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Faculty

Cheng Zhang Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Chemistry

B.S., China University of Petroleum (East China)M.S., Sun Yat-sen UniversityM.S., Ph.D., Hunter College of the City University of New York

Description

Dr. Cheng Zhang, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics at Long Island University – Post. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Hunter College of the City University of New York in 2005. She then worked in industry (Scientific Design, Celanese and Headwaters) as a senior chemist and project leader for more than 10 years before joining LIU Post in Fall 2015. In her 10+ year industrial career, she was an inventor /co-inventor on 35 US, WO, EP, KR and CN patents. One of her projects, on direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide, won the 2007 national Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, and a project on carbon nanospheres, that she initiated and led, received three million dollars in funding from Sumitomo, a major Japanese company and became a joint venture for commercial development. Dr. Zhang was a recipient of National Science Foundation (NSF), American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS-PRF), and Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) sponsored by Department of Energy (DOE). She has more than 30 papers published in peer-reviewed journals, and more than 50 presentations at national and international conferences. She also serves as a reviewer for many prestigious journals. 

Dr. Zhang’s current research focuses on catalyst design and synthesis for converting greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane to value-added chemicals and fuels. Dr. Zhang is also exploring other research areas in material science and renewable energy. Each year, Dr. Zhang has 5-10 undergraduate students working in her research lab. They bring diverse backgrounds with majors in music, forensic science, math, physics, chemistry, nutrition, nursing, management, biology and radioactive imaging. Students in Dr. Zhang’s research group actively involved in the summer intern program at BNL and presented their research results in the campus-wide research showcase “Poster and Beyond,” regional Undergraduate Research Symposia, and national American Chemical Society meetings. Two of her undergraduate students were recipients of the National Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry sponsored by the ACS in 2017.

Specialties

Quantitative analytical chemistry, catalysis, analytical/instrumental methodologies development, material science, and renewable energy


Publications



Lectures and Presentations

Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals (since 2015)

  1. Bitters J.D., He T., Nestler E., Senanayake S.D., Chen J.G., Zhang C. Utilizing bimetallic catalysts to mitigate coke formation in dry reforming of methane. Journal of Energy Chemistry 2022, 68, 124-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2021.11.041
  2. Weber D., He T.. Wong M., Moon C., Zhang A., Foley N., Ramer N.J., Zhang C. Recent advances in the mitigation of the catalyst deactivation of CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins. Catalysts 2021, 11, 1447. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11121447
  3. Zhang C., Gao Q.S., Jiao L.Y., Bogen L., Forte N. and Nestler E., Hollow Graphitic Carbon Nanospheres Synthesized by Rapid Pyrolytic Carbonization, ournal of Nano Research, J. Nano. Res. 2021, 68, 1-16, doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/JNanoR.68.1
  4. Ramineni K., Liu K.R., Zhang C., Chen X.K., Hou G.J., Gao P., Balaga R., Marri M.R., Yan P.F., Guan X., Xia Z., Janik M.J. and Zhang Z.C., Synchronized C−H Activations at Proximate Dinuclear Pd2+ Sites on Silicotungstate for Oxidative C−C Coupling, ACS Catal. 2021, 11, 3455−3465.
  5. Vovchok D., Zhang C., Hwang S., Jiao L.Y., Zhang F., Liu Z.Y., Senanayake S.D. and Rodriguez J.A., Deciphering Dynamic Structural and Mechanistic Complexity in Cu/CeO2/ZSM‑5 Catalysts for the Reverse Water-Gas Shift Reaction, ACS Catal. 2020, 10, 10216−10228.
  6. Zhang C., Triger D., and Ramer N., Activity coefficients at infinite dilution of organic solutes in the ionic liquid 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium Hexafluorophosphate using gas-liquid chromatography, J. Chem. Thermodyn., 2020, 140, 105867, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jct.2019.07.009
  7. Zhang C., Zhang Z.C., Essential Quality Attributes of Tangible Bio-oils from Catalytic Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass, Chem. Rec., 2019, 19, 1-15, DOI: 10.1002/tcr.201900001.
  8. Wang J.J., Chang K., Sun Z.Y., Lee J.H., Tackett B., Zhang C., Chen J.G., Liu C.J., A Combined experimental and theoretical study of the accelerated all-pH hydrogen evolution kinetics on metal-doped porous tungsten phosphide electrocatalysts, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2019, 251, 162-167, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2019.03.065.
  9. Naghadeh S.B., Luo B., Abdelmageed G., Ying-Chih Pu Y.C., Zhang C., Zhang J.Z., Photophysical Properties and Improved Stability of Organic-Inorganic Perovskite by Surface Passivation, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2018, 122, 15799−15818, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b03681.

10.  Zhang C., Determination of activity coefficients at infinite dilution of organic solutes in the ionic liquid 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium nonafluoro-1-butanesulfonate using gas-liquid chromatography, J. Chem. Eng. Data, 2018, 63, 2056-2064, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jced.8b00080.

11.  Yang Y.W.; Zhang C.; Zhang Z.C., Advances in catalytic transformations of carbohydrates and lignin in ionic liquids and mechanistic studies, WIREs Energy Environ. 2018, 7 (3), e284, DOI: 10.1002/wene.284

12.  Zhao B.H, Yan B.H., Yao S.Y., Wu Q.Y., Ran R., Weng D., Zhang C., Chen J.G., LaFe0.9Ni0.1O3 perovskite catalyst with enhanced activity and coke-resistance for dry reforming of ethane, J. Catal., 2018, 358,168-178.

13.  Zhang C., Gao Q. S., Zhou B., Bhargava G., Preparation, characterization and surface conductivity of nanocomposites with hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres as fillers in polymethylmethacrylate matrix; J. Nanopart Res., 2017, 19, 269, DOI 10.1007/s11051-017-3976-6.

14.  Gao Q.H., Zhang C., Constructing cancellable template with synthetic minutiae, IET Biometrics, 2017, 6, 448-456.

15.  Gao Q.H., Zhang C, Rolled versus Plain Fingerprints: Matching with Cryptographic One-way Hashes, 2017 IEEE Long Island Systems, Applications, and Technology (LISAT) Conference (awarded the best paper in the rank of system).

16.  Zhang C., Gao Q. H.; Parasher S., Yates D., D-Glucose mitigates the agglomeration of the hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres; J. Mater. Sci., 2017, 52, 5968-5980

Patents (since 2015)
  1. First inventor, “Catalysts and processes for producing butanol,” US Patent 9,024,090, 2015.
  2. First inventor, “Catalysts and processes for producing butanol,” US Patent 8,962,897, 2015.

 

Selected Presentations in Peer-Reviewed Conferences

  1. Zhang C., "CO2 Hydrogenation to Light Olefins over Carbon Nanosphere (CNS) Encapsulated Metal Core-Shell Catalysts," paper #25399, 17th International Congress On Catalysis (ICC), June 2020, San Diego, CA.
  2. Zhang C., “Carbon dioxide conversion to light olefins over a carbon nanosphere encapsulated iron-cobalt catalyst,” Division of Catalysis Science and Technology (CATL), CATL 461, 259th ACS National Meeting, March 2020.
  3. Zhang C., “Carbon dioxide reduction by methane through dry reforming reaction,” Division of Catalysis Science and Technology (CATL), CATL 552, 255th ACS National Meeting, March 2018, New Orleans, LA.
  4. Zhang C., “A palladium-based catalyst in the selective oxidation of cyclohexane by aqueous hydrogen peroxide,” CATL 353, poster presentation, 255th ACS National Meeting, March 2018, New Orleans, LA.

5.      Zhang C., “Studying the roles of transition metals on converting methane to value-added methanol,” CATL 285, 254th ACS National Meeting, August 2017, Washington, DC.

6.       Zhang C., “Mitigates the agglomeration of the hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres,” Division of Energy and Fuels, ENFL 43, 254th ACS National Meeting, August 2017, Washington, DC.

7.       Zhang C., “Tune the catalysts for direct synthesis of H2O2 form H2 and O2,” No. 16430, 25th North American Catalysis Society, June 2017, Denver, CO.

8.       Zhang C., “Direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen over a palladium-based bimetallic heterogeneous catalyst,” CATL 636 (oral presentation), 253rd ACS National Meeting, April 2017, San Francisco, CA.

9.       Zhang C., “An efficient way to produce hydrogen peroxide over a palladium-based bimetallic heterogeneous catalyst,” CATL 320, 252nd ACS National Meeting, August 2016, Philadelphia, PA.

10.   Zhang C., “Carbon nanosphere synthesis from catalytic templating nanoparticles,” No. 1858, 16th International Congress on Catalysis, July 2016, Beijing, China.

11.   Zhang C., “Direct conversion of methane to methanol by a controlled oxidation process at low temperature,” CATL 239, 251st ACS National Meeting, March 2016, San Diego, CA.

12.   Zhang C., “Hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres: application and properties,” Division of Inorganic Chemistry, INOR 292, 251st ACS National Meeting, March 2016, San Diego, CA.

Student National Conference Poster Presentations (#undergraduate students, Hhigh school students)

  1. Sasson J.#, Weber D.# and Zhang C., Addition of other metals (Cu, Co, Fe) to the SiC supported Bi-POM heterogeneous catalyst toward direct methane oxidation to methanol at low temperature, Technical Division: CATL, Paper ID: 3558824, 261st ACS spring 2021 live poster event on April 2021.
  2. Jiao L.#, Forte N.#, Nestler E.#, Weber D.#, Zhang C., Investigate roles of bismuth, polyoxometalates and silicon carbide in the SiC supported bi-POM heterogeneous catalyst toward direct methane oxidation to methanol at low temperature, Technical Division: CATL, Paper ID: 3558762, 261st ACS spring 2021 live poster event on April 2021.
  3. Nestler E.#, Vovchok D., Sananayake S., and Zhang C., Catalytic CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins over carbon nanosphere encapsulated Fe core-shell catalysts, Technical Division: CATL, Paper ID: 3557558, 261st ACS spring 2021 live poster event on April 2021.
  4. Christian M.#, Jiao L.#, and Zhang C., Direct methane oxidation to methanol at low temperature over bismuth-polyoxometalates on silicon carbid, Technical Division: CATL, Paper ID: 3558627, 261st ACS spring 2021 live poster event on April 2021.
  5. Forte N.# and Zhang C., Effect of bimetallic heterogeneous catalysts for carbon dioxide hydrogenation to light olefins, Technical Division: CATL, Paper ID: 3538330, 261st ACS spring 2021 live poster event on April 2021.
  6. Forte N.# and Zhang C., Carbon dioxide conversion to light olefins over a carbon nanosphere encapsulated iron catalyst, Technical Division: CATL 364, 259th ACS spring 2020, live poster event on April 2020.
  7. Christian M.#, and Zhang C., Catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide via hydrogenation to light olefins over a carbon nanosphere encapsulated cobalt catalyst, Technical Division: CATL 365, 259th ACS spring 2020 live poster event on April 2020.
  8. Skoumbakis D.# and Zhang C., Carbon dioxide conversion to light olefins over a physically mixed CeO2 and cobalt carbide catalyst, CATL 367, 259th ACS spring 2020 live poster event on April 2020.
  9. Leichnam A.#, Ma Y.J.H, Jiao L.Y.#, Zhang C. and Senanayake D.S., Catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide via hydrogenation to light olefins over Fe and Co supported core-shell catalysts, Poster presentation at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, August 2019.

10.  Triger D.#, ArbitalJacoby A.H, Jiao L.Y.#, Bogen L.#, Zhang C. and Senanayake D.S., Conversion of carbon dioxide via hydrogenation to light olefins over CeO2 supported Fe-Co catalysts, Poster presentation at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, August 2019.

11.  Wang P.Q.#, Morley E.H, Bogen L.#, Zhang C. and Senanayake D.S., Direct catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to value-added light olefins by the physical mixture of Pt-Pd-Fe2O3 and TiO2, Poster presentation at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, August 2019.

12.  Zhang C., Rosario A.#, Triger D.# and Senanayake D.S., Catalytic Conversion of CO2 to Light Olefins over Pd-Pt-Fe2O3, 26th North American Catalysis Society, Jun 23-28, 2019, Chicago, IL.

13.  Triger D.# and Zhang C., Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Dioxide via Hydrogenation to Light Olefins over Fe2O3 Supported Cu-Co Catalysts, CATL 408, 257th ACS National Meeting, March 2019, Orlando, FL.

14.  Leichnam A.# and Zhang C., Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Dioxide via Hydrogenation to Light Olefins over Fe2O3 supported Pd-Co Catalysts, CATL 400, 257th ACS National Meeting, March 2019, Orlando, FL.

15.  Zhao Q.# and Zhang C., Development of a novel Pd based heterogeneous catalyst for catalytic reduction of CO2 by H2, CATL 304, 256th ACS National Meeting, August 2018, Boston, MA.

16.  Salzano A.# and Zhang C., Catalytic reduction of CO2 by H2 to value-added products over novel Pd-Pt based heterogeneous catalysts, CATL 305, 256th ACS National Meeting, August 2018, Boston, MA.

17.  Rosario A.#, Zhang C., Senanayake S., Catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide into value-added chemical products, Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), Nov 2018, Minneapolis, ID.

18.  Zhao Q.# and Zhang C., Development of a novel Pd based heterogeneous catalyst for catalytic reduction of CO2 by H2, CATL 304, 256th ACS National Meeting, August 2018, Boston, MA.

19.  Reid T.# and Zhang C., Converting carbon dioxide to value-added products over a novel palladium-based catalyst supported on iron oxide, CATL 308, 256th ACS National Meeting, August 2018, Boston, MA.

20.  Mohtarami M.# and Zhang C., Development of a novel Ni-polyoxometalate based heterogeneous catalyst for carbon dioxide conversion to value-added products, CATL 309, 256th ACS National Meeting, August 2018, Boston, MA.

21.  Tripoli A.# and Zhang C., Development of a novel Ni-polyoxometalate based heterogeneous catalyst for carbon dioxide conversion to value-added products, CATL 306, 256th ACS National Meeting, August 2018, Boston, MA.

22.  Velasquez C.# and Zhang C., A novel Co-Ni based heterogeneous catalyst for catalytic reduction of CO2 by H2 to to value-added products, CATL 307, 256th ACS National Meeting, August 2018, Boston, MA.

23.  Tripoli A.#, Zhang C., “CO2 reduction through dry reforming reaction with methane over supported Fe-Ni bimetallic and Fe-Ni-Mo tri-metallic heterogeneous catalysts,” CATL 287, 254th ACS National Meeting, August 2017, Washington, DC.

24.  Jiao L.Y.#, Zhang C., “CO2 reduction through dry reforming reaction with methane over supported Cu-Ni bimetallic and Cu-Ni-Pd trimetallic heterogeneous catalysts,” CATL 307, 254th ACS National Meeting, August 2017, Washington, DC.

25.   Bamonte S.#, Zhang C., “Dry reforming of CO2 with methane over supported CoNi bimetallic and CoNiPd trimetallic catalysts,” CATL 308, 254th ACS National Meeting, August 2017, Washington, DC.

26.   Mirabelli S.#, Zhang C., “CO2 reduction through dry reforming reaction with methane over supported Ni-Pd bimetallic and Ni-Mo-Pd trimetallic heterogeneous catalysts,” CATL 309, 254th ACS National Meeting, August 2017, Washington, DC.

27.   Gao Y.#, Bamonte S.#, Tripoli A.#, Mirabelli S.#, and Zhang C., CO2 Hydrogenation to Value-added Chemicals over a Novel Pd-based Heterogeneous Catalysts, No. 15495, 25th North American Catalysis Society, Jun 2017, Denver.

28.  Gao Y.#, Zhang C., “Methane conversion over a novel Mo-based heterogeneous catalyst,”  CATL 196, 252nd ACS National Meeting, August 2016, Philadelphia, PA.

29.  Mirabelli S.#, Zhang C., “CO2 conversion on a novel Pd-based heterogeneous catalyst,” CATL 212, 252nd ACS National Meeting, August 2016, Philadelphia, PA.

30.  Bamonte S.#, Zhang C., “CO2 Conversion over a novel Fe-based heterogeneous catalyst,” CATL 215, 252nd ACS National Meeting, August 2016, Philadelphia, PA.

31.  Gao Y.#, Zhang C., “CO2 conversion over a novel Cu-Zn based heterogeneous catalyst,” CATL 218, 252nd ACS National Meeting, August 2016, Philadelphia, PA.

32.  Jiao L.Y.#, Zhang C., “CO2 Conversion over a novel Co-based heterogeneous catalyst,” CATL 220, 252nd ACS National Meeting, August 2016, Philadelphia, PA.

33.  Gordon A.#, Zhang C., “Methane conversion to value-added chemicals over an innovative silver-based heterogeneous catalyst,” CATL 240, 252nd ACS National Meeting, August 2016, Philadelphia, PA.

 

 

Honors/Awards

Honors/Awards

  • Recipient, Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) at Brookhaven National Lab for the summer of 2018-2020
  • Recipient, Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award on hydrogen peroxide process
  • Recipient, Gertrude Elion Award (in honor of the Nobel Prize laureate), for outstanding graduate student research at Hunter College of the City University of New York
  • Recipient, Rose K. Rose Dissertation Award, awarded to one student in the Chemistry Ph.D. program at the City University of New York for outstanding academic performance and research
  • Recipient, Excellence in Teaching Award, awarded to the outstanding teaching assistant, Hunter College of the City University of New York
  • First Prize Recipient, Toastmaster International Inspirational Speech Contest (Texas CLK P area)
  • Second Prize Recipient, Toastmaster Humorous Speech Contest (Texas CLK P area)


Professional Affiliations
  •  Member, American Chemical Society
  •  Member, North American Catalysis Society
  •  Member, Catalysis Society of Metropolitan NY