Dr Zhang is a polymer chemist and nanotechnologist, who is recognised for her research into polymer chemistry, photochemistry, and nanomaterials. Her expertise spans eco-friendly polymeric materials, nanomaterials, and aerosols. Dr Zhang leads innovative projects focusing on designing, preparing, and characterising advanced polymer-based materials tailored for diverse fundamental and applied applications. She is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of Materials Science & Engineering, particularly in polymers and 3D printing, to address contemporary technological challenges.
Dr Zhang has rich experience in working on academia-industry collaborative projects, such as the development of carbon fiber-based polymeric composites with strong interfacial bonding for aircraft industry application, the development of advanced photoinitiating systems for dental materials, the depolymerisation and recycling of superabsorbent polymer materials. Dr Zhang’s collaborative work with CSIRO on microplastics captured some headlines on CNN, the Conversation, the Guardian, and the New York Times. It was also featured by the Australian Science Media Centre as one of the top ten stories for 2020.