Wenyao Zhang | Materials Science | Young Scientist Award

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Dr Wenyao Zhang |  Materials Science |  Young Scientist Award

professor at  Nanjing university of science and technology, China

Dr. Wenyao Zhang is a distinguished professor at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology in Nanjing, China. He currently leads research in the field of aqueous Zn-ion batteries, focusing on the surface chemistry of Zn metal and the stabilization of metal clusters.

Publication profile

Google Scholar

Educational Background:

  • Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering (2012 – 2017): Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China.
  • Joint Ph.D. in Colloid Chemistry (2015 – 2017): Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Germany.
  • B.Eng. in Materials Chemistry (2008 – 2012): Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China.

Dr. Zhang’s research contributions have significantly advanced the understanding and application of nanomaterials in energy storage and conversion technologies.

Professional Experience:

  • 2022 – Present: Professor, Overseas High-Level Talent Recruitment Programs, Nanjing University of Science & Technology.
    • Research: Zn metal surface chemistry, aqueous Zn-ion batteries, stabilization of atomic/subnanometric metal clusters.
  • 2020 – 2022: Postdoctoral Researcher, Chemical & Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada.
    • Co-Advisors: Prof. Ken Cadien, Prof. Zhi Li.
  • 2017 – 2020: Postdoctoral Researcher, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Canada.
    • Co-Advisors: Prof. Zhongwei Chen, Prof. Aiping Yu.

Academic Background:

Dr. Zhang earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Nanjing University of Science and Technology in 2017, under the supervision of Prof. Xin Wang. He conducted joint Ph.D. research in Colloid Chemistry at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany, under Prof. Markus Antonietti. His research during this period focused on carbon-nitrogen materials for electrocatalysis and lithium-ion batteries, and carbon nitride-based materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Materials Science Research Focus:

Dr. Wenyao Zhang’s research in materials science primarily revolves around energy storage and conversion technologies, with a significant emphasis on the following areas:

  1. Aqueous Zn-ion Batteries:
    • Zn Metal Surface Chemistry: Investigating the chemical interactions and surface modifications of zinc metal to enhance the performance and stability of aqueous Zn-ion batteries.
    • Stabilization of Metal Clusters: Developing molecular trapping strategies to stabilize atomic and subnanometric metal clusters, which are crucial for improving the efficiency and longevity of battery systems.
  2. Electrocatalysis:
    • Carbon-Nitrogen Materials: Designing novel carbon-nitrogen materials to serve as supports for electrocatalysts, enhancing their activity and durability for various electrochemical reactions.
  3. Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting:
    • Carbon Nitride-Based Materials: Creating high-performance carbon nitride-based materials to act as catalysts for photoelectrochemical water splitting, aiming to generate hydrogen efficiently using solar energy.
  4. Nanostructured Materials:
    • Growth of MnO2 on Carbon Nanotubes: Controlled synthesis of nanostructured manganese dioxide on carbon nanotubes to develop high-performance electrochemical capacitors.

Dr. Zhang’s innovative research integrates advanced material design and synthesis techniques to address critical challenges in energy storage and conversion, contributing to the development of sustainable and efficient energy solutions.

Citations:

  • Total Citations: 1,645
  • Citations Since 2019: 1,437
  • h-index: 21
  • i10-index: 28

Publication Top Notes

  • Ternary manganese ferrite/graphene/polyaniline nanostructure with enhanced electrochemical capacitance performance
    • P. Xiong, C. Hu, Y. Fan, W. Zhang, J. Zhu, X. Wang, Journal of Power Sources, 266, 384-392, 2014
    • Citations: 183
  • Palladium nanoparticles supported on graphitic carbon nitride-modified reduced graphene oxide as highly efficient catalysts for formic acid and methanol electrooxidation
    • W. Zhang, H. Huang, F. Li, K. Deng, X. Wang, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2 (44), 19084-19094, 2014
    • Citations: 169
  • Defect‐Enriched Nitrogen Doped–Graphene Quantum Dots Engineered NiCo2S4 Nanoarray as High‐Efficiency Bifunctional Catalyst for Flexible Zn‐Air Battery
    • W. Liu, B. Ren, W. Zhang, M. Zhang, G. Li, M. Xiao, J. Zhu, A. Yu, Small, 15 (44), 1903610, 2019
    • Citations: 99
  • Merging single‐atom‐dispersed iron and graphitic carbon nitride to a joint electronic system for high‐efficiency photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
    • W. Zhang, Q. Peng, L. Shi, Q. Yao, X. Wang, A. Yu, Z. Chen, Y. Fu, Small, 15 (50), 1905166, 2019
    • Citations: 90
  • Zn-free MOFs like MIL-53 (Al) and MIL-125 (Ti) for the preparation of defect-rich, ultrafine ZnO nanosheets with high photocatalytic performance
    • H. Xiao, W. Zhang, Q. Yao, L. Huang, L. Chen, B. Boury, Z. Chen, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 244, 719-731, 2019
    • Citations: 90
  • Controlled growth of nanostructured MnO2 on carbon nanotubes for high-performance electrochemical capacitors
    • H. Huang, W. Zhang, Y. Fu, X. Wang, Electrochimica Acta, 152, 480-488, 2015
    • Citations: 87
  • Self-repairing interphase reconstructed in each cycle for highly reversible aqueous zinc batteries
    • W. Zhang, M. Dong, K. Jiang, D. Yang, X. Tan, S. Zhai, R. Feng, N. Chen, Nature Communications, 13 (1), 5348, 2022
    • Citations: 84
  • A general approach for fabricating 3D MFe2O4 (M= Mn, Ni, Cu, Co)/graphitic carbon nitride covalently functionalized nitrogen-doped graphene nanocomposites as advanced anodes
    • W. Zhang, Y. Fu, W. Liu, L. Lim, X. Wang, A. Yu, Nano Energy, 57, 48-56, 2019
    • Citations: 82
  • A “trimurti” heterostructured hybrid with an intimate CoO/Co x P interface as a robust bifunctional air electrode for rechargeable Zn–air batteries
    • Y. Niu, M. Xiao, J. Zhu, T. Zeng, J. Li, W. Zhang, D. Su, A. Yu, Z. Chen, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 8 (18), 9177-9184, 2020
    • Citations: 81
  • One-pot synthesis of nickel-modified carbon nitride layers toward efficient photoelectrochemical cells
    • W. Zhang, J. Albero, L. Xi, K. M. Lange, H. Garcia, X. Wang, M. Shalom, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9 (38), 32667-32677, 2017
    • Citations: 67