Xiangkang Zeng, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

School of Environment

Nanjing University

Email: xkzeng@nju.edu.cn

ORCID: 0000-0001-9866-2819

Education

2013.09-2017.08  PhD of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Australia

2010.09-2012.06  Master of Fermentation Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China    

2006.09-2010.07  Bachelor of Biological Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China    

Professional Experience

2026.8-now, Associate Professor, School of Environment, Nanjing University.

2022.8-2026.7 ARC DECRA Research Fellow/Lecturer, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Australia.

2018-2022 Postdoc Research Fellow, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Australia.

2017-2018 Postdoc Research Fellow, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), HK, China.  

2012-2013 R&D Engineers, Wilmar (Shanghai) Biotechnology R& D Canter Co., Ltd, Shanghai

Research Interests

On-site production and activation of green peroxide for water purification

Advanced functional materials/device for low-carbon and smart process of water quality control

Academic Service

2026.08-now, Honorary Research Fellow at School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland

Detailed assessor for ARC DECRA and Australian Research Council (ARC) DP, LP projects in 2022 to 2026.  

2024-2025, Youth Editorial Board Member of the journal EcoMat (Wiley)

Active Reviewer for more than 40 journals, including Nature Catalysis, Advanced Materials, Angewandte Chemie, Nature Communications, Applied Catalysis B etc.  

Selected Publications

1. J. Yang, X. Zeng*, B. Zhu, S. Rahman, C. Bie, M. Yong, K. Sun, M. Tebyetekerwa, Z. Wang, et.al. Advanced Materials, 2025: p. e2505653.

2. J. Yang, H. Yin, A. Du, M. Tebyetekerwa, C. Bie, Z. Wang, Z. Sun, Z. Zhang, X. Zeng*, and X. Zhang*. Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy, 2025. 361: p. 124586.

3. M. Li*, L. Zeng, P. Cen, Z. Xia, J. Zhang, L. Huang, J. Yan, S. Zhou, C.-H. Mo, X. Zeng* and H. Zhang*. Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy, 2026: p. 126426

4. X. Zeng*, T. Wang, Z. Wang, M. Tebyetekerwa, Y. Liu, Z. Liu, G. Wang, A.A. Wibowo, G. Pierens, and Q. Gu. ACS Catalysis, 2024. 14(13): p. 9955-9968.

5. J. Yang, X. Zeng*, M. Tebyetekerwa, Z. Wang, C. Bie, X. Sun, I. Marriam*, and X. Zhang*. Advanced Energy Materials, 2024. 14(23): p. 2400740.

6. X. Sun, J. Yang, X. Zeng*, L. Guo, C. Bie, Z. Wang, K. Sun, A.K. Sahu, M. Tebyetekerwa, and T.E. Rufford*, X. Zhang*. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2024. 63(52): p. e202414417.

7. Q. Tian #, X. Zeng # , C. Zhao, L.Y. Jing, X.W. Zhang, and J. Liu. Advanced Functional Materials, 2023. 33(21): p. 2213173.

8. X. Zeng, Y. Liu, X. Hu, and X. Zhang. Green Chemistry, 2021. 23(4): p. 1466-1494

9. X. Zeng, Y. Liu, Y. Xia, M.H. Uddin, D. Xia, D.T. McCarthy, A. Deletic, J. Yu, and X. Zhang. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2020. 274: p. 119095.

10. X. Zeng, Y. Liu, Y. Kang, Q. Li, Y. Xia, Y. Zhu, H. Hou, M.H. Uddin, T.R. Gengenbach, and D. Xia. Acs Catalysis, 2020. 10(6): p. 3697-3706.

Patents

Chinese Patent, Methods for produce aromatic substances by Trichoderma reesei (CN104561135A)

Awards

2025, Materials Futures Best Paper Award

2020, Best Paper in "Environmental Science: Nano" journal (Royal Society of Chemistry)                        

2018, Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad,

2013-2017, Australian Federal Government Funded Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA)                  

2013, The Excellent master’s dissertation of Jiangsu Province, China                                                

2012, The Excellent Graduate of Jiangnan University, China

Opportunities

Our group welcomes master's and PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to join us. If you have a research background in environmental science, biology, chemistry, materials science, or computer science, please email me to explore potential opportunities.