Overview
Background
Dr Cheng Zhang is an innovative Research Fellow supported by both ARC and NHMRC. He has an outstanding track record in the fields of fluoropolymers, polymer chemistry and materials science. He has made significant contributions to these fields of research through innovative chemistry to build precise fluoropolymer structures and subsequent molecular-level characterisation to understand the structure-property relationship for specific applications including from energy materials e.g. solid electrolytes, sorbent materials for environmental PFAS remediation, to functional biomaterials e.g. imaging and therapeutic agents. Please read more here at the Zhang Group.
Availability
- Dr Cheng Zhang is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Fluorinated compounds
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Polymeric biomaterials for disease detection and treatment
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NMR and MRI of polymers
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Solid fluoropolymer electrolytes
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PFAS remediation
Research impacts
Dr Zhang's research aims to promote polymer chemistry and its value to society by understanding structure-property relationships to develop novel functional polymeric platforms rapidly. An important way for achieving such a vision is to deliver academic excellence toward social engagement and global impact through industrial collaborations. Over the past five years, he has initiated and maintained great industrial connections with world-leading companies and local city councils, for example, working with Chemours and the City of Gold Coast to advance PFAS capture technologies, and collaborating with Lyndra Therapeutics Inc. to develop new oral drugs for facilitating PFAS elimination from humans. He has published over 90 journal articles, including Nature Materials, Nature Reviews Materials, Chemical Reviews, Journal of the American Chemical Society, ACS Nano, Macromolecules and etc, attracting over 4,000 citations (Google Scholar). He has also successfully secured over $6 M in external grants to support his research in related fields.
His research has achieved positive impacts on the community and has led to commercial, environmental and industrial benefits. He is the inventor and key driver of developing novel fluorinated polymeric devices for removing PFAS from environments (capture of fluorinated carbon compounds, WO2020160626A1). The invention delivers an easy-to-use and reusable highly fluorinated polymer-based device for efficient and selective removal of all classes of PFAS from various contaminated sources. In addition to patent protection, a commercialisation strategy for the invention is currently being developed together with Chemours and UniQuest. In 2021, he has been awarded the Fresh scientist to broadcast my PFAS research to the general public. This provides a great pathway for me to introduce PFAS to the community and builds public awareness of the links between adverse health effects and PFAS.
Awards
2024 CSIRO ON Prime Facilitator Prize
2024 PMSE Early Investigator Award.
2023 Young Tall Poppy Science Award.
2023 ACS Materials AU Rising Star.
2022 UQ Industry Engagement Award.
Works
Search Professor Cheng Zhang’s works on UQ eSpace
2019
Journal Article
Bioinspired core–shell nanoparticles for hydrophobic drug delivery
Yang, Guangze, Liu, Yun, Wang, Haofei, Wilson, Russell, Hui, Yue, Yu, Lei, Wibowo, David, Zhang, Cheng, Whittaker, Andrew K., Middelberg, Anton P. J. and Zhao, Chun‐Xia (2019). Bioinspired core–shell nanoparticles for hydrophobic drug delivery. Angewandte Chemie, 131 (40), 14495-14502. doi: 10.1002/ange.201908357
2019
Journal Article
Surface ligands stabilized lead halide perovskite quantum dot photocatalyst for visible light‐driven hydrogen generation
Xiao, Mu, Hao, Mengmeng, Lyu, Miaoqiang, Moore, Evan G., Zhang, Cheng, Luo, Bin, Hou, Jingwei, Lipton‐Duffin, Josh and Wang, Lianzhou (2019). Surface ligands stabilized lead halide perovskite quantum dot photocatalyst for visible light‐driven hydrogen generation. Advanced Functional Materials, 29 (48) 1905683, 1905683. doi: 10.1002/adfm.201905683
2019
Journal Article
Antimicrobial anilinium polymers: The properties of poly(N,N‐dimethylaminophenylene methacrylamide) in solution and as coatings
Chen, Ao, Er, Gerald, Zhang, Cheng, Tang, Joyce, Alam, Mahbub, T. Ta, Hang, Elliott, Alysha G., Cooper, Matthew A., Perera, Janesha, Swift, Simon, Blakey, Idriss, Whittaker, Andrew K. and Peng, Hui (2019). Antimicrobial anilinium polymers: The properties of poly(N,N‐dimethylaminophenylene methacrylamide) in solution and as coatings. Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, 57 (18), 1908-1921. doi: 10.1002/pola.29314
2019
Journal Article
Bioinspired core-shell nanoparticles for hydrophobic drug delivery
Yang, Guangze, Liu, Yun, Wang, Haofei, Wilson, Russell, Hui, Yue, Yu, Lei, Wibowo, David, Zhang, Cheng, Whittaker, Andrew K., Middelberg, Anton P. J. and Zhao, Chun-Xia (2019). Bioinspired core-shell nanoparticles for hydrophobic drug delivery. Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), 58 (40) ange.201908357, 14357-14364. doi: 10.1002/anie.201908357
2019
Journal Article
Fluorinated glycopolymers as reduction-responsive 19F MRI agents for targeted imaging of cancer
Fu, Changkui, Tang, Joyce, Pye, Aidan, Liu, Tianqing, Zhang, Cheng, Tan, Xiao, Han, Felicity, Peng, Hui and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2019). Fluorinated glycopolymers as reduction-responsive 19F MRI agents for targeted imaging of cancer. Biomacromolecules, 20 (5) acs.biomac.9b00241, 2043-2050. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b00241
2019
Other Outputs
Capture of fluorinated carbon compounds
Whittaker, Andrew, Zhang, Cheng and Tan, Xiao (2019). Capture of fluorinated carbon compounds. WO2020160626A1.
2019
Journal Article
Multifunctional drug carrier on the basis of 3d–4f Fe/La-MOFs for drug delivery and dual-mode imaging
Lin, Caixue, Chi, Bin, Xu, Chen, Zhang, Cheng, Tian, Feng, Xu, Zushun, Li, Ling, Whittaker, Andrew K. and Wang, Jing (2019). Multifunctional drug carrier on the basis of 3d–4f Fe/La-MOFs for drug delivery and dual-mode imaging. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 7 (42), 6612-6622. doi: 10.1039/c9tb01509d
2018
Journal Article
Importance of thermally induced aggregation on 19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging of perfluoropolyether-based comb-shaped poly(2-oxazoline)s
Zhang, Cheng, Sanchez, Ronny Javier Pibaque, Fu, Changkui, Clayden-Zabik, Ryan, Peng, Hui, Kempe, Kristian and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2018). Importance of thermally induced aggregation on 19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging of perfluoropolyether-based comb-shaped poly(2-oxazoline)s. Biomacromolecules, 20 (1) acs.biomac.8b01549, 365-374. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b01549
2018
Journal Article
Formulation of bioerodible ketamine microparticles as an analgesic adjuvant treatment produced by supercritical fluid polymer encapsulation
Han, Felicity, Whittaker, Andrew, Howdle, Steven, Naylor, Andrew, Shabir-Ahmed, Anjumn, Zhang, Cheng and Smith, Maree (2018). Formulation of bioerodible ketamine microparticles as an analgesic adjuvant treatment produced by supercritical fluid polymer encapsulation. Pharmaceutics, 10 (4) 264, 264. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics10040264
2018
Journal Article
Tailored polyimide–graphene nanocomposite as negative electrode and reduced graphene oxide as positive electrode for flexible hybrid sodium-ion capacitors
Zhao, Qinglan, Yang, Dongfang, Zhang, Cheng, Liu, Xuan-He, Fan, Xin, Whittaker, Andrew K. and Zhao, X. S. (2018). Tailored polyimide–graphene nanocomposite as negative electrode and reduced graphene oxide as positive electrode for flexible hybrid sodium-ion capacitors. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 10 (50) acsami.8b17171, 43730-43739. doi: 10.1021/acsami.8b17171
2018
Journal Article
Bioconjugation and fluorescence labeling of iron oxide nanoparticles grafted with bromomaleimide-terminal polymers
Qiao, Ruirui, Esser, Lars, Fu, Changkui, Zhang, Cheng, Hu, Jinming, Ramírez-arcía, Paulina, Li, Yuhuan, Quinn, John F., Whittaker, Michael R., Whittaker, Andrew K. and Davis, Thomas P. (2018). Bioconjugation and fluorescence labeling of iron oxide nanoparticles grafted with bromomaleimide-terminal polymers. Biomacromolecules, 19 (11) acs.biomac.8b01282, 4423-4429. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b01282
2018
Journal Article
Multifunctional magnetized porous silica covered with Poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) for pH controllable drug release and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Li, Ling, Zhang, Cheng, Zhang, Run, Xu, Zushun, Xu, Zhiping and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2018). Multifunctional magnetized porous silica covered with Poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) for pH controllable drug release and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 1 (9) acsanm.8b01131, 5027-5034. doi: 10.1021/acsanm.8b01131
2018
Journal Article
Enhanced performance of polymeric 19F MRI contrast agents through incorporation of highly water-soluble monomer MSEA
Fu, Changkui, Zhang, Cheng, Peng, Hui, Han, Felicity, Baker, Carly, Wu, Yuao, Ta, Hang and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2018). Enhanced performance of polymeric 19F MRI contrast agents through incorporation of highly water-soluble monomer MSEA. Macromolecules, 51 (15) acs.macromol.8b01190, 5875-5882. doi: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01190
2018
Journal Article
Controlled synthesis of up-conversion luminescent Gd/Tm-MOFs for pH-responsive drug delivery and UCL/MRI dual-modal imaging
Liu, Yana, Zhang, Cheng, Xu, Chen, Lin, Caixue, Sun, Keke, Wang, Jie, Chen, Xueli, Li, Ling, Whittaker, Andrew K. and Xu, Hai-Bing (2018). Controlled synthesis of up-conversion luminescent Gd/Tm-MOFs for pH-responsive drug delivery and UCL/MRI dual-modal imaging. Dalton Transactions, 47 (32), 11253-11263. doi: 10.1039/c8dt02436g
2018
Journal Article
Elucidating the impact of molecular structure on the 19F NMR dynamics and MRI performance of fluorinated oligomers
Zhang, Cheng, Kim, Dong Sub, Lawrence, Jimmy, Hawker, Craig J. and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2018). Elucidating the impact of molecular structure on the 19F NMR dynamics and MRI performance of fluorinated oligomers. ACS Macro Letters, 7 (7), 921-926. doi: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00433
2018
Journal Article
Nano-bio-imaging and therapeutic nanoparticles
Zhang, Cheng and Ferenz, Katja (2018). Nano-bio-imaging and therapeutic nanoparticles. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanomedicine, 2 (1), 19.
2018
Journal Article
A unique 19F MRI agent for the tracking of non phagocytic cells in vivo
Moonshi, Shehzahdi S., Zhang, Cheng, Peng, Hui, Puttick, Simon, Rose, Stephen, Fisk, Nicholas M., Bhakoo, Kishore, Stringer, Brett W., Qiao, Greg G., Gurr, Paul A. and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2018). A unique 19F MRI agent for the tracking of non phagocytic cells in vivo. Nanoscale, 10 (17), 8226-8239. doi: 10.1039/c8nr00703a
2018
Journal Article
Controllable synthesis of up-conversion nanoparticles UCNPs@MIL-PEG for pH-responsive drug delivery and potential up-conversion luminescence/magnetic resonance dual-mode imaging
Liu, Yana, Zhang, Cheng, Liu, Hui, Li, Yuebin, Xu, Zushun, Li, Ling and Whittaker, Andrew (2018). Controllable synthesis of up-conversion nanoparticles UCNPs@MIL-PEG for pH-responsive drug delivery and potential up-conversion luminescence/magnetic resonance dual-mode imaging. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 749, 939-947. doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.03.355
2018
Journal Article
Overcoming surfactant-induced morphology instability of noncrosslinked diblock copolymer nano-objects obtained by RAFT emulsion polymerization
Truong, Nghia P., Zhang, Cheng, Nguyen, Tuan A. H., Anastasaki, Athina, Schulze, Morgan W., Quinn, John F., Whittaker, Andrew K., Hawker, Craig J., Whittaker, Michael R. and Davis, Thomas P. (2018). Overcoming surfactant-induced morphology instability of noncrosslinked diblock copolymer nano-objects obtained by RAFT emulsion polymerization. ACS Macro Letters, 2018 (7), 159-165. doi: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.7b00978
2018
Conference Publication
High F-Content Perfluoropolyether-based Polymers for Targeted Detection of Breast Cancer by 19F Magnetic Resonance and Optical Imaging
Zhang, Cheng, Moonshi, Shehzahdi Shebbrin, Ta, Hang T., Han, Yanxiao, Han, Felicity Y., Peng, Hui, Král, Petr, Rolfe, Barbara E. and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2018). High F-Content Perfluoropolyether-based Polymers for Targeted Detection of Breast Cancer by 19F Magnetic Resonance and Optical Imaging. World Polymer Congress Macro 2018, Cairns QLD Australia, 1-5 July 2018.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Cheng Zhang is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Removal of Perfluorinated Chemicals PFAS Using New Fluorinated Polymer Sorbents
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of highly persistent chemicals that are linked to a number of human diseases, however existing approaches for removal of PFAS are highly inefficient. This project aims to develop and evaluate novel, reusable polymer sorbents for effective PFAS removal. The polymer sorbents will enable efficient, selective and continuous sorption of PFAS, while maintaining excellent environmental stability for long-term implementation in practical devices. The project will develop novel polymer sorbents to revolutionize the remediation of PFAS with high technical, economic and environmental feasibility, creating a pathway to a PFAS-free world, and ultimately protecting the natural environment.
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Preparation of Highly Effective and Versatile Discrete Molecular Transporters for the Delivery of Drugs and Probes
The design and development of new agents that enable or enhance the passage of drugs and probes across biological barriers is a goal of unsurpassed significance in the search for improved imaging molecules, diagnostics and therapies. However, the development of highly-effective molecular transporters is hindered by current synthetic strategies. As such, it is critical to be able to prepare novel monodisperse molecular transporters (Ð=1) with precise structures, compositions, and function, which are essential for their special and unique transport properties. In this project, a versatile and scalable strategy for the preparation of discrete (monodisperse) materials will be developed. This approach enables the combination of facile polymerization procedures and ubiquitous purification processes. Different types of well-defined oligomers with different charges will be synthesized and their interaction and internalization with cells will be further demonstrated.
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19F MRI Imaging Agents for Disease Detection
The aim of this project is to develop new magnetic resonance (MR) molecular imaging strategies that will enable the in vivo monitoring of biological processes. Specifically, we will develop novel fluorinated polymers for imaging of early markers of diseases such as melanoma, prostate cancer, malignant glioma and Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, the project involves the synthesis of new partly-fluorinated polymers having controlled architecture for the rapidly developing field of 19F MRI. Other imaging modalities, drugs and targeting ligands will be conjugated. The project aims to relate the structure of the macromolecules, determined carefully using advanced techniques such as NMR, light scattering, GPC, AFM and electron microscopy, to the performance as imaging agents. The agents will be tested in small animal (mouse) models of disease already developed by this group and our collaborators.
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High-Resolution Imaging Technologies for Advanced Battery Design
This project aims to advance the development of long-lasting sustainable batteries by innovating new polymer electrolyte additives and incorporating new imaging techniques. The use of polymer additives is one of the most economical approaches for improving battery performance. However, polymers prepared using modern techniques have a broad range of physical properties and chemical structures, obscuring how their design principles are understood. This project expects to tackle these challenges by developing a new method for producing truly discrete new polymers. The expected outcomes are new knowledge in polymer electrolytes and imaging which will result in more efficient and reliable batteries. This provides significant benefits to polymer science and Australia’s renewable battery industry.
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Removal of Perfluorinated Chemicals PFAS Using New Fluorinated Polymer Sorbents
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of highly persistent chemicals that are linked to a number of human diseases, however existing approaches for removal of PFAS are highly inefficient. This project aims to develop and evaluate novel, reusable polymer sorbents for effective PFAS removal. The polymer sorbents will enable efficient, selective and continuous sorption of PFAS, while maintaining excellent environmental stability for long-term implementation in practical devices. The project will develop novel polymer sorbents to revolutionize the remediation of PFAS with high technical, economic and environmental feasibility, creating a pathway to a PFAS-free world, and ultimately protecting the natural environment.
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Preparation of Highly Effective and Versatile Discrete Molecular Transporters for the Delivery of Drugs and Probes
The design and development of new agents that enable or enhance the passage of drugs and probes across biological barriers is a goal of unsurpassed significance in the search for improved imaging molecules, diagnostics and therapies. However, the development of highly-effective molecular transporters is hindered by current synthetic strategies. As such, it is critical to be able to prepare novel monodisperse molecular transporters (Ð=1) with precise structures, compositions, and function, which are essential for their special and unique transport properties. In this project, a versatile and scalable strategy for the preparation of discrete (monodisperse) materials will be developed. This approach enables the combination of facile polymerization procedures and ubiquitous purification processes. Different types of well-defined oligomers with different charges will be synthesized and their interaction and internalization with cells will be further demonstrated.
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19F MRI Imaging Agents for Disease Detection
The aim of this project is to develop new magnetic resonance (MR) molecular imaging strategies that will enable the in vivo monitoring of biological processes. Specifically, we will develop novel fluorinated polymers for imaging of early markers of diseases such as melanoma, prostate cancer, malignant glioma and Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, the project involves the synthesis of new partly-fluorinated polymers having controlled architecture for the rapidly developing field of 19F MRI. Other imaging modalities, drugs and targeting ligands will be conjugated. The project aims to relate the structure of the macromolecules, determined carefully using advanced techniques such as NMR, light scattering, GPC, AFM and electron microscopy, to the performance as imaging agents. The agents will be tested in small animal (mouse) models of disease already developed by this group and our collaborators.
-
High-Resolution Imaging Technologies for Advanced Battery Design
This project aims to advance the development of long-lasting sustainable batteries by innovating new polymer electrolyte additives and incorporating new imaging techniques. The use of polymer additives is one of the most economical approaches for improving battery performance. However, polymers prepared using modern techniques have a broad range of physical properties and chemical structures, obscuring how their design principles are understood. This project expects to tackle these challenges by developing a new method for producing truly discrete new polymers. The expected outcomes are new knowledge in polymer electrolytes and imaging which will result in more efficient and reliable batteries. This provides significant benefits to polymer science and Australia’s renewable battery industry.
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Developing novel imaging tool for monitoring PFAS
This project aims to innovate and evaluate novel imaging technologies for the sensitive detection, visualization, and quantification of PFAS.
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Surface engineering of polymer sorbents for efficient PFAS capture
This project will innovate and evaluate novel and reusable ion-exchange resins enabling superior efficient, selective and continuous sorption of PFAS, while maintaining excellent environmental stability for long-term implementation of PFAS capture.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the role of fluorine in advanced energy applications
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker, Dr Felicity Han
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Doctor Philosophy
Next-generation polymer-based solid electrolytes for advanced batteries
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Debra Bernhardt
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Master Philosophy
Surface engineering of polymer sorbents for efficient PFAS capture
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Felicity Han
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Doctor Philosophy
Highly efficient, selective and reusable technology for long-term implementation of PFAS capture
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker, Dr Pradeep Dewapriya
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Doctor Philosophy
Novel Anode Protection Technology for Advanced Batteries
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lianzhou Wang
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Doctor Philosophy
Fluoropolymeric Ionic Conductors for Battery Technologues
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker
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Doctor Philosophy
Electrolytes and Interfaces in Rechargeable Batteries
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Sanderson, Professor Debra Bernhardt
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Doctor Philosophy
New biomedical imaging tools using nanotechnology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Thomas Davis, Dr Ruirui Qiao
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Perfluoropolyether (PFPE)-Containing Polymeric Devices for Efficient Removal of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Water Sources
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Hui Peng, Dr Changkui Fu, Professor Andrew Whittaker
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Fluorinated Hydrogels as Advanced Drug Delivery Systems for Monitoring Drug Release
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Hui Peng, Professor Andrew Whittaker
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Targeting hypoxic cancer stem cells with nanoparticles
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker, Dr Wenyi Gu, Associate Professor Barbara Rolfe
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Cheng Zhang directly for media enquiries about:
- PFAS
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