People

Zhi Li, PhD, P. Eng., Associate Professor
Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9
Phone: (780) 492-1248
Fax: (780) 492-2881
Email: zhi.li@ualberta.ca

Education
Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, USA. Advisor: Dr. Ryan Richards
M.S. in Engineering Technology Management, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, USA.
M.Eng. in Materialogy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
B.S. in Applied Chemistry, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Shengli Zhai, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9
Email: szhai@ualberta.ca

Education
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Advisor: Prof. Yuan Chen & Prof. Xin Wang.
Visiting Ph.D. student (2 years), The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Advisor: Prof. Yuan Chen.
B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.

Research Interests
My research focuses on synthesizing carbon nanomaterials with well-defined nanoscale structures, converting nanoscale properties into macroscale functionalities, and applying these materials in flexible energy storage devices, including supercapacitors, batteries and their hybrids. Our current research interest is the application of cellulose-derived carbon nanomaterials for fabricating 1D energy storage devices.

Yang Yang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9
Email: yyang34@ualberta.ca

Education
Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, China. Advisor: Prof. Guangming Zeng.
B.Eng. in Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, China.

Research Interests
My research focuses on developing novel g-C3N4-based nanomaterials as the catalysts for the applications related to energy conversion and environmental remediation. Our current research interest is the application of 2D g-C3N4-based nanomaterials for (photo)electrocatalytic N2RR.

Xuesong Xie
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9
Email: xuesong5@ualberta.ca
Google Citation

Education
Ph.D. in Materials Physics and Chemistry, Central South University, China. Advisor: Prof. Jiang Zhou & Prof. Shuquan Liang
M.Sc. in Applied Electrochemistry, Guangxi Normal University, China
B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and Technology, Weifang University of Science and Technology

Research Interest:
My research is focused on aqueous Zn and Al ion energy storage systems, with a primary goal of achieving high efficiency and long-term stability, including exploring novel inorganic quasi-solid-state electrolytes and anode modification. Our current research direction centers on synthesizing the activated carbon derived from natural cellulose materials for applications in batteries and hybrid capacitors.

Yifan Li
Ph.D. student
Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9
Phone: (825) 889-1207
Email: yl37@ualberta.ca

Education
M. Sc. in School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China

Research Interest:
My research focuses on the synthesis of single atom catalysts for energy conversion and storage devices, including OER, ORR, CO2RR and batteries.

Alumni

Keren Jiang, Ph.D.
with us April 2018.3 - Nov 2022
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Keren is currently a Research Scientist at Natural Resources Canada.

Education
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Advisor: Dr. Thomas Thundat
M. Sc. in Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE, U.S.A.
B.Sc. in Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.

Research Interest:
My research interest covers nanomechanical systems, interfacial phenomenon and material science. Integration of these fields brings novel understandings in sustainable energy storage and eco-friendly materials. Our current focus is the in-situ monitoring of mechanical evolution involved in energy storage process.

Xuehai Tan, Ph.D.
with us Aug 2018 - Aug 2022 as a Research Associate
Xuehai is currently a staff scientist at nanoFAB at the University of Alberta.

Education
Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada, Advisor: Prof. David Mitlin.
B.Sc. in Engineering Physics (Nano-engineering Option), University of Alberta, Canada.

Research Interest:
Research experiences include Ir-based electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction, Pt-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction, In-situ TEM on Sn-Sb sodium ion battery anode, CdTe thin film photovoltaic devices and materials, and hydrogen storage in Mg-based alloys and composites. Current research projects: flexible energy storage devices.

Wenyao Zhang, Ph.D.
with us Aug 2020 - Mar 2022 as a Postdoctoral Researcher
Wenyao is currently a Full Professor at Nanjing University of Science & Technology

Education
Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, China. Advisor: Prof. Xin Wang.
B.Eng. in Materials Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, China.

Research Interests
My research focuses on synthesizing novel carbon-based materials as the metal-free catalysts or the supporting materials for effectively anchoring metal catalysts toward the applications related to energy storage and conversion. Our current research interest is the application of cellulose-derived carbon nanomaterials for electrocatalysis (including ORR, OER, N2RR) and batteries (lithium sulfur batteries, zinc-ion batteries).

Shuwen Wu
with us May 2021 - Sep 2023 as a Ph.D. student
Shuwen is currently a Postdoc Fellow at the University of Toronto.

Education
M. Sc. in Materials Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
B.Sc. in Packaging Engineering, Anhui Agricultural University. Hefei, Anhui, China.

Research Interest
My research focuses on the synthesis of nanomaterials for energy conversion applications, including OER, ORR.

Shoudong Xu, Ph.D.
with us Nov 2019 - Oct 2020
Visiting Professor
Home Institute:
Taiyuan University of Technology
Email: xushoudong@tyut.edu.cn
Research Interest:
Li-ion batteries and EIS

Kang Li
with us Nov 2019 - Oct 2020
Visiting Ph.D. student
Home institute: Shaanxi University of Science & Technology
Email: likangxacn@163.com
Project: K-ion batteries

Xuetao Shen, Ph.D.
with us Mar 2019 - May 2020
Visiting professor
Home institute: Shaanxi University of Science & Technology
Email: shenxuetao@sust.edu.cn
Project: metal oxides and sulfides based supercapacitors

Na Wang
with us Nov 2019 - Oct 2020
Visiting Ph.D. student
Home institute: Shanxi University
Email: nawang_sxu@163.com
Project: fiber-shape energy storage devices