Jian Li | Sustainable Materials | Best Researcher Award

Published on by China Scientist

Mr. Jian Li | Sustainable Materials | Best Researcher Award 

Li Jian, PhD, is a Professor at Central South University and Director of the Hunan Zhengyuan Energy Storage Materials and Devices Research Institute. He has been recognized through national and provincial talent programs and is widely respected for his contributions to energy materials, device manufacturing, and battery recycling. His pioneering work in capacitor-type lithium-ion batteries, ultra-low-temperature battery technology, and advanced recycling methods has positioned him as a leader bridging scientific innovation with industrial application.

Mr. Jian Li | National Natural Science Foundation of China | China

Profile

SCOPUS

Education

  • Li Jian completed his undergraduate studies in nonferrous metallurgy at Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, where he built a strong foundation in material sciences. He continued his academic journey at Central South University, earning a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering and later a doctorate in nonferrous metal metallurgy. His educational background equipped him with deep expertise in materials chemistry, nonferrous metallurgy, and applied engineering, which became the cornerstone of his later research and industrial innovations.

Experience

  • Li Jian is a professor in the Department of Materials Chemistry at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University. He also serves as the director of the Hunan Zhengyuan Energy Storage Materials and Devices Research Institute. Earlier in his career, he worked as an engineer at the Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and later completed postdoctoral research in materials science at Central South University. His career has combined academic teaching, industrial application, and leadership in large-scale scientific research projects, where he has overseen more than twenty national and provincial-level projects.

Awards and Recognition

  • Li Jian has been honored through prestigious talent programs such as the Liaoning Province Hundred, Thousand, and Ten Thousand Talents Project and Jiangsu Province’s Gusu Leading Entrepreneurial Talent Program. His innovative contributions to materials science and battery technology have earned him awards including the Hunan Provincial Technological Invention Award and the Liaoning Provincial Patent Gold Award. His achievements have been widely recognized both in academia and industry, making him a leading figure in the field of energy materials and recycling technology.

Skills and Expertise

  • Li Jian possesses extensive expertise in the preparation of key materials, device manufacturing, and resource recycling for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. He pioneered a novel capacitor-type lithium-ion battery concept and developed ultra-low-temperature battery technology for public transport. His technical skills extend to designing advanced recycling systems, including the integration of fine disassembly, full-component recovery, and physical repair of used lithium-ion batteries. He also holds multiple patents in high-performance electrode materials, aluminum carbon composite foils, and battery recycling technologies.

Research Focus 

  • Li Jian’s research is centered on advanced energy storage materials and green recycling technologies. He focuses on the industrialization of lithium-ion and supercapacitor technologies, the development of sustainable methods for resource recovery, and the design of next-generation high-performance batteries. His work bridges fundamental research and practical application, leading to innovations that have influenced both scientific progress and industrial practice. His recent research also emphasizes the development of solid-state batteries, intelligent disassembly technologies, and environmentally sustainable energy solutions.

Research Projects

  • Li Jian has led and participated in numerous significant projects under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and  Technology, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. His work includes developing intelligent disassembly and material collection technologies for power batteries, creating physical repair and regeneration processes for retired lithium batteries, and advancing large-scale green manufacturing systems for lithium-ion battery separators. He has also contributed to projects on rare earth and rare metal applications, high-performance cathode materials, and the development of all-solid-state batteries for new energy vehicles. His research achievements have been industrialized, leading to wide adoption in the energy storage and recycling sectors.

Publication

Study on the performance of spent LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 repaired via in situ conversion and coating of surface lithium impurities
Authors: Jian Li
Journal: Electrochimica Acta

Direct upcycling of spent layered oxide cathodes via a dual-functional eutectic salt for sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Jian Li
Journal: Journal of Materials Chemistry A

Multicolor-MG: An efficient parallel multigrid code based on multicolor block-wise Gauss-Seidel smoothers for 3D natural source electromagnetic forward modeling
Authors: Jian Li
Journal: Geophysics

Understanding the Synergistic Effect of Mg/Co Ions Doping on the Layer-Tunnel Hybrid Structure of Na0.44MnO2 Cathode Materials
Authors: Jian Li
Journal: Small

Design of ultrafast lithium ion channel for solid-state lithium metal batteries by in-situ polymerization induced phase separation
Authors: Jian Li
Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal

Conclusion

  • Through his strong educational foundation, extensive professional experience, and groundbreaking research, Li Jian has made substantial contributions to the advancement of energy storage and recycling technologies. His innovations have broken international barriers, transformed industrial practices, and strengthened the sustainability of new energy industries. As a result, he continues to play a vital role in driving both academic research and practical solutions for global energy challenges.

Yaling Zhang | Materials Science | Best Researcher Award

Published on by China Scientist

Mrs. Yaling Zhang | Materials Science | Best Researcher Award 

Zhang Yaling is a postgraduate student at the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Lanzhou University of Arts and Science in 2023. Her research focuses on materials processing and performance enhancement, with published work in Metals and other scientific journals. She has received multiple academic honors, including a First-class Scholarship and a National Encouragement Scholarship, and has been actively involved in innovation competitions and laboratory research. Zhang is also certified in English proficiency (CET-6) and heat treatment technologies.

Mrs. Yaling Zhang | Wuhan University of Science and Technology | China

Profile

🎓Education

  • Zhang Yaling is currently pursuing her postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, beginning in September 2023. She completed her undergraduate education in Materials Science and Engineering at Lanzhou University of Arts and Science, graduating in June 2023. Her academic foundation is rooted in a solid understanding of material properties, processing, and engineering principles, preparing her for advanced research and practical applications in the field.

👨‍🏫 Experience

  • Zhang has gained valuable hands-on experience through various academic and industrial engagements. In 2021, she served as a Laboratory Assistant in the Inorganic Laboratory at the School of Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University of Arts and Science, where she was later recognized as an “Excellent Assistant.” During the same year, she completed an entrepreneurship training program at Lanzhou Yinte Training School. In 2020, she interned at Jinhua Group in Jinchang City, Gansu Province, where she focused on material synthesis, process optimization, and waste residue treatment. These roles reflect her practical engagement with materials engineering and laboratory work.

🤝 Awards and Recognition

  • Zhang has received numerous accolades recognizing both academic and extracurricular excellence. In 2024, she was awarded a First-class Scholarship by the Graduate School of Wuhan University of Science and Technology and achieved third place in the Mixed Doubles Badminton Competition. During her undergraduate years, she received the National Encouragement Scholarship (2022), the Yanyuan Scholarship (2021), and was named a University-level Merit Student. In addition, she was recognized as an Excellent Communist Youth League Member in 2020 and received an Excellence Award in a knowledge competition centered on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party.

💡Skills and Certifications

  • Zhang possesses strong language and technical proficiencies. She has passed both the CET-6 and CET-4 (College English Test) and holds a Putonghua Proficiency Certificate. Technically, she holds a Probationary Heat Treatment Qualification Certificate, signifying her training in one of the essential areas of materials processing. Her communication skills and technical foundation support her academic and research endeavors.

🔬 Research Focus

  • Zhang has actively engaged in academic research and innovation competitions. She has published three academic papers: as the first author in the Journal of Lanzhou University of Arts and Science (Natural Science) in 2021 and in Metals in 2025, where she examined how combining direct aging and cryogenic treatment enhances mechanical properties of 18Ni300 via selective laser melting. Additionally, she contributed as a fourth author in Organic Chemistry Magazine in 2020. Her research interests primarily revolve around materials processing and performance optimization, particularly in advanced manufacturing techniques.

🌎Conclusion

  • Zhang Yaling is exceptionally qualified for the Research for Women Researcher Award. Her potential to contribute significantly to the future of materials science, particularly in sustainable and high-performance materials, is clear. Recognizing her achievements through this award will not only honor her current accomplishments but also empower her continued contributions to global scientific progress and the advancement of women in engineering and research.

📖Publications

  • Title: Atomic-scale investigation of B′, Q′ and Q phases in Al-Mg-Si-(Cu) alloys: structural, mechanical and electronic properties via HAADF-STEM and first-principles calculations
    Authors: Bo Qu, Xia Chen, Qiang Chen, Yaling Zhang, Yao Tao, Bin Chen
    Journal: Vacuum

  • Title: The Combination of Direct Aging and Cryogenic Treatment Effectively Enhances the Mechanical Properties of 18Ni300 by Selective Laser Melting
    Authors: Yaling Zhang, Xia Chen, Bo Qu, Yao Tao, Wei Zeng, Bin Chen
    Journal: Metals