Personal profile
Research interests
Dr Xinyuan Ke has over 10 years of professional experience research in the field of sustainable materials technology aimed at decarbonising the construction industry. She holds a PhD degree in Materials Science and Engineering (University of Sheffield, PhD thesis awarded the Ceramic Prize). She joined University of Bath in 2018 after being awarded the prestigious Prize Fellowship in recognition of her research contributions.
Dr Ke’s current research focuses on developing innovative green material technologies to enhance the longevity, resource, and energy efficiency of buildings. Her research approach combines experimental methods (i.e., mechanochemical processes, advanced materials characterisation) with modelling techniques (thermodynamic modelling, data-driven predictive models).
Dr Ke's core research topics are:
- Alkali-activated materials and geopolymers
- Mechanochemical processes for resources valorisation
- CO2 utilisation and carbonation mechanisms in cementitious materials
- Thermodynamic and data-driven modelling for materials design and optimisation
Since starting her academic position in 2018, Dr Ke has secured and led 5 research grants as the Principle Investigator (PI) with an overall funding portfolio of approximately £ 1M, including a £320k EPSRC New Investigator Award 'GeoBattery' and £400k IDRIC WAVE2 for the project ‘Up-scaling on-site CO2 utilisation for decarbonisation of dispersed cement sector: a novel route to reliable net-zero concretes’. She currently manages a research team of six researchers (PDRA, RAs, and doctoral researchers).
In 2022, Dr. Ke led a PI project, ‘Innovative green process to turn alkali solid wastes into carbon-negative feedstock for the cement industry’, funded by the Transforming Foundation Industry Network+, which was awarded the “Best Early Career Researcher-led Project” with a prize from QinetiQ.
Willing to supervise doctoral students
- Novel geopolymer composite for smart applications
- Carbon neutral cementitious materials via CO2 utilisation
- Data-driven design of low-carbon construction materials
Education/Academic qualification
Materials science and Engineering, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sheffield
2013 → 2017
External positions
Peer Review College, EPSRC - EU
2024 → …
Research Grants Board, Royal Society
2024 → 2026
Academic adviser , Commonwealth Scholarships Commission
2023 → …
External PhD examiner
2023 → …
Advisory board of the InnovateUK/ISCF Transforming Foundation Industries Future Leaders Group , Innovate UK
2021 → 2023
WG5 chair of RILEM TC-299TES (Thermal energy storage in cementitious materials), International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM)
2020 → …
WG6 co-led of RILEM TC-281CCC (Carbonation of concrete with SCMs), International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM)
2018 → 2024
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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EIC pathfinder X-SeeO2 - Real-time X-ray diffraction and microstructure imaging: accelerating the transformation of cementitious materials into CO2 sinks
Bernal Lopez, S. (PI), Ke, X. (CoI) & Tole, I. (Researcher)
1/10/25 → 30/09/29
Project: EU Commission
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Segundo Shagnay - Marie Curie Fellowship : EcoCemXplore: Exploring Eco-efficient blended cements: Innovations in performance and sustainability
Heath, A. (PI), Bernal Lopez, S. (CoI) & Ke, X. (CoI)
1/09/25 → 31/08/27
Project: EU Commission
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Understanding water dynamics in low-carbon cement and their impact on durability: a combined experimental and theoretical study
Ke, X. (PI)
1/01/25 → 31/12/26
Project: Research council
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KTP with SIKA Ltd
Bernal Lopez, S. (PI) & Ke, X. (CoI)
Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect
28/04/25 → 30/04/26
Project: Central government, health and local authorities
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Scaled-up mechanochemical activation of clay minerals
Ke, X. (PI), Bernal Lopez, S. (CoI), Calabria-Holley, J. (CoI), Heath, A. (CoI), Tole, I. (Researcher) & Wilson, J. (Researcher)
1/10/24 → 28/02/25
Project: Research council
Research output
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Evaluating Machine Learning Models for Predicting the Carbonation Depth in Alkali-Activated Concretes
Ding, B., Ke, X. & McCullen, N., 2 Jan 2026, Proceedings of the RILEM Spring Convention and Conference 2025 (RSCC 2025). D’Erme, C., Paglia, C. & Giner Cordero, E. (eds.). Cham, Switzerland: Springer, Vol. 2. p. 223-234 12 p. (RILEM Bookseries; vol. 66).Research output: Chapter or section in a book/report/conference proceeding › Book chapter
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Phase Transformations, Microstructural Effects and Photocatalytic Activity of Tungsten Trioxide Geopolymer Composites
Ke, X., Maskell, D., Ball, R. & Wilson, J., 31 Mar 2026, In: Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 109, 3, e70659.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Recycling of organic light-emitting diode waste glass as a sustainable cementitious material in ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete
Na, Y. K., Choi, H. J., Lim, K., Ryu, G. S., Ke, X., Gholampour, A. & Yoo, D. Y., 31 Mar 2026, In: Developments in the Built Environment. 25, 100887.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (SciVal) -
Relationships between milling input energy and chemical reactivity for mechanochemical activation of clays
Marsh, A. T. M., Krishnan, S., Rahmon, S., Bernal, S. A. & Ke, X., 1 Mar 2026, In: RSC Mechanochemistry. 3, 2, p. 201-212 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (SciVal) -
Advanced modelling of moisture transport process in unsaturated cementitious materials considering multi-modal pore size distributions
Tong, L. Y., Xiong, Q. X., Ke, X., Alderete, N. M., De Belie, N. & Liu, Q. F., 31 Dec 2025, In: Cement and Concrete Research. 198, 107973.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
14 Link opens in a new tab Citations (SciVal)
Datasets
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Data set for "Physical Origin of Temperature Induced Activation Energy Switching in Electrically Conductive Cement"
Zhang, J. (Creator), Heath, A. (Project Member), Ball, R. (Work Package Leader), Ke, X. (Project Member) & Paine, K. (Project Leader), University of Bath, 17 Nov 2025
DOI: 10.15125/BATH-01577
Dataset