In this talk, I will summarize the recent research on synthesis, characterization and applications of two-dimensional nanomaterials in my group. I will introduce the synthesis and characterization of novel low-dimensional nanomaterials, such as  graphene-based composites including the first-time synthesized hexagonal-close packed (hcp) Au nanostructures on graphene oxide, and the epitaxial growth of Pd, Pt and Ag nanostructures on solution-processable MoS2 nanoshees at ambient conditions, single- or few-layer metal dichalcogenide nanosheets and hybrid nanomaterials, and large-amount, uniform, ultrathin metal sulfide and selenide nanocrystals. Then I will demonstrate the applications of these novel nanomaterials in chemical and bio-sensors, solar cells, water splitting, hydrogen evolution reaction, electric devices, memory devices, conductive electrodes, other clean energy, etc.

 

Keywords: Two-dimensional nanomaterials; Graphene; Metal dichalcogenides; Nanodevices; Field-effect transistors; Sensors; Clean energy

 

Dr. Hua Zhang completed his Ph.D. with Prof. Zhongfan Liu at Peking University in China in July 1998. And now he is a Full Professor of the School of Materials Science and Engineering in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) from Sept. 1, 2013.He has published 5 invited book chapters, 53 patent applications (including 8 granted US patents), and over 290 papers, among which 269 papers were published in the journals with IF>3 (including 99 papers published in IF>10 journals and 55 papers published in 7

Based on Web of Science on Oct. 2, 2014, the total citation of his papers is over 13,000 with H-index of 58. He was selected to the 2014 The World's Most Influential Scientific Minds and the Highly Cited Researchers 2014 and listed as one of 17 “Hottest Researchers of Today” in the world, and got the World Cultural Council Special Recognition Award (2013), the ONASSIA Foundation Lectureship (Greece, 2013), Asian Rising Stars (15th Asian Chemical Congress, 2013), SMALL Young Innovator Award and Nanyang Award for Research Excellence (2011).

Dr. Zhang’s research is highly interdisciplinary. His current research interests focus on synthesis of two-dimensional nanomaterials, carbon materials  and their hybrid composites for various applications in nano- and biosensors, clean energy, water remediation, etc.; controlled synthesis, characterization and application of novel metallic and semiconducting nanomaterials; scanning probe microscopy; lithography-based fabrication of surface structures from micro- to nanometer scale; self-assembly and self-organization of nano- and biomaterials; self-assembled monolayers; etc.