1. Photocatalysis

Industry development and population explosion have rendered the problems of energy shortage and environmental pollution. It is increasingly urgent to find clean and sustainable energy sources to substitute traditional fossil fuels. Semiconductor photocatalysis is one of the most promising and practical solutions to current global energy and environmental issues because it is an efficient way to harvest and utilize solar energy that is generally abundant everywhere on the Earth.

Our group focuses on the discovery of novel and efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts containing 0D (CdS QDs, CQDs, etc.), 2D (layered double hydroxides, layered Nb oxides, ZnInS nanosheets, etc.), and 3D (nanovesicles or micro porous, etc.) to meet the above challenges. Furthermore, quantum calculations are also widely applied in our group to allow full exploration of structure-property relationships. By doing so, these catalysts are able to predictably and efficiently convert solar energy into chemical energy through photo/electrochemical water splitting, CO and CO₂ reduction process.

2. Electrochemical catalysis

Reactions, such as oxygen reduction reaction(ORR), oxygen evolutionn reaction (OER), and hydrogen evolutionn reaction (HER), are key parts for various next-generation energy storage and conversion technologies, containing water splitting, fuel cells and rechargeable metal-air batteries. Successful implementation of these technologies hinges on the development of active and durable electrocatalysts.

Our group focuses on the discovery and design of novel, low-cost efficient and durable electrocatalysts including metal, metal oxides, metal nitride, layered double hydroxides, and doped-carbon. Furthermore, tuning parameters and quantum calculations are also widely applied in our group to understand structure-property relationships for predicting the activity of novel catalytic materials.

1994-1998, Jilin University, B.S.

1998-2003, Jilin University, Ph.D.

2003-2004, Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany (with Prof. Markus    Antonietti and Prof. Charl F. J. Faul).

2004-2005, NIH Research Associate, National Institute for Nanotechnology, NRC & University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (with Prof. Hicham Fenniri).

2005-2007, Research Associate, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA (with Prof. Z. Ryan Tian).

2007-2009, Research Associate, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA (with Prof. Yadong Yin and Prof. Yushan Yan).

2009-present, Full Professor, Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (TIPC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.

Published 139 papers in refereed SCI journals, including 10 in Adv. Mater., 5 in Adv. Energy Mater., 2 in Adv. Funct. Mater., 3 in Nano Lett., 8 in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. and 3 in J. Am. Chem. Soc.

Total number of citations: > 5000; H-index impact factor: 40

1. Yufei Zhao#, Yunxuan Zhao#, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Lirong Zheng, Xingzong Cao, Fei Teng, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung, Dermot O'Hare and Tierui Zhang*, “Layered double hydroxide nanosheets as efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts for dinitrogen fixation”, Adv. Mater. 2017, DOI: 10.1002/adma.201703828.
2. Hongwei Huang*, Shuchen Tu, Chao Zeng, Tierui Zhang, A. H. Reshak and Yihe Zhang*, “Macroscopic polarization enhancement promoting photo- and piezoelectric-induced charge separation and molecular oxygen activation”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 10.1002/ange.201706549.
   (Highlighted by Cailiaoniu)
3. Run Shi, Yinhu Cao, Yanjun Bao, Yufei Zhao, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Zheyu Fang, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung, Yadong Yin and Tierui Zhang*, “Self-assembled Au/CdSe nanocrystal clusters for plasmon-mediated photocatalytic hydrogen evolution”, Adv. Mater. 2017, 29 (27), 1700803.
   (Highlighted by X-MOL)
4. Bin Liu, Yu-Fei Zhao, Hui-Qing Peng, Zhen-Yu Zhang, Chun-Kit Sit, Muk-Fung Yuen, Tierui Zhang, Chun-Sing Lee and Wen-Jun Zhang*, “Nickel-cobalt diselenide 3D mesoporous nanosheet networks supported on Ni Foam: an all-pH highly efficient integrated electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution”, Adv. Mater. 2017, 29 (19), 1606521.
5. Huijun Yu#, Run Shi#, Yunxuan Zhao, Tong Bian, Yufei Zhao, Chao Zhou, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung and Tierui Zhang*, “Alkali-assisted synthesis of nitrogen deficient graphitic carbon nitride with tunable band structures for efficient visible light-driven hydrogen evolution”, Adv. Mater. 2017, 29 (16), 1605148.
   (Back Cover article; Highlighted by Advanced Science News, MaterialsViews-China and X-MOL)
6. Qiang Wang#, Lu Shang#, Run Shi, Xin Zhang, Yufei Zhao, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung and Tierui Zhang*, “NiFe layered double hydroxide nanoparticles on Co,N-codoped carbon nanoframes as efficient bifunctional catalysts for rechargeable Zinc-air batteries”, Adv. Energy Mater. 2017, DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201700467.
7. Yunxuan Zhao, Chao Chang, Fei Teng*, Yufei Zhao, Guangbo Chen, Run Shi, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Weifeng Huang and Tierui Zhang*, “Defect-engineered ultrathin MnO2 nanosheet arrays as bifunctional electrodes for efficient overall water splitting”, Adv. Energy Mater. 2017, DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201700005.
   (Back Cover article)
8. Lu Shang#, Yunhui Liang#, Mengzhu Li, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Pei Tang, Ding Ma, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung and Tierui Zhang*, ““Naked” magnetically recyclable mesoporous Au-γ-Fe2O3 nanocrystal clusters: a highly integrated catalyst system”, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2017, 27 (9), 1606215.
   (Frontispiece article, Highlighted by X-MOL)
9. Yitao Cao, Wei Geng, Run Shi, Lu Shang, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Limin Liu, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung, Yadong Yin and Tierui Zhang*, Thiolate-mediated photoinduced synthesis of ultrafine Ag₂S quantum dots from Ag nanoparticles”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 14952.
   (Frontispiece article)
10. Yufei Zhao, Xiaodan Jia, Guangbo Chen, Lu Shang, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung, Dermot O'Hare and Tierui Zhang*, Ultrafine NiO nanosheets stabilized by TiO₂ from monolayer NiTi-LDH precursors: an active water oxidation electrocatalyst, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 6517.
    (Highlighted by SPIE)
11. Huijun Yu, Lu Shang, Tong Bian, Run Shi, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Yufei Zhao, Chao Zhou, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung and Tierui Zhang*, Nitrogen doped porous carbon nanosheets templated from g-C₃N₄ as metal-free electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen reduction reaction, Adv. Mater. 2016, 28, 5080.
    (Back Cover article; Top 10 most downloaded papers in May 2016; Highlighted by X-MOL)
12. Yufei Zhao, Bo Zhao, Jinjia Liu, Guangbo Chen, Siyu Yao, Mengzhu Li, Rui Cao, Qinghua Zhang, Lin Gu, Jinlin Xie, Xiaodong Wen*, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung, Ding Ma* and Tierui Zhang*, Oxide-modified nickel photocatalyst for the production of hydrocarbons in visible light, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 4215.
    (Hot paper; Highlighted by Chemistry World, Acta Phys.-Chim. Sin. and China Science Daily)
13. Hua Fan, Xing Huang, Lu Shang, Yitao Cao, Yufei Zhao, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung, Yadong Yin* and Tierui Zhang*, Controllable synthesis of ultrathin transition-metal hydroxide nanosheets and their extended composite nanostructures for enhanced catalytic activity in Heck reaction, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 2167.
    (Back Cover article)
14. Lu Shang, Huijun Yu, Xing Huang, Tong Bian, Yufei Zhao, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung and Tierui Zhang*, Well-dispersed ZIF-derived Co,N-codoped carbon nanoframes through mesoporous silica-protected calcination as efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalysts, Adv. Mater. 2016, 28, 1668.
    (Back Cover article; Highlighted by ACS Cutting-Edge Chemistry, MaterialsViews and MaterialsViews-China)
15. Yufei Zhao, Xiaodan Jia, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Li-Zhu Wu, Chen-Ho Tung, Dermot O'Hare and Tierui Zhang*, Layered double hydroxide nanostructured photocatalysts for renewable energy production, Adv. Energy Mater. 2016, 6, 1501974.
    (Invited Review)

1. Tierui Zhang; Yong Peng; Lu Shang; Li-Zhu Wu and Chen-Ho Tung, “The preparation and applications of hydrophilic flower-like CdSe microspheres composed of nanosheets”, Chin. Pat. Appl. Publ. (2014) No. 201410782760.2. (Granted 09/02/2017)
2. Tierui Zhang; Yinhu Cao; Li-Zhu Wu and Chen-Ho Tung, “The preparation and applications of nanoclusters with strong LSPR effect”, Chin. Pat. Appl. Publ. (2014) No. 201410559418.6. (Granted 01/02/2017)
3. Tierui Zhang; Yinhu Cao; Li-Zhu Wu and Chen-Ho Tung, “The preparation and applications of nanocluster catalysts based on the synergistic effect of LSPR and electron transfer”, Chin. Pat. Appl. Publ. (2014) No. 201410602503.6. (Granted 18/01/2017)
4. Tierui Zhang; Yinhu Cao; Li-Zhu Wu and Chen-Ho Tung, “The preparation and applications of composite nanocluster catalyst covered by silica”, Chin. Pat. Appl. Publ. (2014) No. 201410602564.2. (Granted 11/01/2017)
5. Tierui Zhang; Donghui Zhang; Yunhui Liang; Lu Shang; Tong Bian; Huijun Yu; Li-Zhu Wu and Chen-Ho Tung, The preparation of one new type of magnetic nanocomposites, Chin. Pat. Appl. Publ. (2012) No.201210085569.3. (Granted 02/17/2016)

1. "Rational design and controlled synthesis of nanostructured photocatalysts for efficient solar fuels", 18th China Association for Science and Technology Congress, Xi'an, China, September 25, 2016.
2. "Rational design of nanostructured photocatalysts for efficient solar fuels", 6th International IUPAC Conference on Green Chemistry, Venice, Italy, September 7, 2016.
3. "Solar photocatalysis for the conversion of C1 chemistry", The 15th National Conference of Solar Energy Photochemistry and Photocatalysts, Jinan, China, August 21, 2016.
4. "N-doped carbon based highly efficient ORR electrocatalysts", The 10th Polymeric Nano-functional Materials Forum, Beijing, China, August 17, 2016.
5. "Photocatalysis based on semiconductors for the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy", Anhui University, Hefei, China, July 19, 2016.

2017, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, FRSC

‍‍2016, CAS International Cooperation Award for Young Scientists‍‍

2016, Outstanding achievement of Beijing Natural science foundation during twelfth five-year 

2016, Prize for Outstanding Young Scientist in Photochemistry and Photocatalysis.

2015, 45th IUPAC World Chemistry Congress 2015 - Young Chemist Travel Award (IUPAC).

2014, "Hundred Talents Program" Terminal Evaluation-Outstanding.

2013, 44th IUPAC World Chemistry Congress 2013 - Support for Young Chemists (IUPAC).

2013, "Excellent Young Scholars" of the National Science Fund.

2012, National Program for Support of Top-notch Young Professionals.

2011, "Best Oral Presentation Awards" at 13th National Youth Conference on Catalysis.

2010, The 2nd Searching for Young Science Star, Silver Award in the Field of Material Science.

2010, "Hundred Talents Program" Scholars of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

2003, Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (Germany).