In recognition of his outstanding achievements in tribology, especially for his meritorious work in the field of aerospace applications, Prof. Xue Qunji, from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (LICP), received the 2011 Tribology Gold Medal, considered to be the world’s highest award in tribology. Prof. Xue becomes the first Chinese scientist to ever receive the award. The Gold Medal and Parchment were presented at the Embassy in Beijing by Britain's Ambassador to China, Mr. Sebastian Wood, on February 27, 2012.

Prof. Xue is the Director of the Academic Committee of the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (LICP); Chairman of the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee of the LICP and was elected as the member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 1997.

Prof. Xue who graduated from the Chemistry Department at Shandong University in 1965 remains one of the major academic leaders in materials science and special lubricating materials in China. He has engaged in the research on special lubricating materials and material chemistry for many years. In 1987, he founded the Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication (he was the Laboratory Director from 1987 to 1999 and Chairman of the Laboratory Academic Committee from 1999 up till now), which has been continuously granted the title of Outstanding Laboratory in the state evaluation of laboratories in 1992, 1997, 2003 and 2008.

He has presided over or participated in the research on special lubricating materials of LICP for the past 20 years, which provided over 20 key lubricating materials and techniques for aeronautics, astronautics and other major national high-tech projects. All of these have made the research and applications in this area of China reach world-class level.

He has accumulated abundant experience and reached a high level in the design and preparation of new materials, material tribology as well as tribochemistry. Furthermore, he was invited to present the invited talk entitled “Tribochemistry of Ceramics Lubrication” during the Gordon Conference held in the United States in 1994.

The Gold Medal for Tribology was established and first awarded in 1972 by the United Kingdom Institution of Mechanical Engineers. One Gold Medal is awarded each year for outstanding and supreme achievement in the field of Tribology. It is internationally recognized as the highest honor in tribology research and application.

Written by: Zhang Lidai

Photo by: Sun Dejun

Edited by: Lawrence Phillips, Jing Zizhao

Source: Key Laboratory of Education Ministry on Colloid & Interface Chemistry,www.view.sdu.edu.cn