IntroductionDr Hua Zhou received his PhD degree in Chemical Engineering and Technology from Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT) in 2019. From 2019 to 2021, he is working as a post-doctoral fellow with Prof. Haohong Duan at the Department ofChemistry, Tsinghua University. Currently, he is working in the College of Chemistry, BUCT. His research interests mainly focus on the catalytic conversion of biomass/waste plastic/CO2 to valuable products. EducationWork ExperienceSocial PositionSocial ActivitiesResearchOur research centers on the design of catalysts and reactors for the efficient conversion of waste carbon resources (biomass, plastics, and CO2) toward valuable chemicals and fuels via combined biological, thermochemical, and electrochemical approaches. We establish structure-function relationships at atomic scale, combining precision materials synthesis with advanced characterization and catalytic evaluation under practical process conditions. In addition, we develop flow chemistry reactor for linearly scaling-up these processes at pilot-scale.
1.Biomass conversion Electrooxidation of biomass platform chemicals instead of a petroleum source offers a sustainable and atom-economic avenue toward organic oxygenates, with additional benefits when coupled with renewable electricity driven processes. The highly oxygen-functionalized structure of biomass and its derivatives enable the energy-efficient and atom-economic production of organic oxygenates, such as 2, 5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), adipic acid, glucaric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid.
2.Waste plastic utilization Plastic waste triggers a series of concerns because of its disruptive impact on the environment and ecosystem. From the point view of catalysis, however, end-of-life plastics can be seen as an untapped feedstock for the preparation of value-added products. To this end, the development of diversified catalytic approaches for plastics valorization is urgent. TeachingEnergy Chemistry PostgraduatesFundingVertical ProjectHorizontal ProjectPublications1. Zhou H, et al. Selectively Upgrading Lignin Derivatives to Carboxylates through Electrochemical Oxidative C(OH)-C Bond Cleavage by a Mn-Doped Cobalt Oxyhydroxide Catalyst. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.60, 8976-8982 (2021). 2. Zhu YQ, et al. Identification of Active Sites Formed on Cobalt Oxyhydroxide in Glucose Electrooxidation. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.62, e202219048 (2023). 3. Zhou H, et al. Toward biomass-based single-atom catalysts and plastics: Highly active single-atom Co on N-doped carbon for oxidative esterification of primary alcohols. Appl. Catal. B-Environ.256, 117767 (2019). 4. Zhou H, Xu H, Liu Y. Aerobic oxidation of 5‑hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid over Co/Mn-lignin coordination complexes-derived catalysts. Appl. Catal. B-Environ.244, 965-973 (2019). 5. Zhou H, et al. Electrocatalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate to commodity chemicals and H2 fuel. Nat. Commun.12, 4679 (2021). 6. Zhou H, et al. Scalable electrosynthesis of commodity chemicals from biomass by suppressing non-Faradaic transformations. Nat. Commun.14, 5621 (2023). AwardsPatentHonor RewardAdmissions Information |