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Honorary Professor Zhi-Gang Chen
Honorary Professor

Zhi-Gang Chen

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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

  • 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.

  • 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

503 works between 2005 and 2025

61 - 80 of 503 works

2024

Journal Article

Boosting thermoelectric performance of single-walled carbon nanotubes-based films through rational triple treatments

Liu, Yuan-Meng, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Wu, Ting, Wu, Hao, Mao, Yuanqing, Cao, Tianyi, Wang, De-Zhuang, Liu, Wei-Di, Li, Meng, Liu, Qingfeng and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Boosting thermoelectric performance of single-walled carbon nanotubes-based films through rational triple treatments. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 3426, 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47417-y

Boosting thermoelectric performance of single-walled carbon nanotubes-based films through rational triple treatments

2024

Journal Article

Stable, self‐adhesive, and high‐performance graphene‐oxide‐modified flexible ionogel thermoelectric films

Sun, Shuai, Shi, Xiao‐Lei, Lyu, Wanyu, Hong, Min, Chen, Wenyi, Li, Meng, Cao, Tianyi, Hu, Boxuan, Liu, Qingfeng and Chen, Zhi‐Gang (2024). Stable, self‐adhesive, and high‐performance graphene‐oxide‐modified flexible ionogel thermoelectric films. Advanced Functional Materials, 34 (39) 2402823, 1-11. doi: 10.1002/adfm.202402823

Stable, self‐adhesive, and high‐performance graphene‐oxide‐modified flexible ionogel thermoelectric films

2024

Journal Article

Revolution in thermoelectric cooling using PbSe thermoelectrics by grid plainification

Shi, Xiao-Lei, Liu, Qingfeng and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Revolution in thermoelectric cooling using PbSe thermoelectrics by grid plainification. Science China Materials, 67 (5), 1672-1673. doi: 10.1007/s40843-024-2893-4

Revolution in thermoelectric cooling using PbSe thermoelectrics by grid plainification

2024

Journal Article

Trends in GeTe thermoelectrics: From fundamentals to applications

Li, Meng, Shi, Xiao‐Lei and Chen, Zhi‐Gang (2024). Trends in GeTe thermoelectrics: From fundamentals to applications. Advanced Functional Materials, 34 (39) 2403498, 1-35. doi: 10.1002/adfm.202403498

Trends in GeTe thermoelectrics: From fundamentals to applications

2024

Journal Article

Vertically designed high-performance and flexible thermoelectric generator based on optimized PEDOT:PSS/SWCNTs composite films

Xia, Binjie, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Zhang, Li, Luo, Jia, Chen, Wen-Yi, Hu, Boxuan, Cao, Tianyi, Wu, Ting, Liu, Wei-Di, Yang, Yanling, Liu, Qingfeng and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Vertically designed high-performance and flexible thermoelectric generator based on optimized PEDOT:PSS/SWCNTs composite films. Chemical Engineering Journal, 486 150305, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.150305

Vertically designed high-performance and flexible thermoelectric generator based on optimized PEDOT:PSS/SWCNTs composite films

2024

Journal Article

High thermoelectric performance and flexibility in rationally treated PEDOT:PSS fiber bundles

Wu, Ting, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Liu, Wei-Di, Li, Meng, Yue, Fang, Huang, Pei, Liu, Qingfeng and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). High thermoelectric performance and flexibility in rationally treated PEDOT:PSS fiber bundles. Advanced Fiber Materials, 6 (2), 607-618. doi: 10.1007/s42765-024-00374-z

High thermoelectric performance and flexibility in rationally treated PEDOT:PSS fiber bundles

2024

Journal Article

Performance and mechanism of biochar@FeMg-LDH for efficient activation of persulfate for degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol in groundwater

Mo, Yuanye, Meng, Xianrong, Liu, Chengbao, Xu, Wei, Zheng, Leizhi, Chen, Feng, Qian, Junchao, Cai, Hui and Chen, Zhigang (2024). Performance and mechanism of biochar@FeMg-LDH for efficient activation of persulfate for degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol in groundwater. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31 (15), 22630-22644. doi: 10.1007/s11356-024-32456-1

Performance and mechanism of biochar@FeMg-LDH for efficient activation of persulfate for degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol in groundwater

2024

Journal Article

Liquid metal-embraced photoactive films for artificial photosynthesis

Zhen, Chao, Chen, Xiangtao, Chen, Ruotian, Fan, Fengtao, Xu, Xiaoxiang, Kang, Yuyang, Guo, Jingdong, Wang, Lianzhou, Lu, Gao Qing, Domen, Kazunari, Cheng, Hui-Ming and Liu, Gang (2024). Liquid metal-embraced photoactive films for artificial photosynthesis. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 1672, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46073-6

Liquid metal-embraced photoactive films for artificial photosynthesis

2024

Journal Article

Advancing n-type Mg3+δSb1.5Bi0.47Te0.03-based thermoelectric Zintls via sc-doping-driven band and defect engineering

Yu, Lu, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Mao, Yuanqing, Li, Meng, Liu, Wei-Di, Ji, Zhen, Wei, Sitong, Zhang, Zipei, Song, Weiyu, Zheng, Shuqi and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Advancing n-type Mg3+δSb1.5Bi0.47Te0.03-based thermoelectric Zintls via sc-doping-driven band and defect engineering. Chemical Engineering Journal, 482 149051, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.149051

Advancing n-type Mg3+δSb1.5Bi0.47Te0.03-based thermoelectric Zintls via sc-doping-driven band and defect engineering

2024

Journal Article

Flexible power generators by AgSe thin films with record-high thermoelectric performance

Yang, Dong, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Li, Meng, Nisar, Mohammad, Mansoor, Adil, Chen, Shuo, Chen, Yuexing, Li, Fu, Ma, Hongli, Liang, Guang Xing, Zhang, Xianghua, Liu, Weidi, Fan, Ping, Zheng, Zhuanghao and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Flexible power generators by AgSe thin films with record-high thermoelectric performance. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 923, 923. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45092-7

Flexible power generators by AgSe thin films with record-high thermoelectric performance

2024

Journal Article

Decoupling carrier-phonon scattering boosts the thermoelectric performance of n-type GeTe-based materials

Wang, De-Zhuang, Liu, Wei-Di, Mao, Yuanqing, Li, Shuai, Yin, Liang-Cao, Wu, Hao, Li, Meng, Wang, Yifeng, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Yang, Xiaoning, Liu, Qingfeng and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Decoupling carrier-phonon scattering boosts the thermoelectric performance of n-type GeTe-based materials. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 146 (2), 1681-1689. doi: 10.1021/jacs.3c12546

Decoupling carrier-phonon scattering boosts the thermoelectric performance of n-type GeTe-based materials

2024

Journal Article

Simultaneously boosting thermoelectric and mechanical properties of n-type Mg3Sb1.5Bi0.5-based zintls through energy-band and defect engineering

Yu, Lu, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Mao, Yuanqing, Liu, Wei-Di, Ji, Zhen, Wei, Sitong, Zhang, Zipei, Song, Weiyu, Zheng, Shuqi and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Simultaneously boosting thermoelectric and mechanical properties of n-type Mg3Sb1.5Bi0.5-based zintls through energy-band and defect engineering. ACS Nano, 18 (2), 1678-1689. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09926

Simultaneously boosting thermoelectric and mechanical properties of n-type Mg3Sb1.5Bi0.5-based zintls through energy-band and defect engineering

2024

Journal Article

Electron beam lithography of GeTe through polymorphic phase transformation

Zhang, Hu, Li, Meng, Mi, Shao-Bo, Cheng, Shao-Dong, Lu, Lu and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Electron beam lithography of GeTe through polymorphic phase transformation. Nanoscale Horizons, 9 (9), 1574-1581. doi: 10.1039/d4nh00035h

Electron beam lithography of GeTe through polymorphic phase transformation

2024

Journal Article

Efficient stepwise carrier concentration optimization in Ge<sub>(1+<i>x</i>)−<i>y</i></sub>Sb<sub><i>y</i></sub>Te

Lyu, Wanyu, Liu, Weidi, Li, Meng, Shi, Xiaolei, Hong, Min, Chen, Wenyi, Cao, Tianyi, Hu, Boxuan, Chen, Yongqi, Guo, Kai and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Efficient stepwise carrier concentration optimization in Ge(1+x)−ySbyTe. Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 12 (44), 18004-18008. doi: 10.1039/d4tc03291h

Efficient stepwise carrier concentration optimization in Ge<sub>(1+<i>x</i>)−<i>y</i></sub>Sb<sub><i>y</i></sub>Te

2024

Journal Article

Weavable thermoelectrics: advancements, controversies, and future developments

Shi, Xiao-Lei, Sun, Shuai, Wu, Ting, Tu, Jian, Zhou, Zhiming, Liu, Qingfeng and Chen, Zhigang (2024). Weavable thermoelectrics: advancements, controversies, and future developments. Materials Futures, 3 (1) 012103. doi: 10.1088/2752-5724/ad0ca9

Weavable thermoelectrics: advancements, controversies, and future developments

2024

Journal Article

Advancing flexible thermoelectrics for integrated electronics

Shi, Xiao-Lei, Wang, Lijun, Lyu, Wanyu, Cao, Tianyi, Chen, Wenyi, Hu, Boxuan and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Advancing flexible thermoelectrics for integrated electronics. Chemical Society Reviews, 53 (18), 9254-9305. doi: 10.1039/d4cs00361f

Advancing flexible thermoelectrics for integrated electronics

2024

Journal Article

Advances in solid-state and flexible thermoelectric coolers for battery thermal management systems

Wang, Lijun, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Yue, Yicheng, Li, Lvzhou, Dong, Cuicui, Guan, Jianjun, Ding, Jianning, Yuan, Ningyi and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2024). Advances in solid-state and flexible thermoelectric coolers for battery thermal management systems. Soft Science, 4 (3) 32, 3. doi: 10.20517/ss.2024.15

Advances in solid-state and flexible thermoelectric coolers for battery thermal management systems

2023

Journal Article

Cyano-rich carbon nitride with tunable n&nbsp;→&nbsp;π* electronic transition for enhanced broad-spectrum photocatalytic H2O2 production

Sun, Peipei, Mo, Zhao, Zhang, Jinyuan, Wu, Guanyu, Miao, Zhihuan, Zhong, Kang, Wei, Yuechang, Jia, Chunman, Chen, Zhigang and Xu, Hui (2023). Cyano-rich carbon nitride with tunable n&nbsp;→&nbsp;π* electronic transition for enhanced broad-spectrum photocatalytic H2O2 production. Chemical Engineering Journal, 478 147337, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2023.147337

Cyano-rich carbon nitride with tunable n&nbsp;→&nbsp;π* electronic transition for enhanced broad-spectrum photocatalytic H2O2 production

2023

Journal Article

Gradient tungsten-doped Bi3TiNbO9 ferroelectric photocatalysts with additional built-in electric field for efficient overall water splitting

Huang, Jie, Kang, Yuyang, Liu, Jianan, Yao, Tingting, Qiu, Jianhang, Du, Peipei, Huang, Biaohong, Hu, Weijin, Liang, Yan, Xie, Tengfeng, Chen, Chunlin, Yin, Li-Chang, Wang, Lianzhou, Cheng, Hui-Ming and Liu, Gang (2023). Gradient tungsten-doped Bi3TiNbO9 ferroelectric photocatalysts with additional built-in electric field for efficient overall water splitting. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 7948, 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43837-4

Gradient tungsten-doped Bi3TiNbO9 ferroelectric photocatalysts with additional built-in electric field for efficient overall water splitting

2023

Journal Article

Flexible, recoverable, and efficient photocatalysts: MoS2/TiO2 heterojunctions grown on amorphous carbon-coated carbon textiles

Sun, Yu, Yang, Yan-Ling, Chen, Hua-Jun, Liu, Jiajun, Shi, Xiao-Lei, Suo, Guoquan, Hou, Xiaojiang, Ye, Xiaohui, Zhang, Li, Lu, Siyu and Chen, Zhi-Gang (2023). Flexible, recoverable, and efficient photocatalysts: MoS2/TiO2 heterojunctions grown on amorphous carbon-coated carbon textiles. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 651, 284-295. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.07.177

Flexible, recoverable, and efficient photocatalysts: MoS2/TiO2 heterojunctions grown on amorphous carbon-coated carbon textiles

Funding

Past funding

  • 2018 - 2021
    High Performance, Low-cost Integrated System for Low-grade Wast Heat Recovery
    HBIS Group Co, Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    Development of High Performance Nanostructured (Bi, Sb)2Te3 Nanomaterials
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2015
    Smart Futures Fellowship (Early): Development of high-efficiency thermoelectric nanowire arrays for power generation devices
    Queensland Government Smart Futures Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    Queensland International Fellowship: Towards power generation devices for converting waste heat into power energy
    Queensland International Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    Epitaxial Growth of Nanostructured Thermoelectric Zn4Sb3 p-n Junction Heterostructure Arrays for Power-Generation Devices
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards - DVC(R) Funding
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    An integrated system for measuring thermoelectric properties of advanced materials
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    Development of Nanostructured Sensors for Ultra-sensitive, Label-free and Selective Detection of Biological and Chemical Species
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Development of Nanostructured Thermoelectric Materials for Power-Generation Devices
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2012
    Development of silicon nanowire sensors for detection of chemical species
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Epitaxial growth of Zn-VI/III-N nanowire-based structures for future device applications
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Honorary Professor Zhi-Gang Chen is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • 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.

  • 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

Completed supervision

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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