Research Team

Current Research Group Members

Principal Investigator

Prof. ZHANG Hua (张华)

Prof. ZHANG Hua (张华)

Herman Hu Chair Professor of Nanomaterials, Department of Chemistry

Herman Hu Chair Professor of Nanomaterials, Department of Chemistry

Contact information

YEUNG-P7709             +852 3442-4102             hua.zhang@cityu.edu.hk

     Publons      ||      Research ID       ||      ORCID      ||      Google Scholar

Dr. Hua Zhang obtained his B.S. and M.S. degrees at Nanjing University in China in 1992 and 1995, respectively, and completed his Ph.D. with Prof. Zhongfan Liu at Peking University in China in July 1998. He joined Prof. Frans C. De Schryver’s group at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven) in Belgium as a Research Associate in January 1999. Then he moved to Prof. Chad A. Mirkin’s group at Northwestern University as a Postdoctoral Fellow in July 2001. He started to work at NanoInk Inc. (USA) as a Research Scientist/Chemist in August 2003. After that, he worked as a Senior Research Scientist at Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore from November 2005 to July 2006. Then he joined the School of Materials Science and Engineering in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted to a tenured Associate Professor on March 1, 2011, and Full Professor on Sept. 1, 2013. In 2019, he joined the Department of Chemistry in City University of Hong Kong as a Chair Professor (Herman Hu Chair Professor of Nanomaterials).

He has published 5 invited book chapters, 74 patent applications (including 8 granted US patents and 1 Singapore patent), and over 520 papers, among which over 330 papers (>60%) were published in IF>10 journals. Some of his papers have been published in Science (1), Nat. Chem. (5), Nat. Mater. (1), Nat. Catal. (2), Nat. Rev. Mater. (2), Nat. Rev. Chem. (1), Nat. Commun. (11), Sci. Adv. (1), Nat. Protocols (1), Chem. Rev. (2), Chem. Soc. Rev. (14), Acc. Chem. Res. (3), J. Am. Chem. Soc. (22), Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (28), Adv. Mater. (62), Energy Environ. Sci (12), Chem (3), Mater (1), Mater. Today (1), Adv. Energy Mater. (10), ACS Nano (32), Nano Lett. (15), Adv. Funct. Mater. (4), Nano Energy (6), Mater. Horizons (2), Nat. Sci. Rev. (4), ACS Catal. (1), Small (68), J. Mater. Chem. A (4), Biomater. (1), Chem. Mater. (2), J. Mater. Chem. (9), etc. Until 10 Oct., 2021, the total cited times are over 90,500 with H-index of 149 (Web of Science), and over 107,900 with H-index of 160 (Google Scholar). He has been invited to give more than 300 Plenary, Keynote or Invited Talks in international conferences, universities and institutes, and served as the Session Chair. He has organized several tens of international conferences and served as the Symposium Chair or Conference Co-Chair.

He is one of the two editors-in-chief of SmartMat (2020-), one of three Chairmen of the Editorial Board of ChemNanoMat (2015-), sits on the Advisory Board of Chem. Soc. Rev. (2012-), Materials Chemistry Frontiers (2016-), Matter (2019-), Nanoscale (2012-), Nanoscale Horizons (2015-) and NPG Asia Materials (2018-), the Editorial Advisory Board of ACS Nano (2014-), ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces (2014-), Advanced Materials (2019-), Advanced Functional Materials (2018-), Chem. Mater. (2014-), Nanofabrication (2012-) and Small (2012-), the Editorial Board of ACS Omega (2016-), Applied Materials Today (2015-), Carbon (2013-), CHEM (2016-), Chinese Science Bulletin (2014-), Energy Storage Materials (2015-), EnergyChem (2018-), Graphene Technology (2016-), Materials Today Energy (2016-), NANO (2007-), npj 2D Materials and Applications (2016-) and Science China Materials (2014-), the International Advisory Board of Chemistry – An Asian Journal (2018-), the International Advisory Board of Materials Research Express (2014-2016) and the the International Editorial Board of ChemPlusChem (2012-2015), and the Scientific Advisory Board of Small Methods (2017-). He is also one of the members of the Advisory Committee of IOP Asia-Pacific (2010-). In 2020, he was elected as Foreign Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences. In 2015, he was elected as an Academician of the Asia Pacific Academy of Materials (APAM). In Nov. 2014, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC). In 2016, he was listed in the top 300 most cited researchers in the field of materials science and engineering (Elsevier Scopus). In 2015-2018, he was listed in the "Highly Cited Researchers" in Chemistry and Materials Science (Thomson Reuters). In 2015, he was listed as one of 19Hottest Researchers of Today” in the world in the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds 2015 (Thomson Reuters, 2015). In 2014, he was listed in the "Highly Cited Researchers 2014" in Materials Science, and also listed as one of 17Hottest Researchers of Today” and No. 1 in Materials and More in the world in the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds 2014 (Thomson Reuters, 2014). Moreover, he got the Young Investigator Award (Young Giants of Nanoscience 2016, Hong Kong), Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholar Award (University of Wollongong, Australia, 2016), ACS Nano Lectureship Award (2015), World Cultural Council (WCC) Special Recognition Award (2013), the ONASSIA Foundation Lectureship (Greece, 2013), Asian Rising Stars (15th Asian Chemical Congress, 2013), SMALL Young Innovator Award (Wiley-VCH, 2012) and Nanyang Award for Research Excellence (2011).

Postdoctoral Fellows

ZHANG An (2021)

ZHANG An (2021)

Hong Kong Scholars Program

Hong Kong Scholars Program
Education: Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China; B.Sc., Polymer Sciene and Engineering, Hubei Universty.
Email: anzhang@cityu.edu.hk, anz@mail.ustc.edu.cn
Research Interests: CO2 reduction, electrocatalysis.


CHEN Bo (2020)

CHEN Bo (2020)

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education: Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University; M.Sc., Nanomaterials Chemistry, Shandong University; B.Sc., Chemistry, Lanzhou University.
Email: bochen32@cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: 2D Materials, Transition Metal Dichalcogenides, Aberration Corrected TEM/STEM, Electrocatalysts, Water Remediation.


GE Yiyao (2020)

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education: Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University; B.Sc., Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing.
Email: yiyaoge@city.edu.hk, geyiyao1992@hotmail.com
Research Interests: Controlled synthesis of metal-based nanomaterials with unconventional phases; Controlled phase transformation of nanomaterials; Construction of well-defined metal-based heterostructures.


LAI Zhuangchai (2020)

LAI Zhuangchai (2020)

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education: Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University; M.Eng., Industrial Catalysis, South China University of Technology; B.Sc., Material Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University.
Email: zhuanlai@cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Synthesis, characterization and application of 2D TMD materials with unconventional phases.


SHI Zhenyu (2020)

SHI Zhenyu (2020)

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education: Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University; M.Eng. and B.Eng., Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University.
Email: zhenyshi@cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Synthesis, characterization and application of 2D-TMD and TMD-based hybrid nanomaterials .


YUN Qinbai (2020)

YUN Qinbai (2020)

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education: Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University; M.Eng., Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University; B.Eng., Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University.
Email: Qinbai.Yun@cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Noble metal nanomaterials, 2D materials, Energy conversion and storage.


PhD Students

GUO Yuyang (2022)

GUO Yuyang (2022)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Polymer Chemistry & Physics, Shanghai University. Cooperation M.Sc. program, Physical Chemistry, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, CAS.
Email: yy.guo@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: SERS, Noble Metal Nanomaterials, Photocatalysis.


LI Ziyun (2022)

LI Ziyun (2022)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Materials Physics and Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China.
Email: ziyunli6-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Noble Metal, 2D Materials.


LIAO Yujia (2022)

LIAO Yujia (2022)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology .
Email: liaoyj3-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Epitaxial growth of nanomaterials on TMDs.


MA Wenjie (2022)

MA Wenjie (2022)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University.
Email: wenjiema4-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: 2D Materials, Noble Metal.


WANG Lixin (2022)

WANG Lixin (2022)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Material Science, University of Southern California.
Email: lixinwang2-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Noble Metal, TMDs, 2D Materials.


WU Yuxuan (2022)

WU Yuxuan (2022)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Solid Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China.
Email: yuxuanwu8-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: MOF, 2D Materials.


KANG Jianing (2021)

KANG Jianing (2021)

PhD Student

Education: M.Eng., Materials Science, University of Manchester; B.Eng., Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University.
Email: jianikang2-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Electrocatalysis, Synthesis and characterization of unconventional-phase nanomaterials.


REN Yi (2021)

REN Yi (2021)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University; B.Sc., Physics, Shenzhen University.
Email: yiren26-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: 2D material-based devices.


RUAN Xinyang (2021)

RUAN Xinyang (2021)

PhD Student

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme
Education: B.Eng., Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University.
Email: xinyaruan2-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Single atomic metal catalysts on TMDs.


WA Qingbo (2021)

WA Qingbo (2021)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Mechanics (Advanced Materials and Mechanics), Peking University; B.Sc., Chemistry, Peking University.
Email: boqwa2-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Electrocatalysis; Synthesis of uncoventional-phase noble metal.


WANG Yongji (2021)

WANG Yongji (2021)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Chemistry, Tsinghua University; B.Sc., Polymer Materials and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology.
Email: yongjwang5-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: 2D materials and devices.


WU Zhiying (2021)

WU Zhiying (2021)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; B.Sc., Environmental Engineering, Ningbo University.
Email: zhiyingwu6-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Wastewater treatment, nanomaterial synthesis.


YANG Hua (2021)

YANG Hua (2021)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Chemistry, Jilin University; B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Groningen.
Email: hyang67-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Epitaxial growth of uncoventional-phase noble metal-semiconductor heterostructures.


YANG Qi (2021)

YANG Qi (2021)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology.
Email: qyang62-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Synthesis of non-noble metal nanomaterials; Electrocatalysis.


CHEN Wenze (2020)

CHEN Wenze (2020)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China.
Email: wenzechen2-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Noble metal nanomaterials in optical, electronic and catalytic application.


CHI Banlan (2020)

CHI Banlan (2020)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China.
Email: banlanchi2-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Electrochemistry, 2D Materials, Single atom catalyst.


HUANG Biao (2020)

HUANG Biao (2020)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc. and B.Eng., Chemistry, Chongqing University.
Email: Biao.Huang@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Synthesis of novel-phase noble metal nanomaterials and heterostructures.


LI Lujiang (2020)

LI Lujiang (2020)

PhD Student

Education: B.Eng., Materials Chemistry, Nankai University.
Email: 1613556@mail.nankai.edu.cn
Research Interests: Unconventional phases of metallic nanomaterials; High-enthropy alloys.


LI Siyuan (2020)

LI Siyuan (2020)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Materials Physics, Fudan University; B.Sc., Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University.
Email: siyuan.li@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: 2D material-based devices.


LI Zijian (2020)

LI Zijian (2020)

PhD Student

CityU Presidential PhD Scholarship; Research Tuition Scholarship (2021); Outstanding Academic Performance Award (2021)
Education: B.Eng., Polymer Materials and Engineering, Ocean University of China.
Email: zijianli6-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Electrocatalysis; Synthesis and application of unconventional-phase metal @ transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures.


LIU Guangyao (2020)

LIU Guangyao (2020)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China.
Email: guangyliu6-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Noble Metal, 2D Materials.


LUO Qinxin (2020)

LUO Qinxin (2020)

PhD Student

CityU Presidential PhD Scholarship
Education: M.Sc., Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China.
Email: qinxinluo2@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Epitaxial growth of nanomaterials by wet-chemical methods.


Vlad A. NEACȘU (2020)

Vlad A. NEACȘU (2020)

PhD Student

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme
Education: M.Sc., Nanoscience, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Bucharest, Romania.
Email: vlad.neacsu@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Synthesis of TMD nanomaterials with unconventional phases, time-resolved fluroescence.


WANG Hongyi (2020)

WANG Hongyi (2020)

PhD Student

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship
Education: B.Sc., Chemistry, Peking University.
Email: howard.wang@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Deep Learning, Chemoinformatics, Computational Material, Drug Design.


WANG Xixi (2020)

WANG Xixi (2020)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University.
Email: xixiwang7-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Synthesis of noble metal nanomaterials and heterostructures.


YAO Yao (2020)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Microelectronics and Solid-state Electronics, Institute of Microelectronics, CAS; B.Eng., Integrated Circuit Design and Systems Integration, Xidian University.
Email: yyao56-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Novel 2D materials and related devices.


ZHAI Li (2020)

ZHAI Li (2020)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Environment Chemistry, Nanjing University.
Email: lizhai2-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Photocatalysis; Epitaxial growth of noble metal-semiconductor heterostructures.


HE Zhen (2019)

HE Zhen (2019)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University.
Email: zhenhe5-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Wet-chemical synthesis of noble metal nanomaterials.


LIANG Jinzhe (2019)

LIANG Jinzhe (2019)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Chemistry, Nankai University.
Email: jinzhe.liang@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Synthesis of unconventional phase nanomaterials.


LONG Huiwu (2019)

LONG Huiwu (2019)

PhD Student

Education: M.Eng. and B.Eng., Material Science, Chongqing University.
Email: huiwu.long@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Synthesis of nanomaterials.


LU Shiyao (2019)

LU Shiyao (2019)

PhD Student

Research Tuition Scholarship (2020, 2021)
Education: M.Sc. and B.Sc., Chemistry, Xi'an Jiaotong University.
Email: shiyao.lu@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Phase engineering of noble metal alloys.


XIONG Tengfei (2019)

XIONG Tengfei (2019)

PhD Student

Education: B.Sc., Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology.
Email: tengfei.xiong@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Transition metal dichalcogenides; Transition metal Nitrides.


ZHAI Wei (2019)

ZHAI Wei (2019)

PhD Student

Research Tuition Scholarship (2021)
Education: M.Sc. & B.Sc., Materials Physics, Shandong University.
Email: wei.zhai@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Novel 2D materials and related devices.


ZHOU Xichen (2019)

ZHOU Xichen (2019)

PhD Student

Education: M.Sc., Physical Chemistry, Lanzhou University; B.E., Applied Chemistry, University of Electronic Science and Technology, China.
Email: xichen.zhou@my.cityu.edu.hk
Research Interests: Phase engineering of noble metal nanomaterials and their applications.

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