1. Catalytic decomposition of energy liquids for propulsion applications.

2. Design and synthesis of nano- and subnano catalytic materials.

3. Utilization of biomass for production of chemicals.

4. Environmental catalysis.

Tao Zhang received his Ph.D. degree in 1989 from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP). After one year at the University of Birmingham as a postdoctoral fellow, he joined DICP again in 1990 where he was promoted to a full professor in 1995. He is currently the director of DICP. His research interests are focused on the design and synthesis of nano- and subnanometer catalyst materials that have been widely applied in gas purification and micro-propulsion systems in China. In the recent 5 years, he further extended his research to the catalytic conversion of biomass and developed a new reaction process from cellulose to ethylene glycol.

1. X.F. Yang, A. Wang, B. Qiao, J. Li*, J. Liu*, T. Zhang*, Single-atom catalysts: A new frontier in heterogeneous catalysis, Acc. Chem. Res., 2013, 46, 1740-1748.

2. A. Wang, T. Zhang*, One-pot conversion of cellulose to ethylene glycol with multifunctional Tungsten-based catalysts, Acc. Chem. Res., 2013, 46, 1377-1386.

3. J. Lin, A. Wang, B. Qiao, X. Liu, X. Yang, X. Wang, J. Liang, J. Li, J. Liu*, T. Zhang*, Remarkable performance of Ir1/FeOx single-atom catalyst in water gas shift reaction, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 15314-15317.

4. A. Wang, X.Y. Liu, C.-Y. Mou, T. Zhang*, Understanding the synergistic effects of Gold bimetallic catalysts, J. Catal., 2013, 308, 258-271.

5. L. He, Y. Huang, A. Wang, X. Wang, T. Zhang*, H2 Production by selective decomposition of hydrous hydrazine over Raney Ni catalyst under ambient conditions, AIChE J., 2013, 59, 4297-4302.

6. J. Lin, B. Qiao, J. Liu, Y. Huang, A. Wang, L. Li, W. Zhang, L. F. Allard, X. Wang*, T. Zhang*, Design of a highly active Ir/Fe(OH)x catalyst: Versatile application of Pt-group metals for the preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide, Angew. Chem. Int. Edit., 2012, 51, 2920-2924.

7. L. He, Y. Huang, A. Wang, X. Wang, X. Chen, J. Jose Delgado, T. Zhang*, A noble-metal-free catalyst derived from Ni-Al hydrotalcite for hydrogen generation from N2H4 ？ H2O decomposition, Angew. Chem. Int. Edit., 2012, 51, 6191-6194.

8. C. Li, M. Zheng, A. Wang, T. Zhang*, One-pot catalytic hydrocracking of raw woody biomass into chemicals over supported carbide catalysts: Simultaneous conversion of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, Energy Environ. Sci., 2012, 5, 6383-6390.

9. B. Qiao, A. Wang, X. Yang, L.F. Allard, Z. Jiang, Y. Cui, J. Liu*, J. Li*, T. Zhang*, Single-atom catalysis of CO oxidation using Pt1/FeOx, Nature Chem., 2011, 3, 634-641.

10. N. Ji, T. Zhang*, M. Zheng, A. Wang, H. Wang, X. Wang, J.G. Chen*, Direct catalytic conversion of cellulose into ethylene glycol using Nickel-promoted Tungsten carbide catalysts, Angew. Chem. Int. Edit., 2008, 47, 8510-8513.

11. X. Liu, A. Wang, X. Wang, C.-Y. Mou, T. Zhang*, Au-Cu alloy nanoparticles confined in SBA-15 as a highly efficient catalyst for CO oxidation, Chem. Commun., 2008, 3187-3189.

12. Q. Liu, A. Wang, X. Wang, T. Zhang*, Ordered crystalline alumina molecular sieves synthesized via a nanocasting route, Chem. Mater., 2006, 18, 5153-5155.