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Dr.Di Zhang Academic RankAssistant Professor
Di Zhang

Specialization:

  • Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Research Interests:

  • - Third-generation photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices (dye-sensitized/organic/perovskite solar cells, photodetectors, LEDs)
    - Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing
    - Plasmonic nanomaterials & nanostructures (metal nanoparticles, nanoprisms, nanowires)
    - Carbon-based nanomaterials (graphene, carbon nanofibers)

Contact

- Ph.D., Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (2014) - B.E., Microelectronics and Nanoelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing (2010)
- Assistant Professor, Dept. of Sustainable & Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah (2015 – present) - Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (2014 – 2015)
- Associate Editor: Journal of Functional Materials and Chemical Engineering (JFCME) (2020-Present) - Topic Editor: Frontiers in Chemistry: Research Topics on ``Novel Magneto-Optic Materials and Their Applications'' (2021-2022) - Guest Associate Editor: Frontiers in Materials: Research Topics on Emerging Perovskite and Interfacial Materials for Photovoltaic Applications (2018–2019) - Peer reviewer: Journal of Materials Chemistry C, RSC Advances, Applied Physics Letters, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, - Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering, IEEE Photonics Journal, MRS Advances, Science of the Total Environment, Microelectronics Journal, International Journal of Electronics and Communications, etc.
- Absorber Engineering and Interface Design for Stable and Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells (University of Sharjah) - Investigating plasmonic-electrical nanostructures for performance enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cells (University of Sharjah) - Enhancements of the properties the Organometallic mixed- halide perovskite solar cells using doped graphene naoplatlets as a counter electrode (American University of Sharjah) - Enhancement of the power output and efficiency of dye- sensitized solar cells by investigating the counter electrode construction and natural organic sensitizers (Sharjah Research Academy (SRA) / University of Sharjah) - Enhancements of the properties the Organometallic mixed-halide perovskite solar cells using doped graphene naoplatlets as a counter electrode (American University of Sharjah) - Enhancing the performance of low-cost ball-milled graphene in energy and environmental applications (University of Sharjah) - Low-cost photovoltaic dye-sensitized solar cells using flexible transparent graphene electrodes and natural dyes (University of Sharjah)
[1]D. Zhang, A. Allagui, Chapter 8 - Fundamentals and performance of solar photovoltaic systems, in: M.E.H. Assad, M.A. Rosen (Eds.), Design and Performance Optimization of Renewable Energy Systems, Academic Press, 2021: pp. 117–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-821602-6.00009-2. [2]A.H. Alami, A. Alachkar, S. Alasad, M. Alawadhi, D. Zhang, H. Aljaghoub, A. Elkeblawy, Investigating Calotropis Procera natural dye extracts and PDOT:PSS hole transport material for dye-sensitized solar cells, (2021). https://doi.org/10.15159/ar.21.064. [3]D. Zhang, A. Allagui, A.S. Elwakil, Z. Yan, H. Lu, Active circuit model of low-frequency behavior in perovskite solar cells, Organic Electronics. 85 (2020) 105804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgel.2020.105804. [4]A.H. Alami, M. Faraj, K. Aokal, A. Abu Hawili, M. Tawalbeh, D. Zhang, Investigating Various Permutations of Copper Iodide/FeCu Tandem Materials as Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with a Natural Dye, Nanomaterials. 10 (2020) 784. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10040784. [5]K. Daoudi, M. Gaidi, H. Alawadhi, S. Columbus, D. Zhang, A. Allagui, M. Shameer, A. Taieb, Structural effects of silver-nanoprism-decorated Si nanowires on surface-enhanced Raman scattering, Nanotechnology. 31 (2020) 255706. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6528/ab80fa. [6]A.H. Alami, K. Aokal, M. Tawalbeh, M. Faraj, A. Majeed, T. Salameh, D. Zhang, A. Al-Othman, Synthesis and Characterization of Polycrystalline Copper Iodide (CuI) Thin Films, in: 2020 Advances in Science and Engineering Technology International Conferences (ASET), 2020: pp. 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1109/ASET48392.2020.9118282. [7]A. Allagui, D. Zhang, I. Khakpour, A.S. Elwakil, C. Wang, Quantification of memory in fractional-order capacitors, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 53 (2020) 02LT03. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ab4e73. [8]D. Zhang, A. Allagui, A.S. Elwakil, A.M. Nassef, H. Rezk, J. Cheng, W.C.H. Choy, On the modeling of dispersive transient photocurrent response of organic solar cells, Org. Electron. 70 (2019) 42–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgel.2019.03.054. [9]A.H. Alami, K. Aokal, D. Zhang, A. Taieb, M. Faraj, A. Alhammadi, J.M. Ashraf, B. Soudan, J. El Hajjar, M. Irimia‐Vladu, Low‐cost dye‐sensitized solar cells with ball‐milled tellurium‐doped graphene as counter electrodes and a natural sensitizer dye, Int. J. Energy Res. 43 (2019) 5824–5833. https://doi.org/10.1002/er.4684. [10]D. Zhang, A. Taieb, A.H. Alami, K. Aokal, H. Alawadhi, J. Abed, L. Bichara, A cost-effective nanoparticle-gap-film SERS sensor using graphene nanospacer by one-step transfer-free mechanical milling, J. Appl. Phys. 125 (2019) 063102. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5078864. [11]A. Allagui, D. Zhang, A.S. Elwakil, Short-term memory in electric double-layer capacitors, Appl. Phys. Lett. 113 (2018) 253901. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5080404. [12]Al-Chaderchi, Monadhil, Sopian, K., Salameh, Tareq, D. Zhang, Alghoul, M. A., Enhancing the Performance of PV Panel Undergoing Shading Effects, International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive Systems (IJPEDS). 9 (2018) 1937–1943. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijpeds.v9.i4.pp1937-1943. [13]C. Li, Z.S. Wang, H.L. Zhu, D. Zhang, J. Cheng, H. Lin, D. Ouyang, W.C.H. Choy, Thermionic Emission–Based Interconnecting Layer Featuring Solvent Resistance for Monolithic Tandem Solar Cells with Solution-Processed Perovskites, Adv. Energy Mater. 8 (2018) 1801954. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201801954. [14]A. Allagui, A.S. Elwakil, Z. Said, M.A. Abdelkareem, D. Zhang, Band-Pass Filter and Relaxation Oscillator using Electric Double-Layer Capacitor, ChemElectroChem. 5 (2018) 3793–3798. https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.201800872. [15]A.H. Alami, K. Aokal, D. Zhang, B. Soudan, Bulk turbostratic graphene deposition on aluminum substrates via high-pressure graphite blasting, Appl Nanosci. 8 (2018) 1943–1950. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13204-018-0862-1. [16]D. Zhang, A.H. Alami, M. Tawalbeh, K. Aokal, A. Alhammadi, A. Taieb, R.A. Rabah, Efficiency and high-temperature response of dye-sensitized solar cells using natural dyes extracted from Calotropis, in: 2018 5th International Conference on Renewable Energy: Generation and Applications (ICREGA), Al Ain, 2018: pp. 183–187. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICREGA.2018.8337593. [17]A.H. Alami, M. Tawalbeh, D. Zhang, K. Aokal, L. Elsherbiny, Z. Yasser, A. Abdelghani, Linear angstrom model applied to weather data collected for the city of Sharjah, in: 2018 5th International Conference on Renewable Energy: Generation and Applications (ICREGA), Al Ain, 2018: pp. 150–153. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICREGA.2018.8337583. [18]A.H. Alami, K. Aokal, D. Zhang, M. Tawalbeh, A. Alhammadi, A. Taieb, Assessment of Calotropis natural dye extracts on the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells, Agronomy Research. 16 (2018) 1569–1579. https://doi.org/10.15159/ar.18.166. [19]A.H. Alami, K. Aokal, M.A. Assad, D. Zhang, H. Alawadhi, B. Rajab, One-step synthesis and deposition of few-layer graphene via facile, dry ball-free milling, MRS Advances. 2 (2017) 847–856. https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2017.245. [20]H.L. Zhu, J. Cheng, D. Zhang, C. Liang, C.J. Reckmeier, H. Huang, A.L. Rogach, W.C.H. Choy, Room-Temperature Solution-Processed NiOx:PbI2 Nanocomposite Structures for Realizing High-Performance Perovskite Photodetectors, ACS Nano. 10 (2016) 6808–6815. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.6b02425. [21]A.H. Alami, D. Zhang, C. Aokal, J. Abed, I.A. Abdoun, H. Alawadhi, Influence of Magnetic Field on the Mesoporous Structure of Fe-Cu Compounds in Dye-Sensitized Photovoltaic Cells, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions E. 3 (2016) 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40553-016-0067-z. [22]A.H. Alami, D. Zhang, C. Aokal, J. Abed, I.A. Abdoun, H. Alawadhi, Fe-Cu Compounds in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Influence of Magnetic Field on Mesoporous Structure, IJTEE. 11 (2016) 67–72. https://doi.org/10.5383/ijtee.11.01.010. [23]A.H. Alami, D. Zhang, K. Aokal, J. Abed, I.A. Abdoun, H. Alawadhi, Fe-Cu compounds in dye-sensitized solar cells: Influence of magnetic field on mesoporous structure, in: Ras Al Khaimah, 2015: p. 0411073. [24]W.C.H. Choy, D. Zhang, Solution-Processed Metal Oxides as Efficient Carrier Transport Layers for Organic Photovoltaics, Small. 12 (2015) 416–431. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201502258. [25]H. Zhang, J. Mao, H. He, D. Zhang, H.L. Zhu, F. Xie, K.S. Wong, M. Grätzel, W.C.H. Choy, A Smooth CH3NH3PbI3 Film via a New Approach for Forming the PbI2 Nanostructure Together with Strategically High CH3NH3I Concentration for High Efficient Planar-Heterojunction Solar Cells, Advanced Energy Materials. 5 (2015) 1501354. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201501354. [26]F. Xie, D. Zhang, W.C.H. Choy, Hysteresis-free, stable and efficient perovskite solar cells achieved by vacuum-treated thermal annealing of CH3NH3PbI3, in: San Diego, 2015: p. 95670L. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2187973. [27]J. Liu, X. Li, S. Zhang, X. Ren, J. Cheng, L. Zhu, D. Zhang, L. Huo, J. Hou, W.C.H. Choy, Synergic Effects of Randomly Aligned SWCNT Mesh and Self-Assembled Molecule Layer for High-Performance, Low-Bandgap, Polymer Solar Cells with Fast Charge Extraction, Advanced Materials Interfaces. 2 (2015) 1500324. https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.201500324. [28]J. Mao, H. Zhang, H. He, H. Lu, F. Xie, D. Zhang, K.S. Wong, W.C.H. Choy, Smooth CH3NH3PbI3 from controlled solid–gas reaction for photovoltaic applications, RSC Adv. 5 (2015) 73760–73766. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5RA12530H. [29]H. Lu, D. Zhang, J. Cheng, J. Liu, J. Mao, W.C.H. Choy, Locally Welded Silver Nano-Network Transparent Electrodes with High Operational Stability by a Simple Alcohol-Based Chemical Approach, Advanced Functional Materials. 25 (2015) 4211–4218. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201501004. [30]F. Jiang, W.C.H. Choy, X. Li, D. Zhang, J. Cheng, Post-treatment-Free Solution-Processed Non-stoichiometric NiOx Nanoparticles for Efficient Hole-Transport Layers of Organic Optoelectronic Devices, Advanced Materials. 27 (2015) 2930–2937. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201405391. [31]F.X. Xie, D. Zhang, H. Su, X. Ren, K.S. Wong, M. Grätzel, W.C.H. Choy, Vacuum-Assisted Thermal Annealing of CH3NH3PbI3 for Highly Stable and Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells, ACS Nano. 9 (2015) 639–646. https://doi.org/10.1021/nn505978r. [32]H. Lu, D. Zhang, X. Ren, J. Liu, W.C.H. Choy, Selective Growth and Integration of Silver Nanoparticles on Silver Nanowires at Room Conditions for Transparent Nano-Network Electrode, ACS Nano. 8 (2014) 10980–10987. https://doi.org/10.1021/nn504969z. [33]D. Zhang, Transparent electrode design and interface engineering for high performance organic solar cells, 2014. http://hub.hku.hk/handle/10722/202360 (accessed December 25, 2018). [34]W.C.H. Choy, F.X. Xie, D. Zhang, W.E.I. Sha, X. Li, B. Ding, Plasmonic-electrical Effects of Metal Nanoparticles for Highly Efficient Organic Solar Cells, in: Guangzhou, 2014: p. Session 2P3a MS-1.5. [35]X. Li, W.C.H. Choy, X. Ren, D. Zhang, H. Lu, Highly Intensified Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering by Using Monolayer Graphene as the Nanospacer of Metal Film–Metal Nanoparticle Coupling System, Advanced Functional Materials. 24 (2014) 3114–3122. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201303384. [36]W.C.H. Choy, W.E.I. Sha, X. Li, D. Zhang, Multi-Physical Properties of Plasmonic Organic Solar Cells (Invited Paper), Progress In Electromagnetics Research. 146 (2014) 25–46. https://doi.org/10.2528/PIER14031810. [37]F. Xie, W.C.H. Choy, W.E.I. Sha, D. Zhang, S. Zhang, X. Li, C. Leung, J. Hou, Enhanced charge extraction in organic solar cells through electron accumulation effects induced by metal nanoparticles, Energy Environ. Sci. 6 (2013) 3372–3379. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3EE42440E. [38]D. Zhang, F.X. Xie, P. Lin, W.C.H. Choy, Organic Solar Cells Using Transparent Graphene Cathode with Al-TiO2 Interfacial Layer, in: Stockholm, 2013: p. Session 3AK. [39]D. Zhang, W.C.H. Choy, F. Xie, W.E.I. Sha, X. Li, B. Ding, K. Zhang, F. Huang, Y. Cao, Plasmonic Electrically Functionalized TiO2 for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells, Advanced Functional Materials. 23 (2013) 4255–4261. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201203776. [40]P. Lin, W.C.H. Choy, D. Zhang, F. Xie, J. Xin, C.W. Leung, Semitransparent organic solar cells with hybrid monolayer graphene/metal grid as top electrodes, Appl. Phys. Lett. 102 (2013) 113303. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4798254. [41]D. Zhang, F. Xie, P. Lin, W.C.H. Choy, Al-TiO2 Composite-Modified Single-Layer Graphene as an Efficient Transparent Cathode for Organic Solar Cells, ACS Nano. 7 (2013) 1740–1747. https://doi.org/10.1021/nn3058399. [42]D. Zhang, W.C.H. Choy, F. Xie, X. Li, Large-area, high-quality self-assembly electron transport layer for organic optoelectronic devices, Organic Electronics. 13 (2012) 2042–2046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgel.2012.06.012. [43]D. Zhang, W.C.H. Choy, H. Zhu, PEDOT:PSS-free Au nanocluster treated graphene as transparent anode for organic solar cells, in: San Diego, 2012: p. 84771D. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.929505. [44]T. Feng, D. Xie, H. Tian, P. Peng, D. Zhang, D. Fu, T. Ren, X. Li, H. Zhu, Y. Jing, Multi-layer graphene treated by O2 plasma for transparent conductive electrode applications, Materials Letters. 73 (2012) 187–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2011.12.121. [45]D. Zhang, W.C.H. Choy, C.C.D. Wang, X. Li, L. Fan, K. Wang, H. Zhu, Polymer solar cells with gold nanoclusters decorated multi-layer graphene as transparent electrode, Appl. Phys. Lett. 99 (2011) 223302. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3664120. [46]F. Di, X. Dan, Z. Chen-Hui, Z. Di, N. Jie-Bin, Q. He, L. Li-Tian, Preparation and Characteristics of Nanoscale Diamond-Like Carbon Films for Resistive Memory Applications, Chinese Phys. Lett. 27 (2010) 098102. https://doi.org/10.1088/0256-307X/27/9/098102.
- Design of a PV system using semi-transparent bifacial modules for greenhouses in the UAE - Electrodynamic screen: a solution to dust accumulation on Mars rovers - Transient photocurrent study of solar cells - Design and fabrication of large-area 3rd generation solar PV device prototype - Enhancing the Perfor-mance of Organic Solar Cells with Nanostructured Layers - Lead-Free Perovskite Solar Cells - Optical Enhancement of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using Metallic Nanomaterials (*co-supervision) - Design and Manufacture of P3HT:PCBM Organic Solar Cells (2nd place in Graduation Projects Fair of the College of Engineering 2017/2018 Fall, University of Sharjah) - Optically Enhanced Solar Cells Using Nanoimprinted Metallic Grating - Electrolyte selection for third generation solar cells (*co-supervision) - Applying Plasmonic Effect on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells by Integration of Au/Ag Nanoparticles - Photovoltaic and Thermoelectric Lossless Hybrid System - Performance Enhancement in Solar Cells using Optically Complementary Natural Dyes - 3D Third Generation Solar Panels using Edge Emitting Fiber Optics (1st place (Environmental Engineering category), 4th UAE Undergraduate Student Research Competition 2016, Abu Dhabi University) - Electricity Generation from Gamma Radiating Dry-Cask via Scintillator and PV Cells (*co-supervision)
- Outstanding Team Award (Supervisor), 8th Sharjah Sustainability Award (Sharjah Environmental and Protected Areas Authority (2020) - Research Summer Stay Scheme 2018 (University of Sharjah) - Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship, Research Grants Council (RGC), Hong Kong (2010 – 2014)
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