Jian Luo

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

  • Ph.D., Ceramics, June 2001

  • M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, June 1999

• Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

  • B.E., Materials Science and Engineering, July 1994

  • B.E., Electronics and Computer Technology (dual-degree program), July 1994

• University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA

  • Professor (2013- ), Jacobs School of Engineering: Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering; Program of Materials Science and Engineering  

• Clemson University, Clemson, SC

  • Professor (2012.8-2012.12); Associate Professor (2009-2012); Assistant Professor (2003-2009), Department of Materials Science and Engineering

  • An affiliated faculty member of  the Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN

  • Summer faculty research appointment in the Ceramic Science and Technology Group via the HERE@ORNL program, 2005 (1 month)  

• Lucent Technologies, Inc. and OFS, Norcross, GA

  • Member of Technical Staff, June 2001 - August 2003

• Outstanding Graduate Student Mentoring award, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego, 2024. 

• Fellow, ASM International, 2022. Citation: “For pioneering work in developing grain boundary phase diagrams; uncovering the mechanisms of grain boundary embrittlement, activated sintering, and ultra-fast sintering, and advancing high-entropy materials.”

• 2022 Journal of the European Ceramics Society Best Paper Award, for: M. Qin, J. Gild, C. Hu, H. Wang, M. S. B. Hoque, J. L. Braun, T.J. Harrington, P. E. Hopkins, S. Vecchio, J. Luo*, “Dual-Phase High-Entropy Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramics,” Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 40, 5037-5050 (2020).

• Academician, the World Academy of Ceramics (elected in the class “Science” in the 19th Election), 2021. Citation: “for scientific contributions to the understanding of interfaces, activated sintering, and ultrafast sintering, and pushing the boundaries of high-entropy ceramics.”  

• Brimacombe Medalist, the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), 2019. Citation: “for significant contributions of understanding materials interfaces, especially developing grain boundary phase diagrams and uncovering the mysterious mechanisms of liquid metal embrittlement and activated sintering.” 

• Fellow, the American Ceramic Society (ACerS), 2016.

• Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellow, 2014.

• Faculty Achievement in the Sciences Award, Clemson University College of Engineering and Science, 2011.

• Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator, 2007.

• National Science Foundation CAREER award, 2005.

• Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 2005. 

As of November 2025, Professor Luo has authored or co-authored over 240 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, including Science (6 total, 4 as corresponding author*), Nature (3), Acta Materialia (24/13*), Scripta Materialia (23/18*), Nature Communications (5/4*), Science Advances (4/2*), Physical Review Letters (2*), Materials Today (5/3*), Advanced Materials (4/1*), Matter (1*), Cell Reports Physical Science (1*), Materials Horizons (2*), npj Computational Materials (2/1*), Chemistry of Materials (5/1*), Science Bulletin (1*), Applied Physics Letters (8/7*), Journal of the European Ceramic Society (16/10*), Journal of Advanced Ceramics (3*), Journal of Materiomics (3*), Nano Letters (2/1*), ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (7/2*), ACS Applied Energy Materials (2/1*), Journal of Materials Chemistry (2*), Journal of Power Sources (4/4*), Annual Review of Materials Research (1*), Critical Reviews in Solid State and Materials Sciences (1*), and Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science (3/2*), among other high-impact journals such as Review of Modern Physics, Nature Energy, Nature Catalysis, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Advanced Functional Materials, Physical Review B, Journal of Applied Physics, Journal of Materials Research, Journal of Materials Science, Ceramics International, ACS Energy Letters, and Small. In addition, Professor Luo has published three book or encyclopedia chapters, two editorials, 21 full-length conference proceedings, and over 300 conference abstracts.

The following section highlights 68 representative publications that reflect the breadth and impact of his research.

• J. Luo, “Distinct Interfacial Structures between Grains,” Science, 386, 381-382 (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.ads5954 Invited Perspective article discussing adsorption-induced grain boundary structural transitions and their implications for materials design.

• J. Luo*, H. Cheng, K. M. Asl, C. J. Kiely, M. P. Harmer*, "The Role of a Bilayer Interfacial Phase on Liquid Metal Embrittlement," Science, 333, 1730-33 (2011). DOI: 10.1126/science.1208774  Uncovered the atomic-level mechanism of liquid metal embrittlement in Ni-Bi, resolving a long-standing scientific mystery. 

• Z. Yu, P. R. Cantwell, Q. Gao, D. Yin, Y. Zhang, N. Zhou, G. S. Rohrer, M. Widom, J. Luo*, M. P. Harmer*, "Segregation-Induced Ordered Superstructures at General Grain Boundaries in a Ni-Bi Alloy," Science, 358, 97–101 (2017). DOI: 10.1126/science.aam8256 Revealed reconstruction at general grain boundaries (GBs), enriching textbook knowledge of GB segregation; featured in UCSD News Release.

• T. Hu, S. Yang, N. Zhou, Y. Zhang, J. Luo*, “Role of Disordered Bipolar Complexions on the Sulfur Embrittlement of Nickel General Grain Boundaries,” Nature Communications, 9, 2764 (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05070-2 Uncovered the atomic-level mechanism of grain boundary embrittlement in Ni-S; featured in UCSD News, MRS News Article, and DoD Basic Research on Twitter.

• J. Nie, C. Hu, Q. Yan, J. Luo*, "Discovery of Electrochemically Induced Grain Boundary Transitions," Nature Communications, 12, 2374 (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22669-0 First demonstration of grain boundary structural transitions induced by applied electric field.

• C. Yang, C. Hu, C. Xiang, H. Nie, X. Gu, L. Xie, J. He, W. Zhang, Z. Yu*, J. Luo*, “Interfacial Superstructures and Chemical Bonding Transitions at Metal-Ceramic Interfaces,” Science Advances, 7, eabf6667 (2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf6667 Mechanistic study of how a metal transits to a ceramic at the metal-ceramic interface. 

• X. Shi, J. Luo*, “Decreasing the Grain Boundary Diffusivity in Binary Alloys with Increasing Temperature,” Physical Review Letters, 105, 236102 (2010). Predicted and experimentally verified the counterintuitive phenomenon of decreasing grain boundary diffusivity with increasing temperature.

• J. Luo, "Stabilization of Nanoscale Quasi-Liquid Interfacial Films in Inorganic Materials: A Review and Critical Assessment", Critical Reviews in Solid State and Materials Sciences, 32, 67-109 (2007). DOI: 10.1080/10408430701364388 A milestone invited and cover article, critically assessing nanoscale quasi-liquid interfacial phases and unifying the understanding of such interfacial phenomena across surfaces and grain boundaries, as well as in both metallic and ceramic systems.

• V. K. Gupta, D. H. Yoon, H. M. Meyer III, and J. Luo*, "Thin Intergranular Films and Solid-State Activated Sintering in Nickel-Doped Tungsten," Acta Materialia, 55, 3131-3142 (2007). DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2007.01.017 Elucidated the mechanism of activated sintering in refractory metals, resolving a long-standing materials science mystery.

• J. Luo*, V. K. Gupta, D. H. Yoon, H. M. Meyer III, "Segregation-Induced Grain Boundary Premelting in Nickel-doped Tungsten," Applied Physics Letters, 87, 231902 (2005). DOI: 10.1063/1.2138796 First direct HRTEM evidence of premelting-like intergranular films in metals.

• J. Luo, "Computing Grain Boundary “Phase” Diagrams," Interdisciplinary Materials, 2, 137-160 (2023). DOI: 10.1002/idm2.12067 An important review and perspective article, highlighting our original studies of computing GB phase diagrams.

• C. Hu, Y. Zuo, C. Chen, S. Ping Ong, J. Luo*, “Genetic Algorithm-Guided Deep Learning of Grain Boundary Diagrams: Addressing the Challenge of Five Degrees of Freedom,” Materials Today, 38, 49-57  (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2020.03.004 Predicted GB properties in a 7-D space, addressing the challenge of the five macroscopic degrees of freedom of grain boundaries.

• S. Shivakumar, K. Song, C. Wang, T. Lei, H.L. Xin, T.J. Rupert, J. Luo*, "Discovery of Ni Activated Sintering of MoNbTaW Predicted by a Computed Grain Boundary Diagram," Scripta Materialia, 239, 115777 (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2023.115777 Extended computed GB λ diagrams to high-entropy alloys;  predicted and discovered activated sintering in HEAs for the first time.

• C. Hu, J. Luo*, "Data-Driven Prediction of Grain Boundary Segregation and Disordering in High-Entropy Alloys in a 5D Space," Materials Horizons, 9, 1023-1035 (2022). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/D1MH01204E Predicted GB properties for high-entropy alloys in 5-D.

• C Hu, Y Li, Z Yu, J Luo*, “Computing Grain Boundary Diagrams of Thermodynamic to Mechanical Properties,” npj Computational Materials, 7, 159 (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41524-021-00625-2 Extended computed GB diagrams from structural characterization to property prediction.

• N. Zhou, C. Hu, J. Luo*, “Grain Boundary Segregation Transitions and Critical Phenomena in Binary Regular Solutions: A Systematics of Complexion Diagrams with Universal Characters,” Acta Materialia, 221, 117375 (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2021.117375 Theoretical framework for GB adsorption transitions.

• S. Yang, N. Zhou, H. Zheng, S. P. Ong, J. Luo*, "First-order Interfacial Transformations with a Critical Point: Breaking the Symmetry at a Symmetric Tilt Grain Boundary," Physical Review Letters, 120, 085702 (2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.085702 First GB phase diagram computed from atomistic simulations.

• J. Nie, J. M. Chan, M. Qin, N. Zhou, and J. Luo*, "Liquid-Like Grain Boundary Complexion and Sub-Eutectic Activated Sintering in CuO-Doped TiO2," Acta Materialia, 130, 329-338 (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.03.037 First GB phase diagram computed for oxide systems; predicted activated sintering.

• N. Zhou, Z. Yu, Y. Zhang, M.P. Harmer, J. Luo*, “Calculation and Validation of a Grain Boundary Complexion Diagram for Bi-doped Ni,” Scripta Materialia, 130, 165-169 (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.11.036  First computed GB adsorption diagram; predicted embrittlement.

• N. Zhou, J. Luo*, "Developing Grain Boundary Diagrams for Multicomponent Alloys," Acta Materialia, 91, 202-16 (2015). DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2015.03.013 First computed GB diagrams for multicomponent systems.

• J. Luo, “Developing Interfacial Phase Diagrams for Applications in Activated Sintering and Beyond: Current Status and Future Directions,” Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 95, 2358-71 (2012). DOI: 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2011.05059.x Cover and lead article, featured in Ceramics Tech Today and American Ceramic Society Bulletin (Vol. 91, No. 8, p. 17-18). A comprehensive review of the author’s pioneering work on elucidating the mechanism of activated sintering and on computing GB λ diagrams to predict trends in activated sintering.

• X. Shi, J. Luo*, “Developing Grain Boundary Diagrams as a Materials Science Tool: A Case Study of Nickel-doped Molybdenum,” Physical Review B, 84, 014105 (2011). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.84.014105 An Editors’ Suggestion (i.e., ~4-8% articles in Phys. Rev. B “that the editors and referees find of particular interest, importance, or clarity”); further elaborated the methods to compute GB λ diagrams.

• J. Luo*, "Grain Boundary Complexions: The Interplay of Premelting, Prewetting and Multilayer Adsorption," Applied Physics Letters, 95, 071911 (2009). DOI: 10.1063/1.3212733 Theoretical framework unifying different GB transitions.

• J. Luo*, X. Shi, "Grain Boundary Disordering in Binary Alloys," Applied Physics Letters, 92, 101901 (2008). DOI: 10.1063/1.2892631  This is the first paper to compute grain boundary (GB) λ diagrams, representing the first type of computed GB “phase” diagrams.

• J. Gild, Y. Zhang, T. Harrington, S. Jiang, T. Hu, M. C. Quinn, W. M. Mellor, N. Zhou, K. Vecchio, and J. Luo*, “High-Entropy Metal Diborides: A New Class of High-Entropy Materials and a New Type of Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramics,” Scientific Reports, 6, 37946 (2016). DOI: 10.1038/srep37946 This work represents the first report of high-entropy borides and high-entropy ultrahigh-temperature ceramics. Cited 1,238 times as of 11/8/2025.

• S. Jiang, T. Hu, J. Gild, N. Zhou, J. Nie, M. Qin, T. Harrington, K. Vecchio, and J. Luo*, “A New Class of High-Entropy Perovskite Oxides,” Scripta Materialia, 142, 116-20 (2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2017.08.040 This work represents the first report of high-entropy perovskites with a broad range of functionalities, stimulating numerous studies on their promising catalytic, dielectric, ferroelectric, magnetic, thermoelectric, magnetocaloric, and electrocaloric properties, as well as applications in strongly correlated quantum materials, solid oxide fuel cells, protonic electrochemical cells, H2O splitting, batteries, and supercapacitors. Cited 968 times as of 11/8/2025.

• J. Gild, M. Samiee, J. L. Braun, T. Harrington, H. Vega, P. E. Hopkins, K. Vecchio, and J. Luo*, “High-Entropy Fluorite Oxides,” Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 38, 3578-84 (2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2018.04.010 This work represents the first study of YSZ-like high-entropy oxides with reduced thermal conductivity for thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Cited 635 times as of 11/8/2025.

• J. Gild, J. Braun, K. Kaufmann, E. Marin, T. Harrington, P. Hopkins, K. Vecchio, J. Luo*, “A high-entropy silicide: (Mo0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2Ti0.2W0.2)Si2,” Journal of Materiomics, 5, 337-43 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.jmat.2019.03.002 This work represents one of the first two concurrent reports of high-entropy silicides. Cited 396 times as of 11/8/2025.

• N. Zhou, S. Jiang, T. Huang, M. Qin, T. Hu, and J. Luo*, “Single-Phase High-Entropy Intermetallic Compounds (HEICs): Bridging High-Entropy Alloys and Ceramics,” Science Bulletin, 64, 856-64 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2019.05.007 This work represents the first report of single-phase high-entropy intermetallic compounds (HEICs) bridging high-entropy alloys and ceramics.

• M. Qin, Q. Yan, H. Wang, C. Hu, K.S. Vecchio, J. Luo*, "High-Entropy Monoborides: Towards Superhard Materials," Scripta Materialia, 189, 101-105 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.08.018 This work represents the first report of high-entropy monoborides and the first superhard high-entropy material.

• T.J. Harrington, J. Gild, P. Sarker, C. Toher, C.M. Rost, O.F. Dippo, C. McElfresh, K. Kaufmann, E. Marin, L. Borowski, P.E. Hopkins, J. Luo, S. Curtarolo, D.W. Brenner, K.S. Vecchio*, "Phase Stability and Mechanical Properties of Novel High Entropy Transition metal carbides," Acta Materialia, 166,  271-280 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.12.054 This is a significant collaborative study on co-developing one of the first bulk high-entropy carbides.

• A.J. Wright, Q. Wang, C. Huang, A. Nieto, R. Chen, J. Luo*, “From High-Entropy Ceramics to Compositionally-Complex Ceramics: A Case Study of Fluorite Oxides,” Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 40, 2120-29 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2020.01.015 This is the first publication proposing the extension from “High-Entropy Ceramics (HECs)” to “Compositionally Complex Ceramics (CCCs)”.

• A.J. Wright, J. Luo*, "A Step Forward from High-Entropy Ceramics to Compositionally Complex Ceramics: A New Perspective," Journal of Materials Science, 55, 9812-9827 (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s10853-020-04583-w Invited perspective for the 1000th issue, further elaborating concepts underpinning “Compositionally Complex Ceramics”.

• M. Qin, J. Gild, C. Hu, H. Wang, M. S. B. Hoque, J. L. Braun, T.J. Harrington, P. E. Hopkins, S. Vecchio, J. Luo*, “Dual-Phase High-Entropy Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramics,” Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 40, 5037-5050 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2020.05.040 This work represents the first report of dual-phase high-entropy ceramics. The 2022 JECS Best Paper Award (selected from >1600 papers published in 2020-2021 in the JECS).

• M. Qin, J. Gild, H. Wang, T.J. Harrington, K. S. Vecchio, J. Luo*, “Dissolving and Stabilizing Soft WB2 and MoB2 Phases into High-Entropy Borides via Boron-Metals Reactive Sintering to Attain Higher Hardness,” Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 40, 4348-4353 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2020.03.063 This work discovered an abnormal hardening effect where adding softer components into high-entropy borides increases hardness.

• J. Wright, Q. Wang, S. T. Ko, K. M. Chung, R. Chen, J. Luo*, “Size Disorder as a Descriptor for Predicting Reduced Thermal Conductivity in Medium- and High-Entropy Pyrochlore Oxides,” Scripta Materialia, 181, 76-81 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.02.011 This work identified size disorder, rather than configurational entropy, as the key controlling factor governing thermal conductivity reduction in CCCs, revealing that medium-entropy compositions can outperform their higher-entropy counterparts.

• M. Qin, Q. Yan, Y. Liu, J. Luo*, "A New Class of High-Entropy M3B4 Borides," Journal of Advanced Ceramics 10, 166-172 (2021). DOI: 10.1007/s40145-020-0438-x This work represents the first report of high-entropy M3B4 borides.

• M. Qin, Q. Yan, H. Wang, K. S. Vecchio, J. Luo*, “High-Entropy Rare Earth Tetraborides” Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 41, 2968-2973 (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2020.12.019 This work represents the first report of high-entropy tetraborides.

• Y. Yao, Q. Dong, A. Brozena, J. Luo, J. Miao, M. Chi, C. Wang, I.G. Kevrekidis, Z.J. Ren, J. Greeley, G. Wang, A. Anapolsky, L. Hu, "High-Entropy Nanoparticles: Synthesis-Structure-Property Relationships and Data-Driven Discovery," Science, 376, eabn3103 (2022). DOI: https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.abn3103 Significant review of high-entropy nanoparticles.

• S. Shivakumar, M. Qin, D. Zhang, C. Hu, Q. Yan, J. Luo*, "A New Type of Compositionally Complex M5Si3 Silicides: Cation Ordering and Unexpected Phase Stability," Scripta Materialia, 212, 114557 (2022). This work represents the first report of M5Si3 CCCs and the first discovery of cation ordering.

• M. Qin, H. Vega, D. Zhang, S. Adapa, A.J. Wright, R. Chen, J. Luo*, "21-Component Compositionally Complex Ceramics: Discovery of Ultrahigh-Entropy Weberite and Fergusonite Phases and a Pyrochlore-Weberite Transition," Journal of Advanced Ceramics, 11, 641-655 (2022). DOI: 10.1007/s40145-022-0575-5 This work represents the first report of high-entropy weberite and fergusonite oxides and the first discovery of 21-component ultrahigh-entropy phases.

• A.J. Wright, Q. Wang, Y.-T. Yeh, D. Zhang, M. Everett, J. Neuefeind, R. Chen, J. Luo*, "Short-Range Order and Origin of the Low Thermal Conductivity in Compositionally Complex Rare-Earth Niobates and Tantalates," Acta Materialia, 235, 118056 (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2022.118056 This work discovered short-range ordering in HECs and elucidated its critical role in governing their ultralow thermal conductivity.

• D. Zhang, Y. Chen, T. Feng, D. Yu, K. An, R. Chen, J. Luo*, "Discovery of a Reversible Redox-Induced Order-Disorder Transition in a 10-Component Compositionally Complex Ceramic," Scripta Materialia, 215, 114699 (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2022.114699 This work discovered a reversible redox-induced order–disorder transition in a 10-component CCC.

• S.-T. Ko, T. Lee, J. Qi, D. Zhang, W.-T. Peng, X. Wang, W.-C. Tsai, S. Sun, Z. Wang, W.J. Bowman, S.P. Ong, X. Pan, J. Luo*, "Compositionally Complex Perovskite Oxides: Discovering a New Class of Solid Electrolytes with Interface-Enabled Conductivity Improvements," Matter, 6, 2395-2418 (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2023.05.035 Applications of CCCs for solid electrolytes and solid-state batteries.

• D. Zhang, Y. Chen, H. Vega, T. Feng, D. Yu, M. Everett, J. Neuefeind, K. An, R. Chen, J. Luo*, "Long- and Short-Range Orders in 10-Component Compositionally Complex Ceramics," Advanced Powder Materials, 2, 100098 (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.apmate.2022.100098 This work revealed long- and short-range ordering, their interplay, and order–disorder transitions in 10-component CCCs using neutron diffraction and total scattering.

• D. Zhang, H.A. De Santiago, B. Xu, C. Liu, J.A. Trindell, W. Li, J. Park, M.A. Rodriguez, E.N. Coker, J.D. Sugar, A.H. McDaniel, S. Lany, L. Ma, Y. Wang, G. Collins, H. Tian, W. Li, Y. Qi, X. Liu, J. Luo, "Compositionally Complex Perovskite Oxides for Solar Thermochemical Water Splitting," Chemistry of Materials, 35, 1901-1915 (2023). DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.2c03054 Applications of CCCs for solar thermochemical hydrogen generation.

• J. Luo, “From High-Entropy Ceramics (HECs) to Compositionally Complex Ceramics (CCCs) and Beyond,” Journal of Materiomics, in press. Preprint: arXiv.2510.05629 Invited perspective article for the 10th Anniversary Commemorative Issue, highlighting emerging directions in high-entropy ceramics (HECs) and compositionally complex ceramics (CCCs).

• Y. Zhang, J.-I. Jung, and J. Luo*, "Thermal Runaway, Flash Sintering and Asymmetrical Microstructural Development of ZnO and ZnO–Bi2O3 under Direct Currents," Acta Materialia, 94, 87-100 (2015). DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2015.04.018 This work represents the first report demonstrating that flash sintering initiates via thermal runaway, independently confirmed by a concurrent report from Oxford submitted 10 days later.

• Y. Zhang, J.Y. Nie, J.M. Chan, J. Luo*, "Probing the Densification Mechanisms During Flash Sintering of ZnO," Acta Materialia, 125, 465 (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.12.015 A seminal mechanistic study that first elucidated the underlying mechanisms of flash sintering and ultrafast sintering, and provided the first demonstration of ultrafast sintering in seconds without an applied electric field.

• J. Luo*, “The Scientific Questions and Technological Opportunities of Flash Sintering: From a Case Study of ZnO to Other Ceramics”, Scripta Materialia, 146, 260-66 (2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2017.12.006 An invited viewpoint that assembles and critically assesses the mechanisms of flash sintering.

• J. Nie, Y. Zhang, J.M. Chan, S. Jiang, R. Huang, and J. Luo*, “Two-Step Flash Sintering of ZnO: Fast Densification with Suppressed Grain Growth,” Scripta Materialia, 141, 6-9 (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2017.07.015 Innovative flash sintering method enabling ultrafast densification of nanocrystalline and ultrafine-grained materials.

• J. Nie, Y. Zhang, J.M. Chan, R. Huang, and J. Luo*, “Water-Assisted Flash Sintering: Flashing ZnO at Room Temperature to Achieve ~ 98% Density in Seconds,” Scripta Materialia, 142, 79-82 (2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2017.08.032 Innovative flash sintering method demonstrating “flash” starting at room temperature, achieving near-full density in seconds.

• C. Wang, W. Ping, Q. Bai, H. Cui, R. Hensleigh, R. Wang, A.H. Brozena, Z. Xu, J. Dai, Y. Pei, C. Zheng, G. Pastel, J. Gao, X. Wang, H. Wang, J.-C. Zhao, B. Yang, X. Zheng*, Luo*, Y. Mo*, B. Dunn, L. Hu*, “A General Method to Synthesize and Sinter Bulk Ceramics in Seconds,” Science, 368, 521-26 (2020). DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz7681 Cover article for the May 1, 2020 issue of Science and featured in Ceramics Tech Today News. A collaborative study on ultrafast high-temperature sintering (UHS), in which Professor Luo contributed as one of the senior co-corresponding authors to the mechanistic understanding of ultrafast sintering, building on the ultrafast densification mechanism first uncovered in Luo’s 2017 Acta Materialia study.

• H. Xie, N. Liu, Q. Zhang, H. Zhong, L. Guo, X. Zhao, D. Li, S. Liu, Z. Huang, A.D. Lele, A.H. Brozena, X. Wang, K. Song, S. Chen, Y. Yao, M. Chi, W. Xiong, J. Rao, M. Zhao, M.N. Shneider, J. Luo, J.-C. Zhao, Y. Ju, L. Hu, "A Stable Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma for Extreme-Temperature Synthesis," Nature, 623, 964-971 (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06694-1 Further extended ultrafast sintering to atmospheric-pressure plasma sintering, building on the ultrafast densification mechanism first uncovered in Luo’s 2017 Acta Materialia study.

• S. Shivakumar, K. Cao, W. Huang, J. Luo, "Induction Ultrafast Sintering," Scripta Materialia, 272, 117066 (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2025.117066 Novel and facile induction ultrafast sintering, enabling both field-coupled and field-decoupled sintering modalities.

Articles on Ultrafast Sintering of High-Entropy Ceramics (HECs):

• J. Gild, K. Kaufmann, K. Vecchio, J. Luo*, “Reactive Flash Spark Plasma Sintering of High-Entropy Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramics,” Scripta Materialia, 170, 106-10 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2019.05.039 Demonstrated synthesis and densification of high-entropy borides to 99% density in 120 s.

• H. Xie, M. Qin, M. Hong, J. Rao, M. Guo, J. Luo*, L. Hu*, "Rapid Liquid Phase-Assisted Ultrahigh-Temperature Sintering of High-Entropy Ceramic Composites," Science Advances, 8, eabn8241 (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn8241 Achieved synthesis and densification of high-entropy borides in 120 s without applying an electric current to the specimen.

Novel Materials Processing via Utilizing Grain Boundary Transitions:

• Q. Yan, C. Hu, J. Luo*, "Creating Continuously Graded Microstructures via Electrochemically Altering Grain Boundary Complexions," Materials Today, 73, 66-78 (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2024.01.008 Demonstrated the creation of graded microstructures via electric-field-induced grain boundary transitions, supported by DFT calculations, ab initio molecular dynamics, thermodynamic modeling, and advanced microscopy.

• J. Luo*, N. Zhou, "High-Entropy Grain Boundaries," Communications Materials, 4, 7 (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s43246-023-00335-w Invited perspective proposing and discussing the new concept of high-entropy grain boundaries (HEGBs).

• J. Luo, "Grain Boundary Segregation Models for High-Entropy Alloys: Theoretical Formulation and Application to Elucidate High-Entropy Grain Boundaries," Journal of Applied Physics, 135, 165303 (2024). DOI: 10.1063/5.0200669 An important theoretical work deriving thermodynamic models for segregation in high-entropy alloys (HEAs) and high-entropy grain boundaries (HEGBs).

• N. Zhou, T. Hu, J. Huang, J. Luo*, “Stabilization of Nanocrystalline Alloys at High Temperatures via Utilizing High-Entropy Grain Boundary Complexions,” Scripta Materialia, 124, 160-163 (2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.07.014 Original work  proposing the new concept of high-entropy grain boundaries (HEGBs) and demonstrating stabilization of nanocrystalline alloys at high temperatures using HEGBs.

• J. Luo, “Let Thermodynamics do the Interfacial Engineering of Batteries and Solid Electrolytes,” Energy Storage Materials, 21, 50-60 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.ensm.2019.06.018 Invited review article discussing the use of thermodynamically stabilized interfacial phases for engineering batteries and solid electrolytes, highlighting the pioneering contributions of Professor Luo’s group in this emerging field.

• J. Luo, "Modeling Dissimilar Optical Fiber Splices with Substantial Diffusion," IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology, 25, 3575-3579 (2007). DOI: 10.1109/JLT.2007.907788 Selected publication from Professor Luo’s industrial research.

• J. Luo, and Y. -M, Chiang, “Existence and Stability of Nanometer-Thick Amorphous Films on Oxide Surfaces,” Acta Materialia, 48, 4501-4515 (2000). DOI: 10.1016/S1359-6454(00)00237-8 Selected publication from Professor Luo’s Ph.D. research.

• J. Luo, K. Tao, H. Yin, and Y. Du, “Studies of Quantitative X-ray Diffraction Characterization of Phase Depth Profiles,” Review of Scientific Instruments, 67, 2859-2862 (1996). DOI: 10.1063/1.1147124 Selected publication from Professor Luo’s undergraduate research.

• H. Gao, Y. Hu, Y. Xuan, J. Li, Y. Yang, R.V. Martinez, C. Li, J. Luo, M. Qi, G.J. Cheng*, “Large Scale Nanoshaping of Ultrasmooth 3D Crystalline Metallic Structures,” Science, 346, 1352-1356 (2014). DOI: 10.1126/science.1260139 A collaborative study in which Professor Luo contributed to the materials science of a novel large-scale nanoshaping manufacturing method.

• Y. Lei, Y. Chen, R. Zhang, Y. Li, Q. Yan, S. Lee, Y. Yu, H. Tsai, W. Choi, K. Wang, Y. Luo, Y. Gu, X. Zheng, C. Wang, C. Wang, H. Hu, Y. Li, B. Qi, M. Lin, Z. Zhang, S.A. Dayeh, M. Pharr, D.P. Fenning, Y.-H. Lo, J. Luo, K. Yang, J. Yoo, W. Nie, S. Xu*, "A Fabrication Process for Flexible Single-Crystal Perovskite Devices," Nature, 583, 790-795 (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2526-z A collaborative study in which Professor Luo’s group contributed to the characterization of interfaces in inorganic–organic hybrid halide perovskite materials, extending their expertise on interfaces in conventional metals and ceramics.

• Y. Lei, Y. Li, C. Lu, Q. Yan, Y. Wu, F. Babbe, H. Gong, S. Zhang, J. Zhou, R. Wang, R. Zhang, Y. Chen, H. Tsai, Y. Gu, H. Hu, Y.-H. Lo, W. Nie, T. Lee, J. Luo, K. Yang, K.-I. Jang, S. Xu*, "Perovskite Superlattices with Efficient Carrier Dynamics," Nature, 608, 317-323 (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04961-1 A collaborative study in which Professor Luo’s group contributed to the characterization of interfaces in inorganic–organic hybrid halide perovskite materials, extending their expertise on interfaces in conventional metals and ceramics.

• Professor Luo has delivered or co-authored over 380 research presentations, including more than 70 invited seminars worldwide and over 100 plenary, keynote, and invited talks at national and international conferences.

• In 2025 alone, Professor Luo gave 17 plenary, keynote, and invited talks at international conferences, including ICACC, EMA, PacRim, ICCCI, MS&T, IMAT, and focused workshops, along with three invited seminars at other universities, totaling 20 invited research presentations in a single year. Notably, this included two plenary lectures at the ACerS 2005 Electronic Materials and Applications Conference (EMA 2025, Denver, February 2025) and the 16th Pacific Rim Conference on Ceramic and Glass Technology (PacRim16, Vancouver, May 2025). These activities underscore the broad influence and global impact of Professor Luo’s research.

• UCSD NANO 148 Thermodynamics of Materials

• UCSD MATS 201A/NANO 265/MAE271A/ECE 238: Thermodynamics of Solids

• UCSD NANO 158 Phase Transformations/Kinetics

• UCSD NANO 108 Materials Science and Engineering

• UCSD NANO 1 Nanoengineering Seminar

• UCSD NANO 120B Nanoengineering System Design II (Capstone Design)

• UCSD NANO 120B Nanoengineering System Design I

• Clemson MSE827 Kinetics of Materials I

• Clemson MSE828 Kinetics of Materials II

• Clemson CME 327 Transport Phenomena 

• Clemson CME342 Structure/Property Lab

• Clemson MSE812 Materials Science and Engineering II 

• Clemson CME823 Transmission Electron Microscopy

• Chair (2012 – 2013); Vice Chair (2011 – 2012); Secretary (2010 – 2011); Program Co-Chair (2010 – 2011), Basic Science Division, The American Ceramic Society (ACerS).

• Other ACerS Services: Counselor (2013 – 2016) of the Basic Science Division (BSD); Chair of the BSD Long Range Planning Committee (2011 – 2012); BSD Program Co-Chair (2010 – 2011); Co-Chair (2012 – 2013) and Member (2010 – 2012), Sosman Award Selection Committee, Chair (2010 – 2011) and Member (2006 – 2007), BSD Nomination Committee (2007).

• Chair (2012 – 2014); Vice Chair (2010 – 2012), Secretary (2008 – 2010), Thin Film and Interface Committee, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS).

• Chair, Gordon Research Conference, Solid State Studies in Ceramics, 2018.

• Co-Organizer of ~50 international symposia, workshops, and conferences on topics including interfaces, modeling and data-driven discovery of ceramics, field-assisted ceramic processing, and powder processing, held at Materials Science and Technology (MS&T) conferences, Electronic Materials and Applications (EMA) meetings, International Conference on Advanced Ceramics & Composites (ICACC), Pacific Rim Conference on Ceramic and Glass Technology (PACRIM), International Conference on High-Performance Ceramics (CICC), International Congress on Ceramics (ICC), The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) Annual Meetings, Materials Research Society (MRS) Meetings, International Conference on Ceramic Materials and Components for Energy and Environmental Applications (CMCEE), International Conference on the Characterization and Control of Interfaces for High Quality Advanced Materials (ICCCI), and other focused international workshops

• Associate Editor, High-Entropy Alloys and Materials, Springer-Nature, 2022-present

• Editorial Borad: Journal of Materiomics (2024 Impact Fator: 9.6), 2014 – present;  Rare Metals (2024 Impact Fator: 11.0),  2016 – present; Journal of Advanced Ceramics (2024 Impact Fator: 16.6),  2019 – present

• Guest co-editor for special journal issues, including CALPHAD, 2019 (Thermodynamics of Nanomaterials), JOM, 2020 (Grain Boundaries), MRS Bulletin, 2021 (Electromagnetic/Electric Fields in Ceramics Synthesis and Processing: Far from Equilibrium Effects), and Nano Research, 2022 (High-Entropy Nanomaterials).