Interface properties are key factors dominating in heterogeneous catalysis. People have devoted plenty efforts to this specific area for a long time while conclusive summarization only exist in limited topics. That is why more and more people jumping into this specific area and trying to find the ultimate solution of catalysis based on there own research. Our group is a team of passionate research chemists led by Dr. Hongbo Zhang at Nankai University. The group is designed to address energetic and environmental challenges from a fundamental perspective via combination studies with nano-fabrication, kinetic analysis and in-situ/operando characterizations to achieve strong structure and performance correlations, especially on the interface structure. Specifically, we are interested in C-H bond activation, C-C bond coupling, selective hydrogenation/ dehydrogenation of small platform moleculars, such as CH4, ethanol, furfural and CO2 etc to generate value added chemicals and even gasolines/diesels. The in-situ and operando characterization techniques and spectroscopies include XAFS, FTIR, Raman, XPS, XRD and solid-state NMR etc. The catalytic materials we are looking at include Zeolites, atomic layer deposition functionalized materials, metal organic frameworks, as well as some highly dispersied materials. Our research efforts include but not limited to：
Dr. Hongbo Zhang (Research Scientist)
2002-2006 Chemistry Department of Nankai University，Bachelor degree
2006-2012 Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics，PhD（Supervisor: Prof. Xinhe Bao and Prof. Xiulian Pan）
2013-2017 Argonne National Laboratory/ Penn State/ UIUC，Postdoc
2018-now Research Scientist in School of Materials Science and Engineering of Nankai Univeristy
1. Yicong Yan#, Jin Yuan# and Hongbo Zhang*, J. Catal., 2025, under review
2. J. Guo, H. Zhang*, Nano Lett., 2025, 25, 14723-14729 (invited and was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of MSE@NKU)
3. Jinqiu Guo#, Leisheng Che#, Yuyao Qin#, Yaqi Hu, Xiaolin Tai, Jin Yuan, Li Jin*, Yue Lin* and Hongbo Zhang*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2025, e202514431
4. Kaiyun Lu, Hongbo Zhang*, ACS Catal., 2025, 15, 10092-10108
5. Yaqi Hu#, Runze Liu#, Daoning Wu, Pan Gao, Guangjin Hou, Hongbo Zhang*, Weili Dai*, Nat. Commun., 2025, 16, 5851
6. Xiuyi Wang, Hongbo Zhang*, J Catal., 2024, 443, 115923
7. Jinqiu Guo, Hongbo Zhang*, J Catal., 2024, 433, 115465
8. Zhiwei He, Hongbo Zhang*, ChemSusChem, 2024, e202400478
9. Jin Yuan#, Zhiwei He# and Hongbo Zhang*, J Catal., 2023, 423，34-49
10. Zhiwei He, Qifeng Lei, Weili Dai and Hongbo Zhang*, J Catal., 2023, 421，172-184
11. Xiuyi Wang#, Didi Li#, Zirui Gao#, Yong Guo*, Hongbo Zhang* and Ding Ma*, J Am. Chem. Soc., 2023, 145, 905-918
12. Jinqiu Guo, Hongbo Zhang* and Ding Ma* et al., ACS Catal., 2022, 12, 7248-7261
13. Jingjing Dai and Hongbo Zhang*, J Catal., 2022, 410: 266-279
14. Leisheng Che and Hongbo Zhang*, J Catal., 2022, 414: 336-348
15. Xiuyi Wang, Hongbo Zhang*, J Catal., 2022, 406: 145-156
16. Jinqiu Guo, Yaping Du*, Hongbo Zhang* et al., ACS Catal., 2021, 11, 6162-6174
17. Yanru Wang, Yaping Du*, Hongbo Zhang* and Ding Ma* et al., ACS Catal., 2021, 11, 11820-11830
18. Yanru Wang#, Chao Zhang#, Zhong-Ming Sun* and Hongbo Zhang* et al., ACS Catal., 2020, 10, 14, 7808-7819
19. Hongbo Zhang, Malek Y. S. Ibrahim, David W. Flaherty*, J Catal., 2018, 361: 290-302
20. Hongbo Zhang and Christopher L. Marshall* et al., J Catal., 2015, 326: 172-181
21. Hongbo Zhang and Christopher L. Marshall* et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2014, 53(45): 12132-12136
22. Hongbo Zhang and Christopher L. Marshall* et al., J Catal., 2014, 317: 284-292
23. Hongbo Zhang, Xiulian Pan* and Xinhe Bao* et al., Chem. Sci., 2013, 4: 1075-1078
24. Hongbo Zhang, Xiulian Pan* and Xinhe Bao* et al., ChemSusChem, 2012, 4, 975-980