(1) High specific energy/high specific power lithium-based batteries,
(2) High safety sodium-ion batteries
(3) Low-cost zinc-air/zinc-ion batteries
(4) Solid state batteries, fuel cells
(5) Artificial intelligence battery management
2022--Present, Director of State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, China
2022--Present, Director of Power Battery & Systems Research Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
2018 –2023, Canada Research Chair in Advanced Material for Clean Energy (Tier 1), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
2018 – 2023, Present Director of Waterloo Center for Electrochemical Energy Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
2014 – 2017, Canada Research Chair in Advanced Material for Clean Energy (Tier 2), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
2017 –2023, Present Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
2013 – 2017, Director of Collaborative Graduate Program in Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
2013 – 2017, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
2008 – 2013, Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
2007 – 2008, MPA–11 Sensors and Electrochemical Devices, Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA
2003 – 2007, Research Assistant, University of California, Riverside, USA
2003 – 2008, Research Assistant, East China University of Science and Technology, China
1999 – 2002, Process Engineer, Jiangnan–Xiaoyetian Concrete Co.Ltd, China
2003--2008,PhD, University of California – Riverside, UAS
1999--2002,MS, East China University of Science and Technology, China
1992-1996, BS, Nanjing University of Technology, China
(1) Highly Cited Researchers Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters), International Award (2018-2025).
(2) Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada The Royal Society of Canada, Canada (2019).
(3) Canada Research Chair in Advanced Materials for Clean Energy (Tier 1) Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada (2018).
(4) Highly Cited Researchers 2018 Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters) International Award (2018).
(5) Research Excellence Awards International Academy of Electrochemical Energy Science (IAOEES), International Award (2018).
(6) Rutherford Memorial Medal in Chemistry The Royal Society of Canada, Canada (2017).
(7) 2017 Fellow of The Canadian Academy of Engineering The Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), Canada (2017).
(8) Member of Royal of Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists The Royal Society of Canada (RSC), Canada (2016).
(9) Globally Most Cited Researchers in Energy Science and Engineering Elsevier & Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, International Award (2016).
(10) E.W.R Steacie Memorial Fellowship Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Canada (2016).
(11) R&D100 Awards Finalist 2015 R&D 100 Awards & Technology Conference, International Award (2015).
(12) Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Performance Award University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (2015).
(13) Leaders Opportunity Fund Award Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada (2015).
(14) Canada Research Chair in Advanced Materials for Clean Energy (Tier 2) Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada (2014).
(15) NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplements Award Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada (2014).
(16) Vice President, IAOEES The International Academy of Electrochemical Energy Science (IAOEES), International Honour (2014 - 2017).
(17) Early Researcher Award, Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation, Ontario, Canada (2012).
(18) Dr. Bernard S. Baker Award, Fuel Cell Seminar, San Antonio, Texas, USA (2007).
(19) Chancellor’s Dissertation Fellowship, University of California, Riverside, California, USA (2007).
(20) ECS Travel Grant, The Electrochemical Society (ECS), San Antonio, Pennington, New Jersey, USA (2007).
(21) William R. Pierson/Ford Graduate Fellowship , University of California, Riverside, California, USA (2006).
(22) Best Poster Presentation, Graduate Poster Session, University of California, Riverside, California, USA (2006).
(23) College Fellowship Award, Graduate University of California, Riverside, California, USA (2003).
[1] Jingxuan Ren, Dongdong Wang, Yufeng Chen, Renming Liu, Xinli Guo, Dan Luo, Zhongwei Chen. Anion Coordination Transition Enabled by Ion-Dipole Interactions At Low Temperatures. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2026, 148.18: 19128-19137.
[2] Jingxuan Ren, Dongdong Wang, Qingying Li, Yizhou Liu, Xinli Guo, Qianyi Ma, Yihang Nie, Haozhen Dou, Dongxin Wang, Dan Luo, Zhongwei Chen. Achieving Bichelating Solvation Structure Toward Fast Charging and Long Lifespan Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries. Advanced Materials, 2026, 38(9), e05049.
[3] Jingxuan Ren, Jie Zhang, Yufeng Chen, Renming Liu, Chuangwei Liu, Xinli Guo, Dan Luo, Dongdong Wang & Zhongwei Chen. Multiphase aqueous soggy sand electrolyte for zinc metal batteries applications at elevated temperatures. Nature Communications, 2025, 17.1: 309.
[4] Lichao Tan, Shaojian Zhang, Qianyi Ma, Renming Liu, Linjiang Xue, Qingying Li, Jing Wei, Xin Wang, Dan Luo, Zhongwei Chen. Iodide Anion Anchoring by Silver Nanoparticles Enables Shuttle‐Free Zinc‐Iodine Batteries. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2026, 138.29: e8096588..
[5] J. Wang, X. Zhang, J. Liu, X. Wang, Y. Nie, K. Zong, X. Zhang, C. Zhao, L. Yang, X. Wang, Z. Chen, High-Spin Cobalt Enables Strong Metal-Sulfur Orbital Hybridization for Accelerated Polysulfide Conversion in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries. Adv. Mater. 2025, 37, 2502075.
[6] M. Liu, Y. Li, L. Yang, P. Zhao, J. Li, L. Tian, D. Cao, Z. Chen, Defect-Triggered Orbital Hybridization in FeMn Dual-Atom Catalysts Toward Sabatier-Optimized Oxygen Reduction. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. 2025, 64, e202505268.
[7] L. He, Y. Shao, S. Li, Y. Nie, Y. Chu, G. Feng, X. Liu, Q. Li, D. Luo, X. Wang, Z. Chen, Topologically entangled network polymer electrolyte with ionophilic-protonation dual side chains for high-voltage lithium-metal batteries. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202507222.
[8] Yang, T., Qin, S., Gao, S. et al. Electroinitiated interfacial healing for external pressure-free solid-state sodium metal batteries. Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 9613.
[9] Zhang, Y., Zhang, Z., Dou, H., Bai, Z., Zou, J., Wang, Y., ... & Chen, Z. Engineering Nanoscale Interfacial Solvation Inner‐Outer Configuration via Multi‐Group Synergy for Practical Zinc Batteries. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2025, 64(51), e202518035.
[10] Li, Q., Luo, D., Ma, Q., Zheng, Z., Li, S., Xie, Y., & Chen, Z. Designing a bridging solvation structure using recessive solvents for high energy density aqueous zinc-ion batteries with 88% depth of discharge zinc rechargeability. Energy & Environmental Science, 2025, 18(3), 1489-1501.
[11] Liu, J., Wu, Y., Wang, L., Ma, Q., Zhang, Q., Liu, C., Chen, Z. Stabilizing Cu0/Cu+ Interfaces via High-Entropy Electrochemical Potential Regulation Strategy for Enhanced CO2-to-Ethylene Conversion in Acidic Medium. Advanced Materials, 2025, 37(47), e10267.
[12] Wang, D., Li, R., Zhang, S., Chen, Y., Zhang, J., Liao, C., Chen, Z. Unveiling Anion-Cation Interaction of Electrolyte for Long-Life Ah-Level Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries. Angewandte Chemie, 2025, 138(5), e19668.
[13] Tingzhou Yang, Dan Luo, Xinyu Zhang, Shihui Gao, Rui Gao, Qianyi Ma, Hey Woong Park, Tyler Or, Yongguang Zhang & Zhongwei Chen, Sustainable regeneration of spent cathodes for lithium-ion and post-lithium-ion batteries. Nature sustainability, 2024, 16(162), p.1-39.
[14] P. Xu, M. Xu, J. Zhang, J. Zou, Y. Shi, D. Luo, D. Wang, H. Dou, Z. Chen, In-situ solid electrolyte interface via dual reaction strategy for highly reversible zinc anode. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2024, 63, e202407909.
[15] Zhu, J., Xiao, M., Ren, D., Gao, R., Liu, X., Zhang, Z., Luo, D., Xing, W., Su, D., Yu, A. and Chen, Z., Quasi-Covalently Coupled Ni–Cu Atomic Pair for Synergistic Electroreduction of CO2. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2024, 144(22), p.9661-9671.
[16] Zhang, X., Yang, T., Zhang, Y., Wang, X., Wang, J., Li, Y., Yu, A., Wang, X. and Chen, Z., Single Zinc Atom Aggregates: Synergetic Interaction to Boost Fast Polysulfide Conversion in Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries. Advanced Materials, 2023, 35(6), p.2208470.
[17] Wen, G., Ren, B., Wang, X., Luo, D., Dou, H., Zheng, Y., Gao, R., Gostick, J., Yu, A. and Chen, Z., Continuous CO2 electrolysis using a CO2 exsolution-induced flow cell. Nature Energy,2022, pp.1-11.
[18] Ren, B., Wen, G., Gao, R., Luo, D., Zhang, Z., Qiu, W., Ma, Q., Wang, X., Cui, Y., Ricardez–Sandoval, L., Yu, A. and Chen, Z., Nano-crumples induced Sn-Bi bimetallic interface pattern with moderate electron bank for highly efficient CO2 electroreduction. Nature communications, 2022, 13(1), pp.1-11.
[19] Jiang, Y., Deng, Y.P., Liang, R., Chen, N., King, G., Yu, A. and Chen, Z., Linker-compensated metal–organic framework with electron delocalized metal sites for bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysis. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2022, 144(11), pp.4783-4791.
[20] Luo, D., Li, M., Ma, Q., Wen, G., Dou, H., Ren, B., Liu, Y., Wang, X., Shui, L., Chen, Z. Porous organic polymers for Li-chemistry-based batteries: functionalities and characterization studies, Chemical Society Reviews, 2022, 51，p.2917.