Prof. Rui Zhang

Ph.D. Advisor | Specially Appointed Professor

Email: rui.zhang@suda.edu.cn

Biography

Dr. Rui Zhang received his Ph.D. degree through a combined M.Sc.-Ph.D. program in 2019 from the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the supervision of Prof. Yanchun Han. From March 2019 to February 2025, he carried out postdoctoral research at Linköping University in Sweden (with Prof. Feng Gao) and at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States (with Prof. Chenhui Zhu). In 2025, he was awarded an independent research grant by the prestigious Swedish foundation Olle Engkvists Stiftelse, with a total funding of approximately 2.1 million RMB. In March 2025, Dr. Zhang joined the Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM) at Soochow University as a Specially Appointed Professor and Ph.D. advisor. He is also a recipient of the Jiangsu Specially Appointed Professorship .

Research Interests

Prof. Zhang’s research centers on the micro/nano-structure and interfacial science of organic and hybrid semiconductors. His work integrates cutting-edge characterization techniques, including synchrotron X-ray scattering and neutron scattering, with optoelectronic and electromagnetic performance measurements. By establishing a deep understanding of structure–property relationships in condensed matter, his group aims to:

1) Develop novel photovoltaic devices

2) Design high-performance photodetectors

3) Advance materials for information storage and encryption

His research bridges physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering—pushing forward interdisciplinary exploration in optoelectronic and electromagnetic devices.

Research Highlights

To date, Prof. Zhang has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles in internationally renowned journals. As first or corresponding author (including co-authorships), he has published more than 20 papers in top-tier journals such as Nature Energy (2), Nature Photonics, Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, and Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

His work has received broad recognition within the academic community, with over 3,200 citations and an h-index of 30 (Google Scholar). Several of his most innovative studies have been highlighted by Nature Energy News, Science China Chemistry, and other professional media, garnering international attention and acclaim.

Collaboration and International Engagement

Prof. Zhang’s group operates under the leadership of Academician Lifeng Chi and maintains long-term collaborations with leading institutions worldwide, including:

Linköping University, Sweden (Prof. Feng Gao, Prof. Olle Inganäs)

University of Arizona, USA (Prof. Jean-Luc Brédas, Prof. Veaceslav Coropceanu)

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA (Prof. Ying Diao)

In China, he collaborates closely with top institutes such as the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Shandong University, and Beijing University of Chemical Technology.

Prof. Zhang’s team has strong capabilities in conducting experiments at major international research facilities. They routinely carry out experiments at world-class synchrotron and neutron sources in the U.S., France, Spain, Australia, Japan, and across China (e.g., Shanghai and Beijing), ensuring top-tier research quality and access to state-of-the-art instrumentation.

Openings and Opportunities

We warmly welcome graduate students (Master’s and Ph.D.) with backgrounds in physics, materials science, or chemistry to join our research group. We seek passionate, sincere, and resilient researchers who love science and life.

We are also recruiting postdoctoral researchers with expertise in condensed matter physics, optical physics, materials chemistry, or synchrotron-based techniques. The position includes the opportunity for international research exchange (minimum 6 months abroad). Competitive compensation packages are provided.

Details: https://rsc.suda.edu.cn/bc/b1/c276a507057/page.htm

Interested candidates should email: rui.zhang@suda.edu.cn (Please include "Postdoctoral Application" in the subject line.)

Selected Publications (*Corresponding author, #Co-first author)

1. R. Zhang, H. Chen, T. Wang, L. Kobera, L. He, Y. Huang, J. Ding, B. Zhang, A. Khasbaatar, S. Nanayakkara, J. Zheng, W. Chen, Y. Diao, S. Abbrent, J. Brus, A. H. Coffey, C. Zhu, H. Liu, X. Lu, Q. Jiang, V. Coropceanu, J.L. Bredas, Y. Li, Y. Li*, F. Gao* Solvent insensitive high efficiencies of organic solar cells reveal the key factors for morphology control. Nature Energy, 2025, 10, 1, 124-134.

2. L. Wan^#, R. Zhang^#, E. Cho, H. Li, V. Coropceanu, J. Bredas, F. Gao*. Sensitive near-infrared circularly polarized light detection via non-fullerene acceptor blends. Nature Photonics, 2023, 17, 649-655.

3. R. Zhang, H. Yang, K. Zhou, J. Zhang, X. Yu, J. Liu, Y. Han*. Molecular Orientation and Phase Separation by Controlling Chain Segment and Molecule Movement in P3HT/N2200 Blends. Macromolecules, 2016, 49(18),6987–6996.

4. H. Chen^#, R. Zhang^#, X. Chen, G. Zeng, L. Kobera, S. Abbrent, B. Zhang, W. Chen, G. Xu, J. Oh, S. Kang, S. Chen, C. Yang, J. Brus, J. Hou, F. Gao*, Y. Li*, Y. Li. A guest-assisted molecular-organization approach for >17% efficiency organic solar cells using environmentally friendly solvents. Nature Energy, 2021, 6, 1045-1053.

5. Q. Fan*, R. Ma*, J. Yang, J. Gao, H. Bai, W. Su, Z. Liang, Y. Wu, L. Tang, Y. Li, Q. Wu, K. Wang, L. Yan, R. Zhang*, F. Gao, G. Li*, W. Ma*. Unidirectional Sidechain Engineering to Construct Dual-Asymmetric Acceptors for 19.23 % Efficiency Organic Solar Cells with Low Energy Loss and Efficient Charge Transfer. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2023, e202308307.

6. S. Li^#, R. Zhang^#, M. Zhang, J. Yao, Z. Peng, Q. Chen, C. Zhang, B. Chang, Y. Bai, H. Fu, Y. Ouyang, C. Zhang, J. A Steele, T. Alshahrani, M. BJ Roeffaers, E. Solano, L. Meng, F. Gao*, Y. Li, Z. Zhang*. Tethered small-molecule acceptors simultaneously Enhance the efficiency and stability of polymer solar cells. Advanced Materials, 2022, 2206563.

7. Y. Su, L. Zhang, Z. Ding*, Y. Zhang, Y. Wu, Y. Duan, Q. Zhang, J. Zhang, Y. Han, Z. Xu, R. Zhang*, K. Zhao, S. Liu*. Carrier Generation Engineering toward 18% Efficiency Organic Solar Cells by Controlling Film Microstructure. Advanced Energy Materials, 2022, 2103940.

8. R. Zhang, Y. Yan, Q. Zhang, Q. Liang, J. Zhang, X. Yu, J. Liu, Y. Han*. To Reveal the Importance of the Crystallization Sequence on Micro-Morphological Structures of All-Crystalline Polymer Blends by In Situ Investigation. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2021, 13, 18, 21756–21764.

9. R. Zhang, Y. Yan, H. Yang, X. Yu, J. Liu, J. Zhang, Y. Han*. The broken out and confinement phase separation structure evolution with the solution aggregation and relative crystallization kinetics in P3HT/N2200. Polymer, 2018, 138, 49-56.

10. R. Zhang, H. Yang, K. Zhou, J. Zhang, J. Liu, X. Yu, R. Xing, Y. Han*, Optimized Domain Size and Enlarged D/A Interface by Tuning Intermolecular Interaction in All-Polymer Ternary Solar Cells.  Journal of Polymer Science, Part B: Polymer Physics, 2016, 54(18), 1811–1819.

Edited by Juan Yang