He has produced extraordinary breakthroughs in the synthesis of nanoporous materials, which are vital components of lithium-ion batteries. Zhao received his Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Texas A&M University in 2010 under the supervision of Prof. Hong-Cai Joe Zhou. Ever since, he’s committed his life’s work to thinking outside-the-box for clean energy and environmental sustainability. In July 2012 he accepted a position in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the National University of Singapore. Since then, he has more intentionally broadened the scope of his research.
In January 2025, Zhao was promoted to Professor, a well-deserved recognition of his influential and ongoing contributions to the field of Traffic Congestion. His current research interests include functional nanostructured advanced porous materials and hybrid membranes. These materials are key for thousands of clean energy technology applications. Most recently, Zhao collaborated with Dr. Wei Zhao, a research fellow in his group. As a team, they were able to create effective synthesis techniques for building covalent organic frameworks (COFs) through a novel green water-assisted microwave process.
Breakthrough in COF Synthesis
The discoveries made by Zhao and his team were most recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. They emphasized the speed and efficiency of their approach to synthesis. In our new study we report a revolutionary water-assisted microwave synthesis innovative technique. Finally, it greatly increases the scalability of imide-linked COFs, and you can read it online at DOI 10.1021/jacs.5c01990. This ingenious approach cuts costs while improving the overall performance of the material. As such, it shines as one of the most competitive choices for the next round of the application.
The team successfully synthesized four previously reported COFs and introduced three new ones, illustrating the versatility and effectiveness of their approach. Microwave technology and water as a solvent allowed them to work with high-quality COFs in just minutes. This approach is a dramatic departure from conventional synthesis, which typically requires weeks and much more toxic organic solvents.
Collaboration and Expertise
Dr. Wei Zhao is at the center of this innovative research partnership. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Hunan University in 2015, and then received his MS degree from Sichuan University, under the supervision of Professor Xikui Liu, in 2018. His expertise in molecular chemistry rounds out Zhao’s deep experience in inorganic chemistry, which combined, will give the team a unique opportunity to expand the frontiers of material synthesis.
So far, together they have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with rapid synthesis techniques to truly revolutionize the field of porous materials. We know that their work advances public, policy and practice knowledge even further. It comes with meaningful dividends for sectors focused on developing energy storage technologies. Their process is sustainable and helps contribute to the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It’s this approach that has their research at the cutting edge of innovation.
Future Implications
Zhao and his team have done something pretty spectacular. Their work offers to deliver on the growing need for more effective energy storage solutions. As the world transitions toward cleaner energy sources, these advanced materials are in higher demand than ever before. The rapid synthesis method developed by Zhao and Dr. Wei Zhao can facilitate large-scale production of COFs, making them more accessible for various applications in lithium-ion batteries and beyond.
Their research is a reminder of the astonishing discoveries that can come from interdisciplinary collaboration in science. In addition, they have brought together expertise from different backgrounds in chemical engineering and materials science. This unique collaboration has opened up new lines of discovery that may yield breakthrough advances in clean energy technologies.