Zhanxi FAN Group
Welcome to our group!
The Zhanxi FAN Group is located in the Department of Chemistry at City University of Hong Kong.
Our group is open to any new ideas that can address the fundamental problems and practical challenges in the fields of materials chemistry, nanoscience, catalysis, and energy conversion. Currently, our research interests mainly focus on the rational design, controlled syntheses, advanced characterizations, formation mechanisms, basic properties and potential applications of novel low-dimensional metal and metal-based nanomaterials. Besides the well-established size, shape and composition control of metal and metal-based nanomaterials, we will try to improve/change their physicochemical properties and boost their performance in various applications via crystal phase control, surface modification, defect engineering, coordination environment modulation, metal-support interaction, electronic structure hybridization, etc. In this way, we aim to decrease the cost of materials processing and increase the atomic utilization efficiency of metals (especially noble metals) towards real applications.
If you are interested in our research projects and would like to join us, please send emails to zhanxi.fan@cityu.edu.hk for appropriate positions. Please click here for more details.
Selected Publications (Click here to see Full Publications; * Corresponding Author, # Co-first Author)
44. "Controlled Synthesis of Unconventional Phase Alloy Nanobranches for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrite Reduction to Ammonia"
Yunhao Wang #, Yuecheng Xiong #, Mingzi Sun #, Jingwen Zhou #, Fengkun Hao, Qinghua Zhang, Chenliang Ye, Xixi Wang, Fu Liu, Juan Wang, Pengyi Lu, Yangbo Ma, Jinwen Yin, Shengqi Chu, Bolong Huang*, Lin Gu* & Zhanxi Fan*
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 63, e202402841 (2024). View
43. "Crystal phase engineering of ultrathin alloy nanostructures for highly efficient electroreduction of nitrate to ammonia"
Yunhao Wang #, Fengkun Hao #, Mingzi Sun #, Meng-Ting Liu #, Jingwen Zhou, Yuecheng Xiong, Chenliang Ye*, Xixi Wang, Fu Liu, Juan Wang, Pengyi Lu, Yangbo Ma, Jinwen Yin, Hsiao-Chien Chen, Qinghua Zhang, Lin Gu*, Hao Ming Chen*, Bolong Huang* & Zhanxi Fan*
Adv. Mater. 36, 2313548 (2024). View
42. "Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction: Ammonia Synthesis and the Beyond"
Yuecheng Xiong, Yunhao Wang, Jingwen Zhou, Fu Liu, Fengkun Hao & Zhanxi Fan*
Adv. Mater. 36, 2304021 (2024). View Special Issue for the 30th Anniversary of CityU
41. "Coordination environment engineering of metal centers in coordination polymers for selective carbon dioxide electroreduction toward multi-carbon products"
Juan Wang #, Mingzi Sun #, Hongming Xu #, Fengkun Hao, Qingbo Wa, Jingwen Zhou, Yunhao Wang, Jinli Yu, Penghui Zhang, Shengqi Chu*, Bolong Huang*, Minhua Shao* & Zhanxi Fan*
ACS Nano 18, 7192–7203 (2024). View
40. "Electronic Structure Design of Transition Metal-Based Catalysts for Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction"
Liang Guo, Jingwen Zhou, Fu Liu, Xiang Meng, Yangbo Ma, Fengkun Hao, Yuecheng Xiong & Zhanxi Fan*
ACS Nano 18, 9823–9851 (2024). View ACS Editors' Choice
39. "Steering the selectivity of carbon dioxide electroreduction from single-carbon to multi-carbon products on metal-organic frameworks via facet engineering"
Pengyi Lu #, Jia Lv #, Yu Chen #, Yangbo Ma, Yunhao Wang, Weichao Lyu, Jinli Yu, Jingwen Zhou, Jinwen Yin, Yuecheng Xiong, Guozhi Wang, Chongyi Ling*, Shibo Xi*, Daliang Zhang & Zhanxi Fan*
Nano Lett. 24, 1553–1562 (2024). View
38. "Atomic design of copper active sites in pristine metal-organic coordination compounds for electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction"
Juan Wang, Qingbo Wa, Qi Diao, Fu Liu, Fengkun Hao, Yuecheng Xiong, Yunhao Wang, Jingwen Zhou, Xiang Meng, Liang Guo & Zhanxi Fan*
Small Methods 2024, In revision. View
37. "Constructing molecule-metal relay catalysis over heterophase metallene for high-performance rechargeable zinc-nitrate/ethanol batteries"
Jingwen Zhou #, Yuecheng Xiong #, Mingzi Sun #, Zhihang Xu #, Yunhao Wang #, Pengyi Lu, Fu Liu, Fengkun Hao, Tianyi Feng, Yangbo Ma, Jinwen Yin, Chenliang Ye, Biao Chen, Shibo Xi*, Ye Zhu*, Bolong Huang* & Zhanxi Fan*
PNAS 120, e2311149120 (2023). View PDF CityU Research Stories Highlighted by Chinese Science Bulletin
36. "Atomic coordination environment engineering of bimetallic alloy nanostructures for efficient ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate"
Yunhao Wang #, Mingzi Sun #, Jingwen Zhou #, Yuecheng Xiong #, Qinghua Zhang, Chenliang Ye, Xixi Wang, Pengyi Lu, Tianyi Feng, Fengkun Hao, Fu Liu, Juan Wang, Yangbo Ma, Jinwen Yin, Shengqi Chu*, Lin Gu*, Bolong Huang* & Zhanxi Fan*
PNAS 120, e2306461120 (2023). View PDF CityU Research Stories CityU R&I
35. "Defect engineering of two-dimensional materials for advanced energy conversion and storage"
Fu Liu & Zhanxi Fan*
Chem. Soc. Rev. 52, 1723–1772 (2023). View
34. "Acidic conditions for efficient carbon dioxide electroreduction in flow and MEA cells"
Jinli Yu #, Juan Xiao #, Yangbo Ma, Jingwen Zhou, Pengyi Lu, Kun Wang, Yan Yan, Jie Zeng, Yi Wang*, Shuqin Song* & Zhanxi Fan*
Chem Catal. 3, 100670 (2023). View PDF
33. "Enhancing the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to multi-carbon products on copper nanosheet arrays via cation-catalyst interaction"
Jinli Yu #, Mingzi Sun #, Juan Wang #, Yunhao Wang #, Yang Li #, Pengyi Lu, Yangbo Ma, Jingwen Zhou, Wenze Chen, Xichen Zhou, Chun-Sing Lee, Bolong Huang* & Zhanxi Fan*
Cell Rep. Phys. Sci. 4, 101366 (2023). View
32. "Electronic structure modulation of unconventional phase metal nanomaterials for highly selective carbon dioxide electroreduction"
Juan Wang #, Haoyi Tan #, Hongming Xu #, Shibo Xi, Qingbo Wa, Yunhao Wang, Wei Xi*, Jingwen Zhou, Jinli Yu, Fengkun Hao, Yuecheng Xiong, Yangbo Ma, Guozhi Wang, Qi Liu, Guangcun Shan*, Minhua Shao* & Zhanxi Fan*
ACS Mater. Lett. 5, 3212–3221 (2023). View
31. "Simultaneous defect and size control of metal-organic framework nanostructures for highly efficient carbon dioxide electroreduction to multi-carbon products"
Juan Wang, Jinjin Liu, Yongqiao Song, Shubo Geng, Zehua Peng, Jinli Yu, Fu Liu, Yunhao Wang, Shibo Xi*, Zhenjie Zhang* & Zhanxi Fan*
ACS Mater. Lett. 5, 2121−2130 (2023). View
30. "Rational engineering of two-dimensional materials as advanced catalyst cathodes for high-performance metal-carbon dioxide batteries"
Fu Liu, Jingwen Zhou, Yunhao Wang, Yuecheng Xiong, Fengkun Hao, Yangbo Ma, Pengyi Lu, Juan Wang, Jinwen Yin, Guozhi Wang, Jinli Yu, Yan Yan, Zonglong Zhu, Jie Zeng & Zhanxi Fan*
Small Structures 4, 2300025 (2023). View
29. "Boosting the reaction kinetics in aprotic lithium-carbon dioxide batteries with unconventional phase metal nanomaterials"
Jingwen Zhou #, Tianshuai Wang #, Lin Chen #, Lingwen Liao #, Yunhao Wang, Shibo Xi, Bo Chen, Ting Lin, Qinghua Zhang, Chenliang Ye, Xichen Zhou, Zhiqiang Guan, Li Zhai, Zhen He, Gang Wang, Juan Wang, Jinli Yu, Yangbo Ma, Pengyi Lu, Yuecheng Xiong, Shiyao Lu, Ye Chen, Bin Wang, Chun-Sing Lee, Jianli Cheng*, Lin Gu*, Tianshou Zhao* & Zhanxi Fan*
PNAS 119, e2204666119 (2022). View PDF CityU Research Stories CityU R&I Suitong Science
28. "Interfacial electric field effect on electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction"
Jinli Yu, Jinwen Yin, Ruchun Li, Yangbo Ma & Zhanxi Fan*
Chem Catal. 2, 2229–2252 (2022). View PDF
27. "Electrochemical lithium extraction from aqueous sources"
Yuecheng Xiong #, Jingwen Zhou #, Pengyi Lu, Jinwen Yin, Yunhao Wang & Zhanxi Fan*
Matter 5, 1760–1791 (2022). View PDF
26. "Confined growth of silver-copper Janus nanostructures with {100} facets for highly selective tandem electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction"
Yangbo Ma #, Jinli Yu #, Mingzi Sun #, Bo Chen #, Xichen Zhou, Chenliang Ye, Zhiqiang Guan, Weihua Guo, Gang Wang, Shiyao Lu, Dongsheng Xia, Yunhao Wang, Zhen He, Long Zheng, Qinbai Yun, Liqiang Wang, Jingwen Zhou, Pengyi Lu, Jinwen Yin, Yifei Zhao, Zhongbin Luo, Li Zhai, Lingwen Liao, Zonglong Zhu, Ruquan Ye, Ye Chen, Yang Lu, Shibo Xi*, Bolong Huang*, Chun-Sing Lee & Zhanxi Fan*
Adv. Mater. 34, 2110607 (2022). View Rising Stars Series
25. "Preparation of Au@Pd core–shell nanorods with fcc-2H-fcc heterophase for highly efficient electrocatalytic alcohol oxidation"
Xichen Zhou #, Yangbo Ma #, Yiyao Ge #, Shangqian Zhu #, Yu Cui #, Bo Chen, Lingwen Liao, Qinbai Yun, Zhen He, Huiwu Long, Lujiang Li, Biao Huang, Qinxin Luo, Li Zhai, Xixi Wang, Licheng Bai, Gang Wang, Zhiqiang Guan, Ye Chen, Chun-Sing Lee, Jinlan Wang, Chongyi Ling*, Minhua Shao*, Zhanxi Fan* & Hua Zhang*
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144, 547–555 (2022). View
24. "Decreasing the overpotential of aprotic Li-CO2 batteries with the in-plane alloy structure in ultrathin two-dimensional Ru-based nanosheets"
Yunhao Wang #, Jingwen Zhou #, Chao Lin #, Bo Chen #, Zhiqiang Guan #, Amani Ebrahim, Guannan Qian, Chenliang Ye, Lin Chen, Yiyao Ge, Qinbai Yun, Xixi Wang, Xichen Zhou, Gang Wang, Kedi Li, Pengyi Lu, Yangbo Ma, Yuecheng Xiong, Tianshuai Wang, Long Zheng, Shengqi Chu, Ye Chen, Bin Wang, Chun-Sing Lee, Yijin Liu*, Qianfan Zhang* & Zhanxi Fan*
Adv. Funct. Mater. 32, 2202737 (2022). View
23. "Electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to high-value multi-carbon products with metal-organic frameworks
and their derived materials"
Juan Wang, Yimo Zhang, Yangbo Ma, Jinwen Yin, Yunhao Wang & Zhanxi Fan*
ACS Mater. Lett. 4, 2058−2079 (2022). View
22. "Surface Molecular Functionalization of Unusual Phase Metal Nanomaterials for Highly Efficient Electro- chemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction under Industry-Relevant Current Density"
Juan Wang #, Jinli Yu #, Mingzi Sun #, Lingwen Liao #, Qinghua Zhang, Li Zhai, Xichen Zhou, Lujiang Li, Gang Wang, Fanqi Meng, Dong Shen, Zijian Li, Haibo Bao, Yunhao Wang, Jingwen Zhou, Ye Chen, Wenxin Niu, Bolong Huang*, Lin Gu*, Chun-Sing Lee & Zhanxi Fan*
Small 18, 2106766 (2022). View Rising Stars Series
21. "Controlled synthesis of two-dimensional Prussian blue analog nanosheets with low coordinated water content for high-performance lithium storage"
Jinwen Yin #, Jingwen Zhou #, Yunhao Wang, Yangbo Ma, Xichen Zhou, Gang Wang, Yajie Yang, Pengyi Lu, Jinli Yu, Ye Chen, Ye Yuan, Chenliang Ye*, Shibo Xi* & Zhanxi Fan*
Small Methods 6, 2201107 (2022). View
20. "Surface modification of metal materials for high-performance electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction"
Yangbo Ma #, Juan Wang #, Jinli Yu, Jingwen Zhou, Xichen Zhou, Huangxu Li, Zhen He, Huiwu Long, Yunhao Wang, Pengyi Lu, Jinwen Yin, Hongyan Sun, Zhicheng Zhang & Zhanxi Fan*
Matter 4, 888–926 (2021). View PDF
19. "Recent progresses in electrochemical CO2 reduction on Cu-based catalysts towards multi-carbon products"
Jinli Yu #, Juan Wang #, Yangbo Ma #, Jingwen Zhou, Yunhao Wang, Pengyi Lu, Jinwen Yin, Ruquan Ye, Zonglong Zhu & Zhanxi Fan*
Adv. Funct. Mater. 31, 2102151 (2021). View Top Downloaded Article
18. "Recent advances in the controlled synthesis and catalytic applications of two-dimensional rhodium nanomaterials"
Jinwen Yin #, Juan Wang #, Yangbo Ma #, Jinli Yu, Jingwen Zhou & Zhanxi Fan*
ACS Mater. Lett. 3, 121−133 (2021). View
17. "Crystal phase control of gold nanomaterials by wet-chemical synthesis"
Shiyao Lu #, Jinzhe Liang #, Huiwu Long #, Huangxu Li, Xichen Zhou, Zhen He, Ye Chen, Hongyan Sun, Zhanxi Fan* & Hua Zhang*
Acc. Chem. Res. 53, 2106–2118 (2020). View
16. "Phase engineering of nanomaterials for clean energy and catalytic applications"
Huangxu Li #, Xichen Zhou #, Wei Zhai #, Shiyao Lu, Jinzhe Liang, Zhen He, Huiwu Long, Tengfei Xiong, Hongyan Sun, Qiyuan He*, Zhanxi Fan* & Hua Zhang*
Adv. Energy Mater. 10, 2002019 (2020). View
15. "Ethylene selectivity in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction on Cu nanomaterials: a crystal phase-dependent study"
Ye Chen #, Zhanxi Fan #, Jiong Wang #, Chongyi Ling #, Wenxin Niu, Zhiqi Huang, Guigao Liu, Bo Chen, Zhuangchai Lai, Xiaozhi Liu, Bing Li, Yun Zong, Lin Gu, Jinlan Wang*, Xin Wang* & Hua Zhang*
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 142, 12760–12766 (2020). View
14. "Heterophase fcc-2H-fcc gold nanorods"
Zhanxi Fan, Michel Bosman, Zhiqi Huang, Ye Chen, Chongyi Ling, Lin Wu, Yuriy A. Akimov, Robert Laskowski, Bo Chen, Peter Ercius, Jian Zhang, Xiaoying Qi, Min Hao Goh, Yiyao Ge, Zhicheng Zhang, Wenxin Niu, Jinlan Wang, Haimei Zheng* & Hua Zhang*
Nature Commun. 11, 3293 (2020). View Nature Spotlight
13. "Phase engineering of nanomaterials"
Ye Chen #, Zhuangchai Lai #, Xiao Zhang #, Zhanxi Fan #, Qiyuan He #, Chaoliang Tan & Hua Zhang*
Nature Rev. Chem. 4, 243–256 (2020). View (# Co-first Author)
12. "Facile synthesis of gold nanomaterials with unusual crystal structures"
Zhanxi Fan, Xiao Huang, Ye Chen, Wei Huang & Hua Zhang*
Nature Protoc. 12, 2367–2376 (2017). View
11. "High-yield synthesis of crystal-phase-heterostructured 4H/fcc Au@Pd core–shell nanorods for electrocatalytic
ethanol oxidation"
Ye Chen #, Zhanxi Fan #, Zhimin Luo #, Xiaozhi Liu, Zhuangchai Lai, Bing Li, Yun Zong, Lin Gu & Hua Zhang*
Adv. Mater. 29, 1701331 (2017). View (# Co-first Author)
10. "Epitaxial growth of unusual 4H hexagonal Ir, Rh, Os, Ru and Cu nanostructures on 4H Au nanoribbons"
Zhanxi Fan, Ye Chen, Yihan Zhu, Jie Wang, Bing Li, Yun Zong, Yu Han & Hua Zhang*
Chem. Sci. 8, 795–799 (2017). View
09. "Crystal phase-controlled synthesis, properties and applications of noble metal nanomaterials"
Zhanxi Fan & Hua Zhang*
Chem. Soc. Rev. 45, 63–82 (2016). View
08. "Template synthesis of noble metal nanocrystals with unusual crystal structures and their catalytic
applications"
Zhanxi Fan & Hua Zhang*
Acc. Chem. Res. 49, 2841–2850 (2016). View
07. "Synthesis of 4H/fcc noble multimetallic nanoribbons for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction"
Zhanxi Fan, Zhimin Luo, Xiao Huang, Bing Li, Ye Chen, Jie Wang, Yanling Hu & Hua Zhang*
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138, 1414–1419 (2016). View
06. "Synthesis of 4H/fcc-Au@M (M = Ir, Os, IrOs) core-shell nanoribbons for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution
reaction"
Zhanxi Fan, Zhimin Luo, Ye Chen, Jie Wang, Bing Li, Yun Zong & Hua Zhang*
Small 12, 3908–3913 (2016). View
05. "Stabilization of 4H hexagonal phase in gold nanoribbons"
Zhanxi Fan, Michel Bosman, Xiao Huang, Ding Huang, Yi Yu, Khuong P Ong, Yuriy A Akimov, Lin Wu, Bing Li, Jumiati Wu, Ying Huang, Qing Liu, Ching Eng Png, Chee Lip Gan, Peidong Yang* & Hua Zhang*
Nature Commun. 6, 7684 (2015). View
04. "Surface modification-induced phase transformation of hexagonal close-packed gold square sheets"
Zhanxi Fan, Xiao Huang, Yu Han, Michel Bosman, Qingxiao Wang, Yihan Zhu, Qing Liu, Bing Li, Zhiyuan Zeng, Jumiati Wu, Wenxiong Shi, Shuzhou Li, Chee Lip Gan & Hua Zhang*
Nature Commun. 6, 6571 (2015). View
03. "Synthesis of 4H/fcc-Au@metal sulfide core–shell nanoribbons"
Zhanxi Fan, Xiao Zhang, Jian Yang, Xue-Jun Wu, Zhengdong Liu, Wei Huang & Hua Zhang*
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 137, 10910–10913 (2015). View
02. "Synthesis of ultrathin face-centered-cubic Au@Pt and Au@Pd core–shell nanoplates from hexagonal close-
packed Au square sheets"
Zhanxi Fan, Yihan Zhu, Xiao Huang, Yu Han, Qingxiao Wang, Qing Liu, Ying Huang, Chee Lip Gan & Hua Zhang*
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 54, 5672–5676 (2015). View
01. "Thin metal nanostructures: synthesis, properties and applications"
Zhanxi Fan, Xiao Huang, Chaoliang Tan & Hua Zhang*
Chem. Sci. 6, 95–111 (2015). View