
not only can it bring new value to the paper industry
but also significantly reduce the pollution of industrial wastewater to the environment
opening new paths for green development
He collected wastewater samples from the paper mill
From then on, embarked on the scientific research journey of high-value applications of lignin
"Turning waste into treasure" becomes reality
Since 1995
Qiu Xueqing has led the team to deeply cultivate in the lignin field
focusing the research focus on
lignin modification technology and high-value utilization
On the basis of continuously understanding the characteristics of lignin
the team targeted the demands of application fields
combining the lignin characteristics of different plant fibers
conducting targeted and refined modification research
In the 1990s
the paper industry generally used acid pulping processes
Its by-product "red liquor" became
the entry point for Qiu Xueqing's team's early research
Relying on the breakthrough contributions to "lignin sulfonate resource
efficient utilization modification technology"
the team won the 2007 National Technology Invention Second Prize
With the enhancement of environmental awareness and technological iteration
acid pulping was gradually replaced by alkaline pulping
but its by-product "black liquor" brought new challenges:
The 2010 National First Pollution Source Census Bulletin shows
China's paper industry produces approximately 200 million tons of black liquor annually
reaching about 2 billion tons
Its direct discharge poses a threat to the ecological environment that cannot be underestimated
Qiu Xueqing's forward-looking layout
has been devoted since more than 20 years ago to
the research on efficient utilization of black liquor resources
he innovatively proposed
a strategy for in-depth modification and processing of lignin in black liquor
not only achieved the resource utilization of waste
Effectively reduced environmental pollution
Also created considerable economic, social, and environmental benefits
Truly realized the green vision of "turning waste into treasure" in the true sense
2015 Qiu Xueqing Professor Team
with "Modification of Alkali Lignin and Papermaking Black Liquor
resource-efficient utilization" outstanding achievements
and won another Second Prize for National Technological Invention
Figure | In 2015, Qiu Xueqing attended the National Science and Technology Award Ceremony
Surfactants in cosmetics, detergents, food industry
and pharmaceutical fields and other multiple industries have widespread applications
The team's invented grafting sulfonation, alkyl bridging and other technologies
Lignin surfactants
Applied in cement, coal, pesticides and other fields
Overcame the low reaction efficiency of lignin
difficult to control aggregated microstructure and poor adsorption and dispersion performance problems
The developed series of products' performance rivals or even surpasses imported products
Changed domestic related industries' dependence on foreign technology
Solved the "chokepoint" problem
Achieved the leap from "waste" to "treasure"
Figure | Application of Lignin High-Efficiency Water Reducer in Dongshen Hong Kong Water Supply Project (National Key Project)
Figure | Application of Lignin High-Efficiency Dispersant in Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group 4 million tons Methanol Water Coal Slurry
Internationally leading! Scientific and technological innovation leads the green future
Lignin has many excellent characteristics
Such as high carbon content, biodegradability
antioxidant activity and strong ultraviolet absorption ability, etc.
Making it have huge potential for application in daily life
But lignin structure aggregation and poor compatibility
Lead to the difficulty in exerting lignin's own structural advantages
The team continuously overcomes difficulties
First proposed the strategy of in-situ construction of interface dynamic bonds
Invented in-situ interface modification technology
Developed toughness exceeding that of natural spider silk
Lignin/Polyvinyl Alcohol degradable plastic
With artificial muscle elasticity characteristics
Lignin-based intelligent rubber material
With self-healing, photothermal, adhesion and other multiple functions
Lignin-based polyurethane material
These materials are widely applied in environmental protection plastics
medical materials and intelligent equipment and other multiple industries
Core technology reaches internationally leading level
Figure | Determination of Intermolecular Forces of Lignin
Lignin molecules often in the form of aggregation
Tightly "hug" together, difficult to utilize
Qiu Xueqing first proposed from the perspective of microscopic forces
Analyze the aggregation behavior of lignin
Provide greater force to "tear apart" lignin molecules
And then fully utilize lignin
Obtain the concept of materials with excellent performance
He spent more than ten years of effort
has established a complete set through atomic force microscope
technology for determining the microscopic forces of lignin
Under the guidance of this new basic theory
The team developed various lignin-based green new materials
Solved issues such as natural rubber aging easily
Plastics difficult to degrade
Asphalt pavement performance insufficiency
And other problems in material applications
From laboratory to production line
Qiu Xueqing knows that the future of scientific innovation lies in talent
As the academic leader of the team
He has built a research team that can shoulder heavy responsibilities, win battles, and have international influence
For many years, Qiu Xueqing has always led by example, taught students according to their aptitude, guided students to devote themselves to scientific research, seek truth and innovation, and serve the motherland, cultivating a large number of outstanding talents who have a solid theoretical foundation and rich practical experience, such as national "Ten Thousand Talents Plan" leading talents and recipients of the National Natural Science Foundation Outstanding Youth Fund
Figure | In 2022, Qiu Xueqing guided graduate students in experiments
Qiu Xueqing knows that only by pushing scientific and technological achievements
From "laboratory" to "production line"
Can provide real power for economic and social development
His team through industry-academia-research integration
successfully promoted the industrialized application of lignin technology
bringing significant economic benefits to enterprises
Vigorously stimulated the development potential of new quality productive forces
Injected powerful innovative momentum into the sustainable development of the industry
For example, the successful application of high-efficiency water reducer technology at Guangdong Rui'an Technology Co., Ltd. has covered many places across the country, while the high-efficiency pesticide dispersant technology has shown strong market potential at Shenzhen Noposion Agrochemical Co., Ltd.
Figure | Group photo of Qiu Xueqing's team on high-value utilization of lignocellulose
Qiu Xueqing has sharpened his sword for thirty years
His relentless pursuit of high-value utilization of lignin
Has opened up a new world for the efficient utilization of green resources
From discovering the value in waste
To developing globally leading scientific and technological achievements
Qiu Xueqing's team has not only made great leaps in technology
But also made outstanding contributions to green development in China and even globally
He uses his firm scientific research belief and innovative spirit
To write a glorious journey from laboratory to industrial practice
The team will continue to lead innovation and development in the lignin field
Bringing more possibilities for the future of green resource utilization
Editor's Note
Bravely shoulder the mission of a strong country, forge "national heavy weapons"
Climb the peaks of science and technology, tackle core technologies
Insist on "reaching for the stars and keeping feet on the ground"
Provide strong support for national and regional economic development
Develop new quality productive forces and promote high-quality development
The country has needs, and Guangdong University of Technology has actions
This issue is
"Climbing and Supporting Guangdong University of Technology" series report Issue 4
Focusing on the "hard strength" of disciplines at Guangdong University of Technology
Demonstrating the "new" vitality of school development
Material| Biomass Chemical Engineering Innovation Research Institute Lin Xuliang Fu Fangbao
Editor| Wang Yuhan
Operations team| Student News Center
Editor| Wang Yuhan InitialReview| Li ChengyaoRe-review| Du QingFinal Review| Zhang Yuguang
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