Department of Chemistry

 
 
 
 
Portrait_Alt
Prof. FAN Zhanxi
范戰西教授
PhD (Nanyang Technological University)

Associate Professor

Contact Information
Office: YEUNG-P5307
Phone: +852 3442-7817
Fax: +852 3442-0522
Email: zhanxi.fan@cityu.edu.hk
Web: Group Website
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3133-6503
Scopus: 56007892600
Research Interests
  • Materials chemistry
  • Nanoscience
  • Metal and metal-based nanomaterials
  • Crystal phase control
  • Catalysis
  • Energy conversion

Prof. Zhanxi FAN received his B.S. degree (2010) in Chemistry from Jilin University (China). Then he completed his Ph.D. (2015) in Materials Chemistry from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). Afterwards, he spent a few years as Project Officer/Research Fellow/Postdoc Fellow in Nanyang Technological University and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA). In November 2019, he joined City University of Hong Kong as an Assistant Professor, and was later promoted to Associate Professor (Tenured) in July 2024. His research interest lies in the fields of materials chemistry, nanoscience, catalysis, and energy conversion. Currently, he mainly focuses on the controlled synthesis of novel low-dimensional metal-based nanomaterials and their potential applications in catalysis, clean energy, environmental remediation, etc. Until 20-Apr-2026, he has published 146 SCI papers with a total citation of over 23900 and H-index of 72, including 72 corresponding/first-authored papers in Nature Water, Nature Rev. Chem., Nature Protoc., PNAS (3), Nature Commun. (5), Chem. Soc. Rev. (2), Acc. Chem. Res. (2), J. Am. Chem. Soc. (5), Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (5), Adv. Mater. (9), CCS Chem., Matter (2), Environ. Sci. Technol., etc. Based on these works, he has been awarded the highly prestigious “Collaborative Research Fund” (YCRG, HKD 4800000) from Research Grants Council (RGC) as Project Coordinator, and also rated/honored as “Highly Cited Researcher” (for 7 years) by Web of Science, “IAAM Fellow” by The International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM), “Top 2% of the World’s Most Cited Scholar” (for 6 years) by Stanford University, “Rising Star” by both Advanced Materials and Small, “Vebleo Fellow” by Vebleo, and “Emerging Investigator” by J. Mater. Chem. A. Meanwhile, he is also a recipient of multiple awards including the “Young Scientist Award” from European Materials Research Society (E-MRS), “MSE Doctorate Research Excellence Award” from Nanyang Technological University, and “Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad” from China Scholarship Council (CSC). Besides, Prof. FAN also serves as an Associate Editor for Carbon Energy (IF: 24.2) and Microstructures (IF: 9.0), as well as a reviewer for 60+ top-tier SCI journals, including PNAS, Nature Catal., Nature Energy, Nature Synth., Nature Water, Nature Sustain., Nature Commun., Science Adv., Chem. Rev., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., Adv. Mater., Natl. Sci. Rev., Matter, and so on.


Postdoc Opportunities:
We now have 1-2 postdoc positions available in the research directions of electrosynthesis, electrocatalysis, or metal nanomaterials synthesis. If you are interested in it, you can send your CV and representative publications to Prof. FAN ( E-mail: zhanxi.fan@cityu.edu.hk ), and mark the email theme with “Postdoc Application-Your Name”.

Selected Publications

(* Corresponding Author, # Co-first Author)

(Full publication list is available here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=GpKEA6wAAAAJ&hl=zh-TW )

  • Fu Liu, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Unconventional phase high-entropy nanoalloys with modulated electronic structure for efficient low-concentration nitrate electroreduction to ammonia, Nature Water 2026, In press.
  • Jinwen Yin, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Unconventional hexagonal open Prussian blue analog structures, Nature Commun. 16, 370 (2025).
  • Yangbo Ma, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Unconventional phase metal heteronanostructures with tunable exposed interface for efficient tandem nitrate electroreduction to ammonia, Nature Commun. 16, 7632 (2025).
  • Yunhao Wang, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Atomic coordination environment engineering of bimetallic alloy nanostructures for efficient ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate, PNAS 120, e2306461120 (2023).
  • Jingwen Zhou, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Constructing molecule-metal relay catalysis over heterophase metallene for high-performance rechargeable zinc-nitrate/ethanol batteries, PNAS 120, e2311149120 (2023).
  • Jingwen Zhou, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Boosting the reaction kinetics in aprotic lithium-carbon dioxide batteries with unconventional phase metal nanomaterials, PNAS 119, e2204666119 (2022).
  • Fu Liu & Zhanxi Fan*, Defect engineering of two-dimensional materials for advanced energy conversion and storage, Chem. Soc. Rev. 52, 1723-1772 (2023).
  • Jingwen Zhou, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Modulating nitrate reduction pathway on unconventional phase ultrathin nanoalloys for selective ammonia electrosynthesis, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 147, 23226-23238 (2025).
  • Yunhao Wang, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Interfacial Water Structure Modulation on Unconventional Phase Non-Precious Metal Alloy Nanostructures for Efficient Nitrate Electroreduction to Ammonia in Neutral Media, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 64, e202508617 (2025).
  • Fu Liu, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Enhanced p-d Orbital Coupling in Unconventional Phase RhSb Alloy Nanoflowers for Efficient Ammonia Electrosynthesis in Neutral Media, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 64, e202504641 (2025).
  • Jingwen Zhou, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Theory-Guided Design of Unconventional Phase Metal Heteronanostructures for Higher-Rate Stable Li-CO2 and Li-Air Batteries, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 64, e202402841 (2025).
  • Yunhao Wang, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Controlled synthesis of unconventional phase alloy nanobranches for highly selective electrocatalytic nitrite reduction to ammonia, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 63, e202402841 (2024).
  • Xiang Meng, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Heterophase fcc‐hcp‐fcc High‐Entropy Alloy Nanomaterials with Tailored Electron Divergence for Selective Ammonia Electrosynthesis, Adv. Mater. 38, e21096 (2026).
  • Juan Wang, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Boosting seawater desalination by ampere-level nitrate electroreduction on defect-rich ultrathin alloy nanostructures, Adv. Mater. 38, e73146 (2026).
  • Xuebiao Ji, …, Zhanxi Fan*, et al., Multiply Nano-Twinned Copper as a “Dual-site Cooperative” Catalyst for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia, Adv. Mater. 38, e16937 (2026).
  • Yangbo Ma, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Site-selective growth of fcc-2H-fcc copper on unconventional phase metal nanomaterials for highly efficient tandem CO2 electroreduction, Adv. Mater. 36, 2402979 (2024).
  • Yunhao Wang, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Crystal phase engineering of ultrathin alloy nanostructures for highly efficient electroreduction of nitrate to ammonia, Adv. Mater. 36, 2313548 (2024).
  • Yuecheng Xiong, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Regulating the Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction Performance with Controllable Distribution of Unconventional Phase Copper on Alloy Nanostructures, Adv. Mater. 36, 2407889 (2024).
  • Yuecheng Xiong, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Electrochemical nitrate reduction: ammonia synthesis and the beyond, Adv. Mater. 36, 202304021 (2024).
  • Yangbo Ma, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Confined growth of silver-copper Janus nanostructures with {100} facets for highly selective tandem electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction, Adv. Mater. 34, 2110607 (2022). (Rising Stars series)
  • Xichen Zhou, et al., Zhanxi Fan* & Hua Zhang*, Preparation of Au@Pd core-shell nanorods with fcc-2H-fcc heterophase for highly efficient electrocatalytic alcohol oxidation, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144, 547-555 (2022).
  • Shiyao Lu, et al., Zhanxi Fan* & Hua Zhang*, Crystal phase control of gold nanomaterials by wet-chemical synthesis, Acc. Chem. Res. 53, 2106-2118 (2020).
  • Mingzheng Shao, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Electroreductive valorization of biomass derived aromatic compounds with metal nanomaterials, CCS Chem. 7, 2233-2254 (2025).
  • Yuecheng Xiong, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Electrochemical lithium extraction from aqueous sources, Matter 5, 1760-1791 (2022).
  • Yangbo Ma, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Surface modification of metal materials for high-performance electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction, Matter 4, 888-926 (2021).
  • Yuecheng Xiong, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Metal doped unconventional phase irni nanobranches: tunable electrochemical nitrate reduction performance and pollutants upcycling, Environ. Sci. Technol. 58, 10863-10873 (2024).
  • Jinli Yu, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Enhancing the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to multi-carbon products on copper nanosheet arrays via cation-catalyst interaction, Cell Rep. Phys. Sci. 4, 101366 (2023).
  • Jinli Yu, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Acidic conditions for efficient carbon dioxide electroreduction in flow and MEA cells, Chem Catal. 3, 100670 (2023).
  • Jinli Yu, et al., Zhanxi Fan*, Interfacial electric field effect on electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction, Chem Catal. 2, 2229-2252 (2022).
  • Zhanxi Fan, et al., Haimei Zheng* & Hua Zhang*, Heterophase fcc-2H-fcc gold nanorods, Nature Commun. 11, 3293 (2020).
  • Ye Chen #, Zhanxi Fan #, et al., Hua Zhang*, Ethylene selectivity in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction on Cu nanomaterials: a crystal phase-dependent study, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 142, 12760-12766 (2020).
  • Ye Chen #, Zhuangchai Lai #, Xiao Zhang #, Zhanxi Fan #, Qiyuan He #, Chaoliang Tan & Hua Zhang*, Phase engineering of nanomaterials, Nature Rev. Chem. 4, 243-256 (2020).
  • Zhanxi Fan, et al., Hua Zhang*, Facile synthesis of gold nanomaterials with unusual crystal structures, Nature Protoc. 12, 2367-2378 (2017).
  • Zhanxi Fan, et al., Peidong Yang* & Hua Zhang*, Stabilization of 4H hexagonal phase in gold nanoribbons, Nature Commun. 6, 7684 (2015).
  • Zhanxi Fan, et al., Hua Zhang*, Surface modification-induced phase transformation of hexagonal close-packed gold square sheets, Nature Commun. 6, 6571 (2015).
  • Zhanxi Fan & Hua Zhang*, Crystal phase-controlled synthesis, properties and applications of noble metal nanomaterials, Chem. Soc. Rev. 45, 63-82 (2016).
  • Zhanxi Fan & Hua Zhang*, Template synthesis of noble metal nanocrystals with unusual crystal structures and their catalytic applications, Acc. Chem. Res. 49, 2841-2850 (2016).
  • Zhanxi Fan, et al., Hua Zhang*, Synthesis of 4H/fcc noble multimetallic nanoribbons for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138, 1414-1419 (2016).
  • Zhanxi Fan, et al., Hua Zhang*, Synthesis of 4H/fcc-Au@metal sulfide core-shell nanoribbons, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 137, 10910-10913 (2015).
  • Ye Chen #, Zhanxi Fan #, Zhimin Luo #, et al., Hua Zhang*, High-yield synthesis of crystal-phase-heterostructured 4H/fcc Au@Pd core-shell nanorods for electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation, Adv. Mater. 29, 1701331 (2017).
  • Zhanxi Fan, et al., Hua Zhang*, Synthesis of ultrathin face-centered-cubic Au@Pt and Au@Pd core-shell nanoplates from hexagonal close-packed Au square sheets, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 54, 5672-5676 (2015).

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