April 9, 2021
In memory of father of Chinese plastics Xi Xu 's 100th birthday
On January 16, in memory of academician Xi Xu of the College of Chemical and Biological Engineering's alumni of 1944, and in order to encourage our youth to forge ahead, the Symposium on Polymer Materials Science and Engineering was held in Chengdu, Sichuan. Professor Pengju Pan, vice president of College of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Zhejiang University(ZJU CBE), attended the symposium. The conference was held online and offline. The College of Chemical and Biological Engineering of Zhejiang University, as a branch venue, organized teachers and students to watch the live broadcast in conference room 5109 of the teaching building 10.
ZJU CBE's faculties and students watching live telecast
First of all, Academician Qi Wang, chairman of the conference, delivered a speech to express his deep memory of academician Xi Xu and his high respect for his outstanding products, and wished the conference a complete success.
Speech by Academician Qi Wang, chairman of the meeting
In paying homage to Academician Xu, many professors and experts, as well as academician Xu's best friends, students and family members expressed their thoughts and respect for Mr. Xu.
Academician Yanrong Li, President of Sichuan University, mentioned that Mr. Xu created the discipline of Chinese polymer science, promoted the development of Chinese polymer science and promoted its international status. Mr. Xu's patriotism and pursuit of excellence are worth everyone's learning.
Speech by Academician Yanrong Li , President of Sichuan University
Academician Wei Yang, former president of Zhejiang University, reviewed his far-reaching relationship with Academician Xi Xu. He mentioned that his father, his mother and he were all influenced by Mr. Xu's personality charm. He highly praised Mr. Xu's academic height and historical position of "Going to the top of the mountain, looking at the small mountains". At the same time, he wished the institute a brilliant future.
Speech by academician Wei Yang , former president of Zhejiang University
Academician Zhiquan Shen of Zhejiang University said that academician Xi Xu was his most respected predecessor. He personally saw Mr. Xu's construction and achievements in the field of polymer science. He was deeply encouraged and encouraged his descendants to make continuous efforts to make contributions to the country and the people.
Speech by Academician Zhiquan Shen of Zhejiang University
Academician Jiacong Shen of Zhejiang University mentioned that academician Xu is the most respected senior scientist. He pointed out that polymer science and engineering is a national key project. Academician Xu has made outstanding contributions to promoting the development of Polymer Science in China. He expressed his deep gratitude to academician Xu and Polymer Research Institute.
Speech by Academician Jiacong Shen of Zhejiang University
Professor Yuansheng Wang, former director of Naval University of Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering (Sichuan University), reviewed his contact with Academician Xi Xu. He mentioned that "as an academic master, Mr. Xu has profound attainments, rigorous scholarship, and application of knowledge; as a party member and cadre, he stresses politics, recognizes people accurately, and clarifies right and wrong; as a mentor of his predecessors, he loves the motherland, career, and society Students. " I wish the Chinese polymer science to complete the mission of the new era and make progress.
Speech by Professor Yuansheng Wang of Naval Engineering University
On behalf of his family, Dr. Han Xu, eldest grandson of Academician Xu, thanked the conference organization team and all the participants online and offline. He reviewed his grandfather's experience and encouragement to his grandchildren, and expressed that our generation needed to work together to create a future.
A Heated Discussion
Xi Xu (1921.1.16-2013.2.16), born in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, was a polymer material scientist, one of the pioneers and founders of polymer materials.
On January 16, 1921, Mr. Xi Xu was born in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. In 1933, he began to live with his sister in Shanghai. His brother-in-law Zupei Zhang was the student leader in the anti-imperialist struggle of St. John's University during the May 30th massacre. His patriotism and sense of justice had a great influence on him.
In 1940, Xu was admitted to the Department of chemical engineering of Zhejiang University, which moved to Guizhou. After graduating from Zhejiang University in 1944, he studied pentagall dye from Professor Yufen Hou, a famous dyestuff expert in China. At that time, China was short of petroleum, petrochemical industry was blank, and the plastic products on the market were all foreign goods. During his research in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Xi Xu conceived that 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid could be decarboxylated to produce 1,2,3-pyrogallol, which could be used as raw material for plastics. The experience of studying in Zhejiang University had a profound influence on Mr. Xu. Zhejiang University's "seeking truth" fostered his selfless, hard-working, truth-seeking and realistic spirit, shaped his distinctive personality in his youth, and laid a solid foundation for his brilliant life.
Transcript of Academician Xi Xu
In 1947, Xu studied for a master's degree in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania, USA. He successfully developed the pentagall plastic in the laboratory for the first time with pentagall from China.
Academician Xi Xu joined the Jiusan Society in 1951, and was elected academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1991.
Xu has long been engaged in the research of basic theory of polymer material forming, polymer mechanochemistry, radiation chemistry and other fields. After the industrialization of plastics in 1950s, Xi Xu put forward the idea of using polymer material system in oilfield development. He developed a kind of water plugging agent with temperature resistance and salt resistance, which realized low energy consumption and high efficiency of oil production. He successfully developed the first domestic crude oil pour point depressant, which realized low energy consumption of crude oil transportation, replaced foreign products, and was widely used in domestic oil pipelines, becoming one of the international leaders in polymer chemistry.
In the early 1980s, Xi Xu and his graduate students produced 18 kinds of new polymer materials, which are difficult to be synthesized by general chemical methods and can be used as compatibilizers for incompatible polymer systems, chemical agents for oil and gas field exploitation and exploration, surfactants for secondary oil recovery and lubricants for metal cold working, etc. The research achievement "degradation and block copolymerization of polymer under ultrasonic radiation" has reached the international advanced level.
Xi Xu's life is a pioneering one. He led the team to establish the first polymer research institute in China, the earliest State Key Laboratory in the field of polymer materials in China, the first plastics major in China, and the first polymer textbook principles of polymer chemistry in China.
"The selfless contribution of life is the joy of life." The old man used his whole life to practice this sentence, which is a model for us.
Student's Salute
It's a great honor to participate in the 100th anniversary of academician Xi Xu's birth. Mr. Xi Xu, known as the "father of Chinese plastics" and "discipline leader", as one of the pioneers and founders of polymer materials discipline, has devoted his magnificent life to China's scientific cause without reservation and left countless precious wealth to future generations. Sichuan University, founded by Mr. Xi Xu, is my alma mater. This kind of consanguineous connection is not only a rare honor, but also a powerful spiritual inspiration for me. During the introduction of Mr. Xi Xu's deeds, what impressed me most was that as a scientific research worker, Mr. Xu always closely linked his personal research with the destiny of the motherland, the prosperity of the nation and the needs of the people, and put scientific research into practice and in the forefront. As a graduate who is about to go to work, I also need to keep this kind of feelings of family and country in mind all the time and make more contributions to the people as much as possible.
------Li Xing,2017 doctoral student of Polymerization Institute
It's a great honor to have this opportunity to learn about academician Xi Xu 's advanced examples. At present, China's polymer materials science has achieved long-term development, which is the result of Mr. Xu's pioneering efforts. Mr. Xu's wish is to make the Chinese people generally respected in the world. This is the embodiment of the spirit of Zhejiang University, which is worth carrying forward and inheriting. Today, there are not only freshmen who have just entered Zhejiang University, but also graduates who are about to enter the society. In the future, there are not only people who will continue to forge ahead on the road of scientific research, but also people who will play a role in other industries. However, no matter what we do, we should always remember the motto of seeking truth and innovating, combine our personal future with the destiny of our country, pass on the torch from generation to generation, learn from such outstanding alumni as academician Xi Xu, and give full play to the influence of the students of Zhejiang University.
------Guo Jing,2018 graduate student of Polymerization Institute
When I deeply remember academician Xi Xu what impresses me most is his motto: the greatest pleasure in life is selfless dedication. Throughout his life, he has been practicing his belief. When he was young, his family and country were in war and the mountains and rivers were broken. He insisted on working hard for the rise of China. After studying abroad, he resolutely returned home and dedicated himself. When new China was waiting for a hundred wastes, he created many "firsts". Later, he donated his science and technology bonus to set up grants to support future generations. It is countless people like Mr. Xu who have dedicated themselves to their country that make today's beautiful China come true. We should take Mr. Xu as an example, strive hard and dedicate ourselves.
------Zheng Shaojie,2020 graduate student of Polymerization Institute
It's a great honor to be able to participate in such a meaningful activity as the symposium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Xi Xu 's birthday. On the spot and online, many teachers of Mr. Xu's younger generation shared with us the touching deeds of Mr. Xu's scientific research and exploration, dealing with people and teaching by words and deeds, which are worth remembering and learning all our lives. What impresses me most is that Mr. Xi Xu has solved the biggest problem of polymer chemistry industry for many years - cooperation with enterprises. As a chemical professional background, I have a deep understanding of this. To realize the process，amplification and industrialization has always been the cause of our chemical workers' unremitting efforts. Because only when we realize the cooperation with enterprises can we really serve our country and people's life with our technology. Mr. Xu's life-long efforts are also devoted to this, which we admire very much.
------Zhao Xinglei,2019 graduate student of Polymerization Institute
Today, I am honored to be able to attend the 100th anniversary of academician Xi Xu 's birthday. Academician Xi Xu 's life-long practice of Zhejiang People's spirit of opening things and building our country is very exciting. During the activity, I also saw academician Shen Zhiquan, academician Shen Jiaxiang and other leading figures in the academic circle. They had quick thinking and clear eyes. From their faces, it seemed that they could still see the way they were concentrating on scientific research. To be able to make great contributions to the country and the people, and to leave a heavy color in an era is the lifelong pursuit of every scientific research worker. Academician Xi Xu 's deeds have greatly inspired me and made me more powerful to work towards my dream.
------Zhu Lei,2019 graduate student of Polymerization Institute
