Dr Wei Zhang

Research Highlights

1. Wang, L., Wang, H., Tizaoui, C., Yang, Y., Ali, J., & Zhang, W. (2022). Endocrine disrupting chemicals in water and recent advances on their detection using electrochemical biosensors. Sensors and Diagnostics, 2(1), 46-77.

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2sd00156j, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62379
2. Song, X., Zhang, Z., Wen, Y., Zhang, W., Xie, Y., Cao, N., Sun, D., & Yang, Y. (2022). The response of steroid estrogens bioavailability to various sorption mechanisms by soil organic matter extracted with sequential alkaline-extraction method from an agriculture soil. Environmental Pollution, 308, 119630

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119630, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa60339
3. PAGETT, M., Teng, V., Sullivan, G., & Zhang, W. (2023). Reusing Waste Coffee Grounds as Electrode Materials: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities. Global Challenges, 7(1), 2200093

   https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202200093, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa61818
4. Xia, H., Zhang, W., Yang, Y., Zhang, W., Purchase, D., Zhao, C., Song, X., & Wang, Y. (2021). Degradation mechanism of tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) as an emerging contaminant in advanced oxidation processes: A DFT modelling approach. Chemosphere, 273, 129674

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129674, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa56225
5. Zhang, W. (2021). Graphene Biosensor and Process of Manufacture

   SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57232

   https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2021001231

All Research

• Developing low-cost electrochemical biosensor for disinfection by-product (DPB) detection in drinking water. (current)

  PhD

  Other supervisor: Prof Vincent Teng

• An electrochemical biosensor for sensitive in-situ detection of methyl-isoborneol (MIB) in water (current)

  MSc

  Other supervisor: Prof Chedly Tizaoui

• Electrodes derived from various food waste/biomass for capacitive deionization (CDI) application (current)

  MSc

  Other supervisor: Prof Chedly Tizaoui

• EG-101 Chemical Engineering Laboratory

  This module provides practical experience of conducting bench-scale experimental studies on a variety of systems (comprised of both apparatus and contents) in order to observe, record and characterise the behaviour of these systems under specified conditions. Students are typically required to determine factors which may influence a system¿s overall response, for example, experimental results can be linked with theory (from lecture-based modules or equivalently from directed reading) to determine physical or thermochemical properties of materials, or, to evaluate how such properties influence the performance of the system. Wider analysis aims to link and develop skills in data acquisition and processing, error analysis, and interpretation of experimental results. As a component part of these studies, students will build experience of conducting experiments in a laboratory environment, documenting results, organisation and communication of experimental results and analysis through both tabular and graphical formats accompanied by written discussion; this being evidenced first through maintenance of their own laboratory notebooks and secondly through technical report writing exercises.

• EG-133 Engineering for People Hackathon

  Engineering is more than understanding technical design, it is often the social, environmental and economic context underpinning engineering solutions that determine success or failure, This has never been more relevant since the world is currently planning a radical transition to a low carbon economy while facing increased risks due to climate crisis which will bring with it unprecedented change to the world. Engineers will be at the forefront of this, and need to be equipped to tackle open-ended, unstructured and complex problems in collaboration with others. The module will allow students to explore these issues within their chosen discipline with the following structure: Each week there will be a 1-hour lecture, introducing engineering thinking and contemporary issues in global engineering design. Most activity will then take place in group-work sessions (3 hours per week), where groups of around 6 students will work in a facilitated way towards a Engineering design solution. Students will be presented with a range of Global Challenges (e.g. access to water/ off-grid energy), and over the course of the term will work to research, design and critique possible engineering solutions. The groups with the best performance in this module may have opportunities to represent Swansea University in the national Engineers without Borders UK competition.

• EGA114 Chemical Engineering Science

  This module will introduce fundamental principles of thermodynamics, physical chemistry and mass transfer relevant to the course including: gas behaviour; properties of pure substances and mixtures; laws of thermodynamics and their applications to energy and state calculations; phase equilibria; diffusive and convective mass transfer; and mass transfer coefficients.

• EGP201 Year 2 Chemical Practical

  This module provides practical experience of conducting bench-scale experimental studies in order to observe, control, record and characterise the behaviour of these systems under specified conditions. Background: This module is for Year 2 Chemical Engineering Students and involves Year 1 laboratory activities which could not run in the 20_21 academic year. The module is therefore comprised of several practical activities drawn from modules EG-101, EGA109 and EG110. However, EGP201 activities do not extend to report writing and submission of coursework as students have previously completed these tasks. Therefore, this module essentially involves undertaking practical activities in a laboratory environment and completing these tasks is the basis of the Pass/Fail component for the module.

• EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Individual Fellow, Department of Engineering, Swansea University, UK

  2017 - 2019

• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellow, Department of Urban Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan

  2015 - 2017

• Australian Endeavour Research Fellow, School of Energy, Environment, Biological, and Medical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, USA

  2014 - 2014

• Research Associate, National Centre of Excellence for Desalination, Australia

  2011 - 2013

• Application of capacitive deionisation for inland brackish water desalination in rural areas of third-world countries 2019

  Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF)/HEFCW (RIG1029-126), £8,000

• Electrochemical graphene sensors as early alert tools for algal toxin detection in water 2017 - 2019

  European Commission Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (No.743993), £170,000

• Developing 3D graphene-based chemo-/bio-sensors as an early alert screening tool for water quality in drinking water sources 2015 - 2017

  Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship Program (No. P15712), £100,000

• Developing 3D graphene capacitive deionization (CDI) technology and its application in industrial wastewater treatment 2014 - 2016

  International Scientific Cooperation Project of Changzhou Science and Technology (CJ20140718), China, £23,000

• Novel TiO2 hybrid composite membranes for effective water purification 2014

  Australian Government Endeavour Fellowship and Scholarship Scheme, £20,000

• Member of Glas, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

  2019 - Present

• Topic Editor, Biosensors, MDPI

  2020 - Present

• Topic Editor, Sensors, MDPI

  2020 - Present

• Senior Expert to the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, Solar Impulse Foundation, Switzerland

  2018 - Present