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Hi, I'm David, a passionate scientist and engineer in chemical engineering at Rice University.
I focus on sustainable energy materials mining from natural sources and waste, driving a greener, brighter future!
Research Interests
Research Interests
Electrochemical energy materials mining from natural sources and waste
Electrochemical carbon capture and utilization from flue gas, air, and seawater
Reactor design for electrochemical lithium recovery from spent batteries and brines
Interface design and surface modification of nanomaterials for electrocatalysis
Process simulations & modeling: techno-economic analysis, LCA, DFT, MD, etc
Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction for Water Treatment with Smart Sensing
Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction for Water Treatment with Smart Sensing
Gel-based Energy Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage
Gel-based Energy Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage
Structural Engineering of 2D Materials for Electrocatalysis
Structural Engineering of 2D Materials for Electrocatalysis
About Zhiwei
Education
Education
Rice University (2021–present)
Postdoctoral research associate, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
UT Austin (2016– 2021)
Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Materials area
University of Science and Technology of China (中国科学技术大学, 2012–2016)
Bachelor of Science, Department of Chemistry
Selected Awards
Selected Awards
2021 MRS Virtual Spring Meeting Graduate Student Awards, Silver
2021 Professional Development Award, University of Texas at Austin
2020 Warren A. and Alice L. Meyer Endowed Scholarship
2019 UT Graduate School (UTGS) Continuing Fellowship, University of Texas at Austin
2016-2020 UT Graduate School (UTGS) Fellowship, University of Texas at Austin
2015 Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship Gold Prize (top 3%)
Conferences
Conferences
2024 AIChE Annual Meeting, San Diego
2023 AIChE Annual Meeting, Orlando
Presentation: Electrochemical regeneration of high purity CO2 from carbonates for efficient self-looped carbon capture
2022-2023 Invited editor for Molecules special issue ‘Recent progress in organic-inorganic functional nanomaterials with advanced optical & electrical properties’
2023 ACS Spring, Indianapolis
Presentation: High-rate electrocatalysis driven by 2D nanostructured gels
2021 MRS Spring Virtual Meeting & Exhibit Presentation: Structural engineering of 2D nanomaterials for electrocatalysis
2020 ACS Spring National Meeting & Exposition, Philadelphia
Presentation 1: Structural engineering of 2D nanomaterials for energy storage and catalysis
Presentation 2: Inorganic cyanogels for electrochemical energy storage and conversion
Publications
Z. Fang, P. Zhu, X. Zhang, Y. Feng, H. Wang, Self-Looped Electrochemical Recycling of Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials to Manufacturing Feedstocks, Nature Chemical Engineering 2, 142–151 (2025).
X. Zhang†, Z. Fang†, P. Zhu†, Y. Xia, H. Wang, Electrochemical Regeneration of High Purity CO2 from Carbonates for Efficient Carbon Capture, Nature Energy 10, 55 (2024). (Cover)
Z. Fang, A. Elgazzar, H. Wang, Integrating Electrochemical Carbon Capture And Pure CO2 Regeneration, (Under preparation).
P. Zhu, Z. Wu, C. Dong, F. Chen, Y. Xia, Y. Feng, M. Shakouri, J. Kim, Z. Fang, T. Hatton, H. Wang, Continuous Carbon Capture in An Electrochemical Solid-Electrolyte Reactor, Nature 618, 959 (2023).
Z. Fang, S. Tang, Z. Wang, M. An, G. Yu, General Synthesis of Large-Size Inorganic Nanosheets via 2D Confined Assembly of Nanoparticles, ACS Cent. Sci. 8, 627 (2022). (Featured in ACS Cent. Sci.)
Z. Fang, Z. Jin, S. Tang, P. Li, P. Wu, G. Yu, Porous Two-dimensional Iron-Cyano Nanosheets for High-rate Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction, ACS Nano 16, 1072 (2022).
Z. Fang, Y. Qian, P. Wu, G. Yu, Boosting Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia on Gel-Derived 3D Bismuth by Optimizing Nitrogen Adsorption and Desorption, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60, 4275 (2021). (VIP).
Z. Fang, P. Li, G. Yu, Gel Electrocatalysts: An Emerging Material Platform for Electrochemical Energy Conversion, Adv. Mater. 32, 2003191 (2020).
Y. Guo†, J. Bae†, Z. Fang†, P. Li†, F. Zhao, G. Yu, Hydrogels and Hydrogel-Derived Materials for Energy and Water Sustainability, Chem. Rev. 120, 7642 (2020).
Z. Fang, L. Peng, Y. Qian, X. Zhang, Y. Xie, J. Cha, G. Yu, Dual Tuning of Ni-Co-A Nanosheets by Anion Substitution and Holey Engineering for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 140, 5241 (2018). (One of the ‘most highly cited article’ from ACS)
Y. Feng, Y. Park, S. Hao, Z. Fang, T. Terlier, X. Zhang, C. Qiu, S. Zhang, F. Chen, P. Zhu, Q. Nguyen, H. Wang*, S. Biswal*, Three-chamber Electrochemical Reactor for Selective Lithium Extraction from Brine, PNAS 121, e2410033121 (2024).
T. Wi , Y. Xie , Z. Levell, D. Feng, J. Kim, P. Zhu, A. Elgazzar, T. Jeon, M. Shakouri, S. Hao, Z. Fang, C. Qiu, H. Lee, A. Hicks, Y. Liu, C. Liu, H. Wang, Upgrading Carbon Monoxide to Bioplastics via Integrated Electrochemical Reduction and Biosynthesis, Nature Synthesis (2024).
P. Li, L. Liao, Z. Fang, G. Su, Z. Jin, G. Yu, A Multifunctional Copper Single-Atom Electrocatalyst Aerogel for Smart Sensing and Producing Ammonia from Nitrate. PNAS 120, e2305489120 (2023).
C. Lv, L. Zhong, H. Liu, Z. Fang, C. Yan, M. Chen, Y. Kong, C. Lee, D. Liu, S. Li, J. Liu, L. Song, G. Chen, Q. Yan, G. Yu, Selective Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Urea with Nitrate And Carbon Dioxide, Nature Sustain. 4, 868 (2021).
Z. Jin, P. Li, Y. Meng, Z. Fang, D. Xiao, G. Yu, Understanding Inter-site Distance Effect in Single-atom Catalysts for Oxygen Electroreduction, Nature Catal. 4, 615 (2021).
Y. Gu, Y. Lu, P. Dai, X. Cao, Y. Zhou, Y. Tang, Z Fang*, P. Wu*, Self-Assembled High-Entropy Prussian Blue Analogue Nanosheets Enabling Efficient Sodium Storage. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 677,304 (2025).
Y. Guo†, Z. Fang†, G. Yu, Multifunctional Hydrogels for Sustainable Energy and Environment, Polym. Int. 70, 1425 (2021). (Top Cited Article 2021-2022 from Wiley)
Z. Fang, Q. Xing, D. Fernandez, X. Zhang, G. Yu, A Mini Review on Two-Dimensional Nanomaterial Assembly, Nano Res. 13, 1179 (2020).
Z. Fang, D. Fernandez, N. Wang, Z. Bai, G. Yu, Mo2C@3D Ultrathin Macroporous Carbon Realizing Efficient and Stable Nitrogen Fixation, Sci. China Chem. 63, 1570 (2020).
A. Zhang†, Z. Fang†,Y. Tang, Y. Zhou, P. Wu, G. Yu, Inorganic Gel-Derived Metallic Frameworks Enabling High-Performance Silicon Anodes, Nano Lett. 19, 6292 (2019).
Z. Fang, A. Zhang, P. Wu, G. Yu, Inorganic Cyanogels and Their Derivatives for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion, ACS Mater. Lett. 1, 158 (2019).
P. Wu†, Z. Fang†, A. Zhang, X Zhang, Y. Tang, Y. Zhou, G. Yu, Chemically Binding Scaffolded Anodes with 3D Graphene Architectures Realizing Fast and Stable Lithium Storage, Research 8393085 (2019).
Z. Fang, P. Wu, K. Yu, Y. Li, Y. Zhu, P. J. Ferreira, Y. Liu, G. Yu, Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Gel Electrocatalyst for Stable Acidic Water Oxidation, ACS Nano 13, 14368 (2019).
H. Guo†, Z. Fang†, H. Li, D. Fernandez, G. Henkelman, S. M. Humphrey, G. Yu, Rational Design of Rhodium–Iridium Alloy Nanoparticles as Highly Active Catalysts for Acidic Oxygen Evolution, ACS Nano 13, 13225 (2019).
H. Shi†, Z. Fang†, X. Zhang, F. Li, Y. Tang, Y. Zhou, P. Wu, G. Yu, Double-Network Nanostructured Hydrogel-Derived Ultrafine Sn–Fe Alloy in 3D Carbon Framework for Enhanced Lithium Storage, Nano Lett. 18, 3193 (2018).
L. Peng†, Z. Fang†, J. Li†, L. Wang, A. Bruck, Y. Zhu, K. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, E. Stach, E. Takeuchi, G. Yu, Two-Dimensional Holey Nanoarchitectures Created by Confined Self-Assembly of Nanoparticles via Block Copolymers: From Synthesis to Energy Storage Property, ACS Nano 12, 820 (2018).
L. Peng†, Z. Fang†, Y. Zhu†, C. Yan, G. Yu, Holey Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Energy Storage, Adv. Energy Mater. 8, 1702179 (2018).
C. Yan†, Z. Fang†, C. Lv, X. Zhou, G. Chen, G. Yu, Significantly Improving Lithium Ion Transport via Conjugated Anion Intercalation in Inorganic Layered Hosts, ACS Nano, 12, 8670 (2018).
Z. Fang, G. Yu, Single Atom Catalyst towards Ammonia Synthesis at Mild Conditions, Sci. China Chem. 61 (2018).
Z. Fang, L. Peng, H. Lv, Y. Zhu, C. Yan, S. Wang, P. Kalyani, X. Wu, G. Yu, Metallic Transition Metal Selenide Holey Nanosheets for Efficient Oxygen Evolution, ACS Nano 11, 9550 (2017).
L. Peng†, X. Zhang†, Z. Fang†, Y. Zhu, Y. Xie, J. Cha, G. Yu, General Facet-Controlled Synthesis of Single-Crystalline {010}-Oriented LiMPO4 Nanosheets, Chem. Mater. 29, 10526 (2017).
Z. Jin, P. Li, Z. Fang, G. Yu, Emerging Electrochemical Techniques for Probing Site Behavior in Single-Atom Electrocatalysts, Acc. Chem. Res. 55, 759 (2022).
P. Li, Z. Jin, Z. Fang, G. Yu, A Single-Site Iron Catalyst with Preoccupied Active Center That Achieves Selective Ammonia Electrosynthesis from Nitrate, Energy Environ. Sci. 14, 3522 (2021).
P. Li, Z. Fang, Z. Jin, G. Yu, Ammonia Electrosynthesis on Single-Atom Catalysts: Mechanistic Understanding and Recent Progress, Chem. Phys. Rev. 2, 041305 (2021).
N. Wang, Y. Wang, Z. Bai, Z. Fang, X. Zhang, Z. Xu, X. Xu, Y. Du, S. Dou, G. Yu, High-Performance Room-Temperature Sodium-Sulfur Battery Enabled by Electrocatalytic Sodium Polysulfides Full Conversion, Energy Environ. Sci. 13, 562 (2020).
C. Lv, L. Zhong, Y. Yao, D. Liu, Y. Kong, X. Jin, Z. Fang, W. Xu, C. Yan, K. Dinh, M. Shao, L. Song, G. Chen, S. Li, Q. Yan, G. Yu, Boosting Electrocatalytic Ammonia Production through Mimicking π Back-Donation, Chem 6, 2690 (2020).
P. Li, Z. Jin, Z. Fang, G. Yu, A Surface Strained And Geometry Tailored Nanoreactor Promotes The Ammonia Electrosynthesis, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 22610 (2020). (VIP).
P. Li, Z. Jin, Y. Qian, Z. Fang, D. Xiao, G. Yu, Supramolecular Confinement of Single Cu Atoms in Hydrogel Frameworks for Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis with High Atom Utilization, Mater. Today 35, 78 (2020).
Z. Ju, Y. Zhu, X. Zhang, D. Lutz, Z. Fang, K. Takeuchi, E. Takeuchi, A. Marschilok, G. Yu, Understanding Thickness-Dependent Transport Kinetics in Nanosheet-Based Battery Electrodes, Chem. Mater. 32, 1684 (2020).
Y. Liu, N. Wang, X. Zhao, Z. Fang, X. Zhang, Y. Liu, Z. Bai, S. Dou, G. Yu, Hierarchical Nanoarchitectured Hybrid Electrodes Based on Ultrathin MoSe2 Nanosheets on 3D Ordered Macroporous Carbon Frameworks for Sodium-Ion Batteries, J. Mater. Chem. A. 8, 2843 (2020).
N. Wang, Z. Bai, Z. Fang, X. Zhang, X. Xu, Y. Du, L. Liu, S. Dou, G. Yu, A General Synthetic Strategy for Pomegranate-like Transition Metal Phosphides@N-doped Carbon Nanostructures with High Lithium Storage Capacity, ACS Mater. Lett. 1, 265 (2019).
Y. Zhou, Z. Zhang, Z. Fang, M. Qiu, L. Ling, J. Long, L. Chen, Y. Tong, W. Su, Y. Zhang, C.S. Wu, J.M. Basset, X. Wang, G. Yu, Defect Engineering of Metal–Oxide Interface for Proximity of Photooxidation and Photoreduction, PNAS 116, 10232 (2019).
P. Xue, N. Wang, Z. Fang, Z. Lu, X. Xu, L. Wang, Y. Du, X. Ren, Z. Bai, S. Dou, G. Yu, Rayleigh-Instability-Induced Bi Nanorod@N-Doped CNTs as a Long Cycling, High Rate Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries, Nano Lett. 19, 1998 (2019)
Y. Guo, M. Zhong, Z. Fang, P. Wan, G. Yu, Wearable Transient Pressure Sensor with MXene Nanosheets for Sensitive Broad-Range Human-Machine Interfacing, Nano Lett. 19, 1143 (2019).
P. Li, Z. Jin, Y. Qian, Z. Fang, D. Xiao, G. Yu, Probing Enhanced Site Activity of Co-Fe Bimetallic Sub-Nanoclusters Derived from Dual Cross-Linked Hydrogels for Oxygen Electrocatalysis, ACS Energy Lett. 4, 1793 (2019).
M. Hu, Z. Ju, Z. Bai, K. Yu, Z. Fang, R. Lv, G. Yu, Revealing the Critical Factor in Metal Sulfide Anode Performance in Sodium‐Ion Batteries: An Investigation of Polysulfide Shuttling Issues, Small Methods 4, 1900673 (2019).
Y. Zhu, L. Peng, Z. Fang, C. Yan, X. Zhang, G. Yu, Structural Engineering of 2D Materials for Energy Storage and Catalysis, Adv. Mater. 30, 1706347 (2018).
C. Yan, Y. Zhu, Z. Fang, C. Lv, X. Zhou, G. Chen, G. Yu, Heterogeneous Molten Salt Strategy towards Coupling Cobalt-Cobalt Oxide and Carbon for Effecient Energy Conversion and Storage, Adv. Energy Mater. 8, 1800762 (2018).
C. Yan, Y. Zhu, Y. Li, Z. Fang, L. Peng, G. Chen, G. Yu, Local Built-In Electric Field in Carbon-Doped Co3O4 Nanocrystals for Superior Li-Ion Storage, Adv. Funct. Mater. 28, 1705951 (2018).
L. Peng, Y. Zhu, X. Peng, Z. Fang, W. Chu, Y. Wang, Y. Xie, Y. Li, J. Cha, G. Yu, Effective Interlayer Engineering of 2D VOPO4 Nanosheets via Organic Intercalation for Improving Alkali Ion Storage, Nano Lett., 17, 6273 (2017).
L. Peng, D. Chen, Y. Yuan, Y. Zhu, Z. Fang, C. Yan, G. Chen, R. Yassar, J. Lu, K. Amine, G. Yu, 2D Holey Co3O4 Nanosheets for High-Rate Alkali-Ion Batteries: from Rational Synthesis to in situ Probing, Nano Lett. 17, 3907 (2017).
P. Chen, K. Xu, Y. Tong, X. Li, S Tao, Z. Fang, W. Chu, X. Wu, C. Wu, Cobalt nitrides as a class of metallic electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction. Inorg. Chem. Front. 3, 236 (2016).
P. Chen, K. Xu, Z. Fang, Y. Tong, J. Wu, X. Lu, X. Peng, H. Ding, C. Wu, Y. Xie, Metallic Co4N Porous Nanowire Arrays Activated by Surface Oxidation as Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Angew. Chem. 127, 14923 (2015).
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