Junliang Zhang | Electrochemistry | Best Researcher Award

Published on by China Scientist

Prof. Junliang Zhang | Electrochemistry | Best Researcher Award

Professor Junliang Zhang is Chair Professor and Director of the Institute of Fuel Cells at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. A nationally recognized expert in electrochemistry, electrocatalysis, fuel cells, and water electrolysis, he has led major national and municipal research programs and authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers, cited more than 20,000 times. He holds over 70 patents, has written two books, and serves on editorial boards of leading journals. His work has earned him top honors, including the First Prize of Shanghai Technology Invention Award (2020) and the Scientific and Technological Progress Award from the China Society of Automotive Engineers (2024).

Prof. Junliang Zhang | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | China

Profile

🎓Education

  • Professor Junliang Zhang is a Chair Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), where he also serves as Director of the Academic Affairs Office and Director of the Institute of Fuel Cells. He holds extensive academic training and professional development in electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering, including international experience that shaped his research direction in energy conversion and catalysis.

👨‍🏫 Experience

  • Professor Zhang has led and participated in a wide range of major national and municipal-level research initiatives, including the National High-Tech Research and Development Program (863 Program), the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key Research and Development Program of China, and projects supported by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission. His previous affiliations also include research and innovation roles at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is currently a director of the China Fuel Cell Vehicle Industry Alliance and Deputy Director of the Shanghai Research Center for Electrochemical Energy Devices.

🏆Awards and Recognitions

  • Professor Zhang’s achievements have earned him numerous prestigious awards including the First Prize of Shanghai Technology Invention Award in 2020 and the First Prize of Scientific and Technological Progress from the China Society of Automotive Engineers in 2024. Other notable recognitions include the Chenguang Scholar Award (2015), Excellent Teacher Award from SJTU (2014), State Specially Recruited Experts Award (2012), and the Shanghai Eastern Scholar Award (2010). Earlier in his career, he was honored with the Patent Invention Award from Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Distinguished Service Award from SUNY Stony Brook.

💡Skills and Certifications

  • Professor Zhang brings deep expertise in electrochemical analysis, catalyst design, and fuel cell system integration. He is a prolific inventor with over 70 patents and has contributed to both fundamental science and practical engineering solutions in energy technologies. He has authored two technical books and contributed chapters to influential volumes in the field.

🔬 Research Focus

  • Professor Zhang’s research centers on electrochemical energy conversion and storage, with a particular emphasis on electrocatalysis, low platinum fuel cell technologies, and water electrolysis. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals such as Science, Nature Materials, Nature Energy, JACS, Angewandte Chemie, ACS Energy Letters, and Energy & Environmental Science, with more than 20,000 citations. His work has significantly advanced the development of sustainable and efficient energy systems.

🌎Conclusion

  • Professor Junliang Zhang exemplifies the qualities of a Best Researcher Award recipient: visionary leadership, prolific output, impactful innovation, and a deep commitment to scientific progress and societal impact. His record places him among the global elite in electrochemical research, and he would be a highly deserving winner of this award.

📖Publications

  • Uniformity improvement on in-plane current density distribution of large-area PEMFCs via introduction of along-channel gradient cathode catalyst layer: A numerical study
    Authors: Qilong Feng, Ming Cheng, Huiyuan Li, Shuiyuan Yun Shen, Junliang Zhang
    Journal: International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2025

  •  Thermal Induction-Driven Optimization of Nafion Structures for Enhanced Triple Phase Interfaces in CO2 Reduction Reaction
    Authors: Tianzi Bi, Jiabin You, Shuiyun Shen, Junliang Zhang
    Journal: ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 2025

  • Phosphorus and Cobalt Codoped Transition-Metal Oxides with Accelerated Surface Reconstruction for Efficient Alkaline Oxygen Evolution Reactions
    Authors: Junfang Cheng, Junyu Nie, Xinyi Li, Guanghua Wei, Junliang Zhang
    Journal: Langmuir, 2025

  • Phosphorus doping engineering induces the oxygen defect-rich metallic IrOx layer on the cobalt oxide surface for efficient and stable OER
    Authors: Xinyi Li, Guozhu Zhang, Junyu Nie, Junfang Cheng, Junliang Zhang
    Journal: Materials Today Energy, 2025

  • A 3D Numerical Study on Flow Field Designs in Zero-Gap CO2 Electrolyzers
    Authors: Rongyi Wang, Shu Yuan, Rui Xue, Yangge Guo, Junliang Zhang
    Journal: Energy and Fuels, 2025