
Overview
Background
Prof. Dr Zhigang Chen is currently an Honorary Professor in the School of Mechanical & Mining Engineering, the University of Queensland, and a founding director for the ARC Research Hub in Zero-emission Power Generation for Carbon Neutrality (ZeroPC), ARC Future Fellow, Academic Reseach Lead, and a Capacity Building Professor of Energy Materials at the School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Dr Chen received his PhD from the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2008 under the supervision of Professor Hui-Ming Cheng, and Professor Gaoqing (Max) Lu. His research focuses on thermoelectrics for power generation and cooling; next-generation optoelectronic devices and functional System; topological insulators for next-generation chips; and high-speed sensors. In total, Dr Chen received ~A$40,000,000 in research grants to support the research, including one prestigious UQ postdoctoral fellowship (2009), ARC APD Fellowship (2009), five ARC Discovery Grants (four as lead CI, one as ARC APD fellowship, and one as ARC Future Fellowship), two ARC Research hub, four ARC Linkage Grant (one as lead CI), four ARC LIEF Grant, >10 Industry Investments (eight as sole CI), two Queensland Smart Futures Funds (sole CI), and >10 University Grants. Currently, Dr Chen is leading one ARC Research Hub, two ARC discovery projects, one sub project at ARC Research Hub, one ARC Linkage project, and four industry investments. Dr Chen is one Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (Top 0.1% researcher in the world). He has authored over 330 high-impact journal publications including 1 Nature Energy, 1 Nature Nanotechnology; 3 Nature Communications; 1 Chemical Reviews; 2 Progress in Materials Science; 4 Energy & Environmental Science; 1 Joule; 11 Advanced Materials; and 4 Journal of the American Chemical Society. These publications have attracted >35000 times (Scopus, www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57188708630) and an H index of 70. His google scholar citation is >25,000 with an H index of 100 (https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=vkRX_vgAAAAJ&hl=en). Particularly, in the last three years, Dr Chen has published more than 40 articles per year and attracted over 5,000 citations per year. Dr Chen has delivered over 50 plenary/keynote/invited talks in the international/national conferences. Dr Chen has authored four commercialized patents, which have been attracted industry investments.
Availability
- Honorary Professor Zhi-Gang Chen is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Chinese Academy of Science
Research interests
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Design inexpensive, abundant, low-toxic and high-efficiency thermoelectric nanomaterials
Thermoelectric materials directly convert thermal energy into electrical energy, offering a green and sustainable solution for the global energy dilemma. This proposal aims to develop inexpensive, abundant, and low-toxic thermoelectric nanomaterials for high-efficiency energy conversion using novel industry-level approach, coupled with nanostructure and band engineering strategies.
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Topological Insulators
High-Speed Hard Drive: Topological Insulators Open a Path to Room-Temperature Spintronics
Research impacts
Thermoelectric materials for power generation and cooling
Identifying new approaches to develop energy-saving methods and tap into new renewable energy sources is set to be the greatest challenge of the 21st Century. Thermoelectric (TE) energy is one of the approaches that offers great promise as it can be used in multiple applications for power generation and refrigeration. It can create electricity from waste heat at any scale, it can significantly improve energy efficiency at a medium industrial scale, including significantly improving vehicular weight and emissions, and it can even generate electricity or cooling at the nanoscale. For instance, it could potentially be used to convert body heat into electricity in clothing or to charge a cell phone. The thermoelecric materials developed by Dr Chen have extremely high hopes for this technology.
Topological insulators for high speed chips
Imagine if the "information superhighway" had HOV lanes so that data could be stored, processed and disseminated many times faster than possible with today's electronics. New topological insulators developed by Dr Chen will be used for this new generation devices, such a speedway for future devices, an exotic type of electrical conductor.
Works
Search Professor Zhi-Gang Chen’s works on UQ eSpace
2008
Journal Article
Synthesis and Electrochemical Property of Boron-Doped Mesoporous Carbon in Supercapacitor
Wang, Da-Wei, Li, Feng, Chen, Zhi-Gang, Lu, Gao Qing and Cheng, Hui-Ming (2008). Synthesis and Electrochemical Property of Boron-Doped Mesoporous Carbon in Supercapacitor. Chemistry of Materials, 20 (22), 7195-7200. doi: 10.1021/cm801729y
2008
Journal Article
Synthesis of different magnetic carbon nanostructures by the pyrolysis of ferrocene at different sublimation temperatures
Liu, Qingfeng, Chen, Zhi-Gang, Liu, Bilu, Ren, Wencai, Li, Feng, Cong, Hongtao and Cheng, Hui-Ming (2008). Synthesis of different magnetic carbon nanostructures by the pyrolysis of ferrocene at different sublimation temperatures. Carbon, 46 (14), 1892-1902. doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2008.07.038
2008
Journal Article
Novel boron nitride hollow nanoribbons
Chen, Zhi-Gang, Zou, Jin, Liu, Gang, Li, Feng, Wang, Yong, Wang, Lianzhou, Yuan, Xiao-Li, Sekiguchi, Takashi, Cheng, Hui-Ming and Lu, Gao Qing (2008). Novel boron nitride hollow nanoribbons. ACS Nano, 2 (10), 2183-2191. doi: 10.1021/nn8004922
2008
Journal Article
Growth, Cathodoluminescence and Field Emission of ZnS Tetrapod Tree-like Heterostructures
Chen, Zhi-Gang, Zou, Jin, Liu, Gang, Yao, Xiangdong, Li, Feng, Yuan, Xiao-Li, Sekiguchi, Takashi, Lu, Gao Qing and Cheng, Hui-Ming (2008). Growth, Cathodoluminescence and Field Emission of ZnS Tetrapod Tree-like Heterostructures. Advanced Functional Materials, 18 (19), 3063-3069. doi: 10.1002/adfm.200800447
2008
Journal Article
Amorphous TiO2 nanotube arrays for low-temperature oxygen sensors
Lu, Hao Feng, Li, Feng, Liu, Gang, Chen, Zhi-Gang, Wang, Da-Wei, Fang, Hai-Tao, Lu, Gao Qing, Jiang, Zhou Hua and Cheng, Hui-Ming (2008). Amorphous TiO2 nanotube arrays for low-temperature oxygen sensors. Nanotechnology, 19 (40) 405504, Article Number: 405504. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/19/40/405504
2008
Journal Article
Self-assembly and cathodoluminescence of microbelts from Cu-doped boron nitride nanotubes
Chen, Zhi-Gang, Zou, Jin, Liu, Qingfeng, Sun, Chenghua, Liu, Gang, Yao, Xiangdong, Li, Feng, Wu, Bo, Yuan, Xiao-Li, Sekiguchi, Takashi, Cheng, Hui-Ming and Lu, Gao Qing (2008). Self-assembly and cathodoluminescence of microbelts from Cu-doped boron nitride nanotubes. ACS Nano, 2 (8), 1523-1532. doi: 10.1021/nn800211z
2008
Journal Article
Diameter-selective growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes with high quality by floating catalyst method
Liu, Qingfeng, Ren, Wencai, Chen, Zhi-Gang, Wang, Da-Wei, Liu, Bilu, Li, Feng, Cong, Hongtao, Cheng, Hui-Ming and Yu, Bing (2008). Diameter-selective growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes with high quality by floating catalyst method. ACS Nano, 2 (8), 1722-1728. doi: 10.1021/nn8003394
2008
Journal Article
Direct synthesis of carbon nanotubes decorated with size-controllable Fe nanoparticles encapsulated by graphitic layers
Liu, Qingfeng, Ren, Wencai, Chen, Zhi-Gang, Liu, Bilu, Li, Feng, Cong, Hongtao and Cheng, Hui-Ming (2008). Direct synthesis of carbon nanotubes decorated with size-controllable Fe nanoparticles encapsulated by graphitic layers. Carbon, 4 6 (11), 1417-1423. doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2008.06.021
2008
Journal Article
Magnetic hollow spheres of periodic mesoporous organosilica and Fe3O4 nanocrystals: Fabrication and structure control
Zhang, L., Qiao, S., Jin, Y., Chen, Z. G., Gu, H. and Lu, G. Q. (2008). Magnetic hollow spheres of periodic mesoporous organosilica and Fe3O4 nanocrystals: Fabrication and structure control. Advanced Materials, 20 (4), 805-810. doi: 10.1002/adma.200700900
2008
Journal Article
Silicon-induced oriented ZnS nanobelts for hydrogen sensitivity
Chen, Zhi-Gang, Zou, Jin, Liu, Gang, Lu, Hao Feng, Li, Feng, Lu, Gao Qing and Cheng, Hui Ming (2008). Silicon-induced oriented ZnS nanobelts for hydrogen sensitivity. Nanotechnology, 19 (5) 055710, Article Number: 055710. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/19/05/055710
2007
Journal Article
Synthesis and photoluminescence of tetrapod ZnO nanostructures
Chen, Zhi-Gang, Ni, Anze, Li, Feng, Cong, Hongtao, Cheng, Hui-Ming and Lu, Gao Qing (2007). Synthesis and photoluminescence of tetrapod ZnO nanostructures. Chemical Physics Letters, 434 (4-6), 301-305. doi: 10.1016/j.cplett.2006.12.038
2007
Conference Publication
Improved property of core/shell ZnS/BN nanowires
Chen, Zhi-Gang, Zou, Jin, Lu, Gao Qing, Liu, Gang, Li, Feng and Cheng, Hui-Ming (2007). Improved property of core/shell ZnS/BN nanowires. Materials Today Asia 2007, Beijing, China, 3-5 September, 2007.
2007
Conference Publication
Growth of magnetic yard-glass shaped boron nitride nanotubes with periodic iron nanoparticles
Chen, Z. G., Zou, J., Li, F., Cheng, H. M. and Lu, G. Q. (2007). Growth of magnetic yard-glass shaped boron nitride nanotubes with periodic iron nanoparticles. The 4th China-Korea Workshop on Nanotubes and Nanowires, Yanji, China, 27-30 May, 2007.
2007
Journal Article
Growth of magnetic yard-glass shaped boron nitride nanotubes with periodic iron nanoparticles
Chen, Zhi-Gang, Zou, Jin, Li, Feng, Liu, Gang, Tang, Dai-Ming, Li, Da, Liu, Chang, Ma, Xiuliang, Cheng, Hui-Ming, Lu, Gao Qing and Zhang, Zhidong (2007). Growth of magnetic yard-glass shaped boron nitride nanotubes with periodic iron nanoparticles. Advanced Functional Materials, 17 (16), 3371-3376. doi: 10.1002/adfm.200700296
2007
Journal Article
Synthesis and photoluminescience of CdS nanocones
Chen, Z., Zou, J., Liu, G., Feng, L., Lu, G. and Cheng, H.-M. (2007). Synthesis and photoluminescience of CdS nanocones. Chinese Electron Microscopy Society, 26 (5), 423-427.
2007
Journal Article
ZnS nanowires and their coaxial lateral nanowire heterostructures with BN
Chen, Z. G., Zou, J., Lu, G.Q., Liu, G., Li, F. and Cheng, H. M. (2007). ZnS nanowires and their coaxial lateral nanowire heterostructures with BN. Applied Physics Letters, 90 (10) 103117, 103117-1-103117-3. doi: 10.1063/1.2711288
2006
Journal Article
Structure and morphology of microporous carbon membrane materials derived from poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone)
Zhang, Bing, Wang, Tonghua, Liu, Shili, Zhang, Shouhai, Qiu, Jieshan, Chen, Zhigang and Cheng, Huiming (2006). Structure and morphology of microporous carbon membrane materials derived from poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone). Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 96 (1-3), 79-83. doi: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2006.06.025
2006
Journal Article
Double-walled carbon nanotubes synthesized using carbon black as the dot carbon source
Chen, Zhi-Gang, Li, Feng, Ren, Wen-Cai, Hongtao, Cong, Liu, Chang, Lu, Gaoqing Q. and Cheng, H. M. (2006). Double-walled carbon nanotubes synthesized using carbon black as the dot carbon source. Nanotechnology, 17 (13) 003, 3100-3104. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/17/13/003
2006
Journal Article
Preparation of high purity ZnO nanobelts by thermal evaporation of ZnS
Chen, Zhi Gang, Li, Feng, Gang, Liu,, Tang, Yongbin, Cong, Hongtao, Lu, Gao Qing and Cheng, Hui-Ming (2006). Preparation of high purity ZnO nanobelts by thermal evaporation of ZnS. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 6 (3), 704-707. doi: 10.1166/jnn.2006.129
2006
Journal Article
The role of NH3 atmosphere in preparing nitrogen-doped TiO2 by mechanochemical reaction
Liu, Gang, Li, Feng, Chen, Zhigang, Lu, Gao Qin and Cheng, Hui-Ming (2006). The role of NH3 atmosphere in preparing nitrogen-doped TiO2 by mechanochemical reaction. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 179 (1), 331-335. doi: 10.1016/j.jssc.2005.10.030
Funding
Supervision
Availability
- Honorary Professor Zhi-Gang Chen is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Design low-cost, low-toxic and high performance thermoelectric materials
The direct energy conversion between heat and electricity, based on thermoelectric effects without moving parts, has been considered as a green and sustainable solution to the global energy dilemma. This project aims to develop novel band-engineered metal selenides for high-efficiency energy conversion using novel microwave assisted wet chemistry approach, coupled with nanostructure and band engineering strategies. The key breakthrough is to design high performance metal selenide thermoelectrics for satisfying the high efficiency solid-state devices. The expected outcomes will lead to an innovative technology that waste heat recovery and refrigeration, which will place Australia at the forefront of practical energy technologies.
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Design low-cost and high performance two dimensional topological insulators
Superfast information technology had HOV lanes so that data could be stored, processed and disseminated many times faster than possible with today's electronics. This project aims to develop new topological insulators using chemical vapor depostion and coupling unique nanostructure and band engineering strategies. The ultimate target is to be used for this new generation devices, such a speedway for future devices, an exotic type of electrical conductor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Design high-performance fiber-based thermoelectrics for wearable electronics
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matthew Dargusch, Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of High-Performance Thermoelectric Materials and Devices for on-chip Applications
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matthew Dargusch, Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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Doctor Philosophy
Advanced Microscopy Technique for High-performance Thermoelectric Materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the structural characteristics for two-dimensional nanostructure heterojunction
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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Doctor Philosophy
Atomic scale phase transition study in two-dimensional material heterostructures by in-situ transmission electron microscopy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of thermoelectric materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of thermoelectric materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
Completed supervision
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
High-performance GeTe Thermoelectrics for Generation and Refrigeration
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matthew Dargusch
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
High performance flexible thermoelectric materials and their device design
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matthew Dargusch, Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
High-performance SnTe-based Thermoelectric Materials via Synergistically Band and Nanostructure Engineering
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Development of High-efficiency Metal Chalcogenide Thermoelectric Nanomaterials by Nanostructure Engineering
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2012
Master Philosophy
Synthesis of Tellurium-based Thermoelectric Nanomaterials
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2018
Master Philosophy
The CVD growth and the characterization of MoxW1-xTe2
Joint Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Layered Semiconductor Nanostructures and Understanding Their Growth Mechanisms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Development and Understanding of Solvothermal Synthesized Copper Chalcogenide Thermoelectric Materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Study of Cracking and Breakage Behaviour of Gibbsite Particles at Smelter Grade Alumina Production Conditions
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor John Zhu
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Development of High-efficient Tin Selenide-based Thermoelectric Materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Growth of Metal Chalcogenide Nanomaterials and Their Characterizations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Development of high-performance bismuth telluride-based thermoelectric nanomaterials through structure manipulating and band engineering
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Development of New-Phase Layer-Structured In3Se4 Nanostructures for Energy Applications
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the Bi2Te3-based Nanostructures Synthesized by the Solvothermal Method
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
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2012
Master Philosophy
Electron Microscopy Investigation of epitaxial GaAs nanowires grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Jin Zou
Media
Enquiries
Contact Honorary Professor Zhi-Gang Chen directly for media enquiries about:
- Engineering
- Light electronics
- Lights
- Nanomaterials
- Nanostructures
- Optoelectronic devices
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