Professor Zhenyu Zhang PhD

Professor Zhenyu J Zhang

School of Chemical Engineering
Professor of Soft Matter Engineering

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0) 121 415 8695
Email
z.j.zhang@bham.ac.uk
Twitter
Address
School of Chemical Engineering
The University 麻豆精选
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Professor Zhang has a broad interest in understanding and modulating soft matter at surfaces and interfaces, which underpins the development of sustainable formulated products, new hygiene technologies, innovate healthcare technologies, intervention to improve air quality, and new routes for energy. He leads several national and international research consortia, supported by EPSRC and Horizon Europe, to understand antimicrobial effects so as to develop sustainable and effective surface hygiene technologies. He received two Industrial Fellowships, funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, to work with Procter & Gamble (2020-2023) and DuPont Teijin Film (2018), respectively. His expertise in surface forces, e.g. adhesion, friction, contact mechanics, has been applied extensively in a wide range of soft matter applications such as biotribology.

Zhenyu Zhang is part of the Healthcare Technologies Institute (HTI), an interdisciplinary network of over 70 academics working together to advance new technologies and treatments that encourage better tissue healing and rehabilitation tools.  The HTI brings together leading experts from a variety of disciplines across the University 麻豆精选, including chemical engineering, biomedical science, computer science, applied mathematics, chemistry and physics. Researchers across campus are working collaboratively to speed up the translation of new discoveries into health applications.

Qualifications

  • PhD in Polymer Physics, University of Sheffield, 2008
  • MSc (Distinction) in Polymer Science and Engineering, University 麻豆精选 and Aston University, 2004

Teaching

• Foundation Year Chair
• Plant design

Research

Having established a comprehensive suite of research capability in studying soft matter and interfaces, my current research interests are focused on addressing the fundamental grand challenges underpin Formulated Products sector and advancing Healthcare Technologies. Three of my current principal areas of activities are listed below.

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Soft matter at surfaces and interfaces for Formulated Products

My research has focused on controlling soft matter, including polymer, surfactants, colloids, at surfaces and interfaces, which offers a powerful toolset for the industry to formulate products with improved performance, less environmental impact, enhanced sustainability.

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Biomechanics and biomaterials for Healthcare Technologies

With the advanced characterisation techniques established in my group, I have been investigating surface characteristics of microbes and biomaterials. These studies advance the design and manufacturing of disruptive technologies to inhibit the surface transmission of microbes (virus, bacteria, and fungi), generate detailed understanding of cell envelope of bacteria so that effective antimicrobial strategies could be formed.

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Multiscale tribology

Tribology has been a core element of my research for the past 15 years, and I have established an internationally recognised reputation in the tribology of soft materials. My research capabilities have evolved from nanoscopic tribological measurement to multiscale ones, which builds a unique strength in understanding macroscopic phenomena such as tactile perception, osteoarthritis.

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Rosik, N, Preece, JA, Fryer, PJ, Mcrobbie, I & Zhang, ZJ 2024, '', International Journal of Cosmetic Science.

Dzinovic, E, Clark, L, Keyhani, N, Al Morhiby, N, Byford, P, Wang, S, Gamea, S, Chu, K, Wnuk, E, Liu, Y, Rosik, N, Giuliani, F, Pugno, NM, Zhang, ZJ, Addison, O & Elsharkawy, S 2024, '', Advanced Materials Technologies.

Avila-Sierra, A, Montoya-Guzman, R, Zhang, ZJ, Fryer, PJ & Vicaria, JM 2024, '', Journal of Food Engineering.

Bistis, P, Cabedo, PA, Bakalis, S, Groombridge, M, Zhang, ZJ & Fryer, PJ 2024, '', Journal of Food Engineering, vol. 366, 111858.

Han, X, Scialla, S, Limiti, E, Davis, ET, Trombetta, M, Rainer, A, Jones, SW, Mauri, E & Zhang, ZJ 2024, '', Biomaterials advances, vol. 163, 213956.

Squillace, O, Zhang, T, Argentou, L, Ward, A & Zhang, ZJ 2024, '', Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, vol. 701, 134729.

Majerczak, K, Shi, Z, Zhang, Z & Zhang, ZJ 2023, '', Progress in Organic Coatings, vol. 185, 107833.

Avila-Sierra, A, Moreno, JA, Goode, K, Zhu, T, Fryer, PJ, Taylor, A & Zhang, ZJ 2023, '', Surface and Coatings Technology, vol. 452, 129054.

Labarre, L, Squillace, O, Liu, Y, Fryer, PJ, Kaur, P, Whitaker, S, Marsh, JM & Zhang, ZJ 2023, '', International Journal of Cosmetic Science, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 224-235.

Simou, K, Pan, P, Li, Q, Jones, SW, Davis, E, Preece, J & Zhang, ZJ 2023, '', Biotribology, vol. 35-36, 100262.

Qi, S, Kiratzis, I, Adoni, P, Tuekprakhon, A, Hill, HJ, Stamataki, Z, Nabi, A, Waugh, D, Rodriguez, JR, Clarke, SM, Fryer, PJ & Zhang, ZJ 2023, '', ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, vol. 15, no. 17, pp. 20638-20648.

Magaway, E, Farahi, Y, Hanham, SM, Zhang, J, Guaidia-Moreno, A & Navarro-Cia, M 2023, '', IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 415-418.

Majerczak, K, Manning, JRH, Shi, Z, Zhang, Z & Zhang, ZJ 2023, '', Progress in Organic Coatings, vol. 177, 107436.

Milsom, A, Qi, S, Mishra, A, Berkemeier, T, Zhang, J & Pfrang, C 2023, '', Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, vol. 23, no. 19, pp. 10835鈥�10843.

Review article

Hill, R, Phipps, J, Greenwood, R, Skuse, D & Zhang, ZJ 2024, '', Carbohydrate Polymers, vol. 337, 122085.