Overview
Background
Dr. Yunqing Kang received his Ph.D. from Waseda University, Japan, in 2022. Following his graduation, he has held research positions at several prestigious institutions, including the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and Nagoya University, where he has been actively engaged in cutting-edge academic research. Currently, Dr. Kang is a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Fellow in the Yamauchi Research Group at the AIBN. His research focuses on the design and synthesis of advanced nanostructured metallic materials to address critical challenges in energy conversion and environmental sustainability. By pioneering bottom-up self-assembly strategies, Dr. Kang precisely engineers the atomic-scale disorder in porous metals, enabling the creation of high-performance catalysts essential for the global energy transition.
Dr Kang's core expertise encompasses mesoporous metals, amorphous and high-entropy alloys, and disordered metallic architectures, with specific applications in electrocatalysis for water splitting and plastic upcycling. With over 50 publications in prestigious journals including Nature, Science Advances, and Angewandte Chemie, Dr. Kang is dedicated to advancing the fundamental understanding of material science to facilitate industrial innovation.
Availability
- Dr Yunqing Kang is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology (华东理工大学)
- Masters (Research) of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Normal University (上海师范大学)
- Doctoral (Research) of Materials Science and Engineering, Waseda University
Research interests
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Mesoporous Metallic Materials
I specialize in the bottom-up self-assembly of advanced nanostructured metals with precisely controlled pore architectures. My work focuses on creating single atom alloy, amorphous alloy and high-entropy alloy systems that offer enhanced surface areas and structural stability for industrial applications. By engineering these disordered metallic frameworks, I aim to push the boundaries of material design for sustainable development and catalytic performance.
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Engineering Hybrid Functional Materials
I design complex hybrid materials by integrating porous metallic structures with diverse functional components including oxides, MOFs, silica, carbon, and polymers. By systematically tailoring the interfaces and architectural synergy between these components, I develop robust composite systems with enhanced activity and durability. This work provides a versatile material platform for addressing complex challenges in electrochemical energy storage and conversion.
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Electrocatalytic Energy and Environmental Applications
I apply advanced material systems to address global energy and sustainability challenges, with a primary focus on high-efficiency water splitting. My work explores the coupling of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with the anodic oxidation reaction (AOR) for upcycling of plastics to produce high-value chemicals. This research delivers sustainable and scalable pathways for clean hydrogen production and the transformation of waste into value-added products within a circular economy.
Research impacts
Dr. Kang’s research translates complex material science into tangible solutions for sustainable energy and environmental protection by improving the efficiency and durability of catalysts that serve as the engines of the clean energy economy. His development of highly active mesoporous metal catalysts significantly lowers the energy barriers for water electrolysis, rendering green hydrogen production more viable and cost-effective.
Furthermore, his work on catalytic architectures supports the conversion of waste plastics and environmental pollutants into high-value chemical products, directly promoting a circular economy. The impact of his research is evidenced by a high international standing, with outputs consistently ranked in the top 1%–10% of global citations and a Field-Weighted Citation Impact of 5.62. Beyond his laboratory contributions, Dr. Kang actively shapes the scientific community as a young editorial board member, ensuring the dissemination of cutting-edge findings that drive industrial progress and global sustainability goals.
Works
Search Professor Yunqing Kang’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Precise positioning of Au islands within mesoporous Pd–Pt nanoparticles for plasmon-enhanced methanol oxidation
Zhu, Liyang, Kang, Yunqing, Eguchi, Miharu, Zhao, Yingji, Jiang, Dong, Wei, Xiaoqian, Xu, Xingtao, Nakagawa, Kenta, Asahi, Toru, Yokoshima, Tokihiko and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2025). Precise positioning of Au islands within mesoporous Pd–Pt nanoparticles for plasmon-enhanced methanol oxidation. Chemical Science, 16 (19), 8309-8318. doi: 10.1039/d4sc07345b
2024
Journal Article
Plasma‐induced oxygen defect engineering in perovskite oxide for boosting oxygen evolution reaction
Wang, Kaiteng, Zhou, Jun, Fu, Lei, Kang, Yunqing, Zhou, Zilin, Cheng, Yonghong, Wu, Kai and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Plasma‐induced oxygen defect engineering in perovskite oxide for boosting oxygen evolution reaction. Small, 20 (48) e2404239, 1-7. doi: 10.1002/smll.202404239
2024
Conference Publication
Evolution of Cu-Co-Fe Prussian Blue Analogues with Open Nanoframe Architectures for Enhanced Electrochemical Capacitive Deionization
Guo, Yanna, Chen, Zeqiu, Jiang, Dong, Li, Yulin, Zhang, Wenyang, Kozumi, Kazuya, Kang, Yunqing, Yusuke, Yamauchi and Sugahara, Yoshiyuki (2024). Evolution of Cu-Co-Fe Prussian Blue Analogues with Open Nanoframe Architectures for Enhanced Electrochemical Capacitive Deionization. PRiME 2024, Honolulu, HI United States, 6 - 11 October 2024. Pennington, NJ United States: Electrochemical Society. doi: 10.1149/ma2024-02705017mtgabs
2024
Journal Article
Substrate curvature-induced regulation of charge distribution of covalent organic frameworks promotes capacitive deionization
Jiang, Dong, Xu, Ruibo, Bai, Liang, Hill, Jonathan P., Henzie, Joel, Zhu, Liyang, Xia, Wei, Bu, Ran, Zhao, Yingji, Kang, Yunqing, Hamada, Takashi, Ma, Renzhi, Torad, Nagy, Wang, Jie, Asahi, Toru, Xu, Xingtao and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Substrate curvature-induced regulation of charge distribution of covalent organic frameworks promotes capacitive deionization. Advanced Functional Materials, 34 (45) 2407479. doi: 10.1002/adfm.202407479
2024
Journal Article
Mesoporous high-entropy alloy films
Fu, Lei, Nam, Ho Ngoc, Zhou, Jun, Kang, Yunqing, Wang, Kaiteng, Zhou, Zilin, Zhao, Yingji, Zhu, Liyang, Nandan, Ravi, Eguchi, Miharu, Phung, Quan Manh, Yokoshima, Tokihiko, Wu, Kai and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Mesoporous high-entropy alloy films. ACS Nano, 18 (40), 27617-27629. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.4c08929
2024
Journal Article
Evolution of CuCoFe Prussian blue analogues with open nanoframe architectures for enhanced capacitive deionization
Guo, Yanna, Chen, Zeqiu, Jiang, Dong, Li, Yulin, Zhang, Wenyang, Kozumi, Kazuya, Kang, Yunqing, Yamauchi, Yusuke and Sugahara, Yoshiyuki (2024). Evolution of CuCoFe Prussian blue analogues with open nanoframe architectures for enhanced capacitive deionization. Chemical Engineering Journal, 495 153714, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.153714
2024
Journal Article
Nanoengineering multilength-scale porous hierarchy in mesoporous metal-organic framework single crystals
Zhao, Yingji, Zhu, Liyang, Kang, Yunqing, Shen, Cheng-Hui, Liu, Xiangyang, Jiang, Dong, Fu, Lei, Guselnikova, Olga, Huang, Lijin, Song, Xiaokai, Asahi, Toru and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Nanoengineering multilength-scale porous hierarchy in mesoporous metal-organic framework single crystals. ACS Nano, 18 (33), 22404-22414. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.4c07119
2024
Journal Article
Mesoporous amorphous non-noble metals as versatile substrates for high loading and uniform dispersion of Pt-group single atoms
Kang, Yunqing, Li, Shuangjun, Cretu, Ovidiu, Kimoto, Koji, Zhao, Yingji, Zhu, Liyang, Wei, Xiaoqian, Fu, Lei, Jiang, Dong, Wan, Chao, Jiang, Bo, Asahi, Toru, Zhang, Dieqing, Li, Hexing and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Mesoporous amorphous non-noble metals as versatile substrates for high loading and uniform dispersion of Pt-group single atoms. Science Advances, 10 (25) eado2442, eado2442. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado2442
2024
Journal Article
Silica confinement for stable and magnetic Co−Cu alloy nanoparticles in nitrogen-doped carbon for enhanced hydrogen evolution
Wan, Chao, Li, Rong, Wang, Jiapei, Cheng, Dang-guo, Chen, Fengqiu, Xu, Lixin, Gao, Mingbin, Kang, Yunqing, Eguchi, Miharu and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Silica confinement for stable and magnetic Co−Cu alloy nanoparticles in nitrogen-doped carbon for enhanced hydrogen evolution. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 63 (24) e202404505, 1-12. doi: 10.1002/anie.202404505
2024
Journal Article
Pretreatment-free SERS sensing of microplastics using a self-attention-based neural network on hierarchically porous Ag foams
Guselnikova, Olga, Trelin, Andrii, Kang, Yunqing, Postnikov, Pavel, Kobashi, Makoto, Suzuki, Asuka, Shrestha, Lok Kumar, Henzie, Joel and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Pretreatment-free SERS sensing of microplastics using a self-attention-based neural network on hierarchically porous Ag foams. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 4351, 1-15. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48148-w
2024
Journal Article
Silica Confinement for Stable and Magnetic Co−Cu Alloy Nanoparticles in Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution
Wan, Chao, Li, Rong, Wang, Jiapei, Cheng, Dang‐guo, Chen, Fengqiu, Xu, Lixin, Gao, Mingbin, Kang, Yunqing, Eguchi, Miharu and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Silica Confinement for Stable and Magnetic Co−Cu Alloy Nanoparticles in Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution. Angewandte Chemie, 136 (24). doi: 10.1002/ange.202404505
2024
Journal Article
Regulating functional groups enhances the performance of flexible microporous MXene/bacterial cellulose electrodes in supercapacitors
Luo, Yijia, Que, Wenxiu, Tang, Yi, Kang, Yunqing, Bin, Xiaoqing, Wu, Zhenwei, Yuliarto, Brian, Gao, Bowen, Henzie, Joel and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Regulating functional groups enhances the performance of flexible microporous MXene/bacterial cellulose electrodes in supercapacitors. ACS Nano, 18 (18), 11675-11687. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.3c11547
2024
Journal Article
Sunlight-driven and gram-scale vanillin production via Mn-defected γ-MnO2 catalyst in aqueous environment
Ke, Qingping, Zhang, Yurong, Wan, Chao, Tang, Jun, Li, Shenglai, Guo, Xu, Han, Minsu, Hamada, Takashi, Osman, Sameh M., Kang, Yunqing and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2024). Sunlight-driven and gram-scale vanillin production via Mn-defected γ-MnO2 catalyst in aqueous environment. Chemical Science, 15 (14), 5368-5375. doi: 10.1039/d3sc05654f
2024
Journal Article
Pt nanoparticle–Mn single-atom pairs for enhanced oxygen reduction
Wei, Xiaoqian, Song, Shaojia, Cai, Weiwei, Kang, Yunqing, Fang, Qie, Ling, Ling, Zhao, Yingji, Wu, Zexing, Song, Xiaokai, Xu, Xingtao, Osman, Sameh M., Song, Weiyu, Asahi, Toru, Yamauchi, Yusuke and Zhu, Chengzhou (2024). Pt nanoparticle–Mn single-atom pairs for enhanced oxygen reduction. ACS Nano, 18 (5), 4308-4319. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09819
2023
Journal Article
Unlocking catalytic potential: Encasing CoP nanoparticles within mesoporous CoFeP nanocubes for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction
Fu, Lei, Zhou, Jun, Zhou, Zilin, Xiao, Bing, Khaorapapong, Nithima, Kang, Yunqing, Wu, Kai and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2023). Unlocking catalytic potential: Encasing CoP nanoparticles within mesoporous CoFeP nanocubes for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction. ACS Nano, 17 (22), 22744-22754. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.3c07270
2023
Journal Article
Synergistic mesoporous bimetallic gold-silver nanoparticles: synthesis, structure, and superior electrocatalytic activity
Nugraha, Asep Sugih, Han, Minsu, Ashok, Aditya, Kang, Yunqing, Kim, Jeonghun, Alshehri, Saad M., Ahamad, Tansir, Bando, Yoshio and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2023). Synergistic mesoporous bimetallic gold-silver nanoparticles: synthesis, structure, and superior electrocatalytic activity. Nano Energy, 116 108770, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2023.108770
2023
Journal Article
Modulating electronic metal-support interactions to boost visible-light-driven hydrolysis of ammonia borane: nickel-platinum nanoparticles supported on phosphorus-doped titania
Wan, Chao, Li, Gui, Wang, Jiapei, Xu, Lixin, Cheng, Dang-guo, Chen, Fengqiu, Asakura, Yusuke, Kang, Yunqing and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2023). Modulating electronic metal-support interactions to boost visible-light-driven hydrolysis of ammonia borane: nickel-platinum nanoparticles supported on phosphorus-doped titania. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 62 (40) e202305371, 1-10. doi: 10.1002/anie.202305371
2023
Journal Article
Erratum: Publisher Correction: Mesoporous multimetallic nanospheres with exposed highly entropic alloy sites (Nature communications (2023) 14 1 (4182))
Kang, Yunqing, Cretu, Ovidiu, Kikkawa, Jun, Kimoto, Koji, Nara, Hiroki, Nugraha, Asep Sugih, Kawamoto, Hiroki, Eguchi, Miharu, Liao, Ting, Sun, Ziqi, Asahi, Toru and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2023). Erratum: Publisher Correction: Mesoporous multimetallic nanospheres with exposed highly entropic alloy sites (Nature communications (2023) 14 1 (4182)). Nature Communications, 14 (1) 4862, 4862. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-40653-8
2023
Journal Article
Mesoporous multimetallic nanospheres with exposed highly entropic alloy sites
Kang, Yunqing, Cretu, Ovidiu, Kikkawa, Jun, Kimoto, Koji, Nara, Hiroki, Nugraha, Asep Sugih, Kawamoto, Hiroki, Eguchi, Miharu, Liao, Ting, Sun, Ziqi, Asahi, Toru and Yamauchi, Yusuke (2023). Mesoporous multimetallic nanospheres with exposed highly entropic alloy sites. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 4182, 4182-1. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-39157-2
2023
Journal Article
Nanoarchitectonics of metallene materials for electrocatalysis
Jiang, Bo, Guo, Yanna, Sun, Fengyu, Wang, Shengyao, Kang, Yunqing, Xu, Xingtao, Zhao, Jingjing, You, Jungmok, Eguchi, Miharu, Yamauchi, Yusuke and Li, Hexing (2023). Nanoarchitectonics of metallene materials for electrocatalysis. ACS Nano, 17 (14), 13017-13043. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.3c01380
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Yunqing Kang is:
- Available for supervision
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