Nanoscale interfaces · Ion transport · Electrochemistry

Chemistry&Physics at the edge of Nanoconfinement

I am Zhijia Zhang, a PhD student in condensed matter physics at The University of Manchester, working on nanofluidics, two-dimensional materials, and interfacial electrochemistry.

My research combines van der Waals device fabrication, ionic transport measurements, and electrochemical processes to understand how Nanoconfinement reshape ion transport and chemical reactions.

Recent News
  • Our new work is accepted by Science Advances！ Exploring a route to mechanosensitivity in nanofluidic systems without structural deformation. Many thanks to all collaborators for making this happen.
  • I got the Best Poster Nomination in MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit. Thanks Rick and Morty!
  • Our new preprint introduces a fast and scalable method for fabricating ultraclean van der Waals nanochannels within hours using the Mask & Stack approach. Huge thanks to the whole team, and exciting to see this technique opening new possibilities for 2D nanofluidics society.
Research image of nanofluidic device or ion transport

Research directions

I focus on transport phenomena emerging from extreme confinement, clean two-dimensional interfaces, and coupled mechanical–electrochemical environments.

2D nanochannels

2D Nanochannels

Studying ion transport, surface-charge effects, and electrolyte behavior in angstrom- to nanometre-scale slits.

van der Waals fabrication

van der Waals Fabrication

Clean assembly of 2D heterostructures and nanofluidic devices

Interfacial electrochemistry

Interfacial Electrochemistry

Exploring charge regulation, electrode effects, metal growth, and confined electrochemical reactions at nanoscale interfaces.

Energy Harvesting and Storage

Energy Harvesting and Storage

Osmotic energy conversion and Secondary battery systems

Selected publications

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  1. 1.

    Rapid fabrication of clean van der Waals nanochannels using Mask and Stack method

    Zhijia Zhang, Mohsen Moazzami Gudarzi, Jiatong Mao, Ziwei Wang, Zakhar Bedran, Chuhongxu Chen, Milad Nonahal, Ivan Timokhin, Artem Mishchenko, Qian Yang*

    Nature Communications, under review

  2. 2.

    Architecting mechanosensitive nanofluidic transport in graphite nanoslits

    Mathieu Lizee, Zhijia Zhang (co-first author), Baptiste Coquinot, Qian Yang, Lyderic Bocquet*

    Science Advances, accepted

  3. 3.

    Silver Electrodeposition from Ag/AgCl Electrodes: Implications for Nanoscience

    Chuhongxu Chen, Ziwei Wang, Guilin Chen, Zhijia Zhang, Zakhar Bedran, Stephen Tipper, Pablo Diaz-Núñez, Ivan Timokhin, Artem Mishchenko*, Qian Yang*

    Nano Letters, 2025, 25, 9427–9432

  4. 4.

    External-pressure–electrochemistry coupling in solid-state lithium metal batteries

    Xia Hu, Zhijia Zhang (co-first author), Xiang Zhang, Yao Wang, Xu Yang, Xia Wang, Miryam Fayena-Greenstein, Hadas Alon Yehezkel, Steven Langford, Dong Zhou, Baohua Li*, Guoxiu Wang*, Doron Aurbach*

    Nature Reviews Materials, 2024, 9, 305–320

  5. 5.

    Polyolefin-Based Separator with Interfacial Chemistry Regulation for Robust Potassium Metal Batteries

    Long Tu, Zhijia Zhang (co-first author), Zelin Zhao, Xinyuan Xiang, Bohua Deng, Dan Liu, Deyu Qu, Haolin Tang, Junsheng Li*, Jinping Liu*

    Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2023, 62, e2023063

  6. 6.

    Vacancy Engineering for High-Efficiency Nanofluidic Osmotic Energy Generation

    Javad Safaei, Yifu Gao, Mostafa Hosseinpour, Xiuyun Zhang, Yi Sun, Xiao Tang, Zhijia Zhang, Shijian Wang, Xin Guo, Yao Wang, Zhen Chen, Dong Zhou*, Feiyu Kang*, Lei Jiang*, Guoxiu Wang*

    Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2023, 145, 2669–2678

  7. 7.

    Biomimetic Dendrite-Free Multivalent Metal Batteries

    Zhijia Zhang, Xu Yang, Peng Li, Yao Wang, Xin Zhao, Javad Safaei, Hao Tian, Dong Zhou*, Baohua Li*, Feiyu Kang*, Guoxiu Wang*

    Advanced Materials, 2022, 34, 2206970

  8. 8.

    Cellulose-based material in lithium-sulfur batteries: A Review

    Zhijia Zhang, Zhihuang Fang, Yinyu Xiang, Dan Liu, Zhizhong Xie, Deyu Qu, Meiling Sun*, Haolin Tang*, Junsheng Li*

    Carbohydrate Polymers, 2021, 255, 117469

Gallery

Research images, device snapshots, and a few moments outside the lab. Serious science, but not every pixel needs to wear a lab coat.

MRS conference in Boston

2025.11

Visiting MIT lab

2025.11

First time meeting Professor Lydéric at the Nanofluidics Conference in Switzerland

2024.1

Christmas dinner with the Condensed Matter Physics group

2023.12

Education

Jan 2023 – Present

PhD Researcher in Condensed Matter Physics

The University of Manchester, UK

Nanofluidics, ionic transport, and van der Waals nanochannels

Sep 2018 – Jun 2021

M.A.Sc. in Chemistry

Wuhan University of Technology, China

Secondary battery systems, including lithium–sulfur and zinc-ion batteries

Sep 2014 – Jun 2018

B.S. in Applied Chemistry

Wuhan University of Technology, China

Applied Chemistry

Research Experience

Jul 2021 – Dec 2022

Research Assistant

Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, China

Research on electrochemical energy materials and battery systems

Awards

  • Best Poster Nomination, 2025 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit, USA
  • 3rd Best Poster Award, 2020 Tri-University Research Workshop on Advanced Engineering, China
  • Advanced Individual in Academic Activities of WUT, China, 2020
  • National Scholarship, China, 2020
  • First-class Scholarship, China, 2020
  • Second-class Scholarship, China, 2018

Contact

I am interested in nanofluidics, two-dimensional materials, interfacial electrochemistry, and clean device fabrication. For academic discussions or collaboration, feel free to get in touch.

University Email: zhijia.zhang@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

Gmail: zhijia.zhang1112@gmail.com

Location: Schuster Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

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© Zhijia Zhang