Qinzhou Nixing pottery in Guangxi is known as one of the "four famous potteries" in China, which is more utilizable than ordinary pottery. Recently, the natural polymer modification and ecological functional materials team of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering confirmed that traditional Nixing pottery has certain ecological functions, revealing the uniqueness of this kind of clay material. Besides, they developed a technology for producing Nixing pottery with ecological functions using mechanical activation in collaboration with biomonitalization, improving the product performance of such pottery, an intangible cultural heritage. In the paper Construction of Spontaneously Polarized Ceramic via Synergistic Mechanical published in the Journal of Materials, an internationally renowned academic journal sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Science & Technology, they introduced their research results. Wuxiang Zhang, a PhD candidate from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (Class 2021), is the first author of the paper, and Yanjuan Zhang, associate professor, is the corresponding author.

Inspired by marine biological mineralization, the research team adopts its self-developed mechanical activated solid phase reaction system to activate and pretreat the clay raw materials, produces silicate with specific polyhedral crystal structure through bionic mineralization, and further forms silicate minerals with ring structure through high temperature curing, so that the final Nixing pottery has special properties such as self-polarization, piezoelectricity and far-infrared emission. The self-polarization effect of Nixing pottery with ecological functions can induce the formation of permanent electrode and surface electric field. The potential difference between the two ends of the crystal ionizes the surrounding air, and the hit electrons attach to the adjacent water and oxygen molecules, which can activate the air. When Nixing pottery holds water, it dissociates water molecules and changes the redox state of water and adjusts the pH value. At 7, it is reduced to release hydrogen and form hydrogen-containing water. The emitted far-infrared light resonates with water molecules, breaking the hydrogen bond between the water molecules, making the water molecule cluster smaller and forming small molecular cluster water, which has the effect of activating water.

While conducting theoretical research, the research team actively promoted the achievements transformation and industrialization. This technology has been applied in the production of water tank, kettle, cup, tea set and other daily pottery products in Guangxi Qinzhou Kangyisheng Nixing Pottery Co., LTD., highly praised by customers. Based on its special properties, such as self-polarization, piezoelectricity and far-infrared emission, the application of Nixing pottery can be expanded in the fields of culture, tourism, health care, agriculture, industry and environmental protection. Through inheritance and innovation for stronger ecological functions, it can promote the development of traditional advantageous industries, high-performance new materials, ecological and environmental protection industries, advantageous and characteristic agriculture and massive health industries in Guangxi.