Information

Membership Number: FCA3501

Membership Type: Fellowship; Academic Council Member

Division: Engineering and Applied Sciences

Corresponding Email: Secretariat@coreacad.org

Homepage(s): https://en.smse.sjtu.edu.cn/people_detail/55 

https://en.smse.sjtu.edu.cn/people_detail/278 

Present and Previous Positions

President, International Core Academy of Sciences and Humanities (CORE Academy)

Chair Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Director, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, China

Fields of Scholarship and Research Interests

Fundamental and applied research on advanced composites (including metal matrix composites), Morph Genetic materials, and architectured composite materials.

Professor Di Zhang has made systematic and pioneering contributions to metal matrix composites, Morph Genetic materials, and architectured (configuration-controlled) composites, with enduring impact across both fundamental science and engineering practice. 

Over decades of sustained work in metal-matrix and architectured composite systems, he has addressed core scientific and technological challenges spanning materials design and fabrication, deformation processing, structure–property relationships, and architectural regulation. He proposed the influential concept of micro-/nano “brick-and-mortar” architectured metal composites, enabling the concurrent enhancement of strength, modulus, and ductility/toughness, and thereby extending the frontiers of composite-materials research. 

Drawing inspiration from nature’s refined hierarchical structures, he further introduced the original concept of Morph Genetic materials, and authored a foundational monograph, Morph Genetic Materials Inspired by Nature, which advances a deep integration of natural structural effects with engineered material performance. His research forms a complete innovation chain from microstructural design to macro-scale engineering deployment. At the fundamental level, he established new frameworks for the optimized design, deformation control, and processing routes of discontinuously reinforced MMCs, delivering theoretical advances that have helped reshape the discipline. 

At the applied level, he developed a series of lightweight, high-strength MMCs (including carbon nanotube–reinforced aluminum and titanium-matrix composites), overcoming key technological bottlenecks and enabling high-performance solutions for demanding environments. His achievements have been translated into practice across more than 30 major national aerospace programs and high-end equipment platforms, including China’s space station and deep-space exploration missions such as the Chang’e lunar series, lunar rover systems, and Mars exploration spacecraft. 

Professor Zhang’s work is characterized by a strong commitment to interdisciplinary integration, combining materials science, mechanics, and computational materials approaches to build an end-to-end research paradigm, from bioinspired structural principles to materials creation and engineering validation. Collectively, his contributions have advanced the field of metal matrix composites and delivered tangible technological impact in aerospace, aviation, transportation, and energy, making a distinguished and far-reaching contribution to materials innovation and high-end equipment development.

Honors, Awards and Other Membership

• Member, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

• Academician, Asia Pacific Academy of Materials (APAM)

• Member, European Academy of Sciences (EurASc)

• Second Prize, National Natural Science Award (two awards; First contributor)

• Changjiang (Yangtze River) Scholars Program Professor, China (2001)

• First and Second Prizes, Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Award, China (2003)

• First Prize, Shanghai Natural Science Award, China (2006)

• Second Prize, National Teaching Achievement Award, China (2009)

• Incubation Award, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, China (2012)

Professional Leadership

• Executive Director, Chinese Composite Materials Society

Editorial Appointments

• Associate Editor, Journal of Composite Materials (2006– )

• Editorial Board Member, Composites Science and Technology (2007– )

• Editorial Board Member, Bioinspired, Biomimetic and Nanobiomaterials (2011– )

• Editorial Board Member, Chinese Science Bulletin (2006– )

• Editorial Board Member, Acta Metallurgica Sinica (2008– )

Selected Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FLR6Ur0AAAAJ&hl=zh-CN 

• Tan, Y.; Gu, J.; Zang, X.; Xu, W.; Shi, K.; Xu, L.; Zhang, D. “Versatile Fabrication of Intact Three-Dimensional Metallic Butterfly Wing Scales with Hierarchical Sub-Micrometer Structures.” Angewandte Chemie International Edition 50(36), 8307–8311 (2011).

• Peng, W.; Zhu, S.; Wang, W.; Zhang, W.; Gu, J.; Hu, X.; Zhang, D.; Chen, Z. “3D Network Magnetophotonic Crystals Fabricated on Morpho Butterfly Wing Templates.” Advanced Functional Materials 22(10), 2072–2080 (2012).

• Tan, Y.; Gu, J.; Xu, L.; Zang, X.; Liu, D.; Zhang, W.; Liu, Q.; Zhu, S.; Su, H.; Feng, C.; Fan, G.; Zhang, D. “High-Density Hotspots Engineered by Naturally Piled-Up Subwavelength Structures in Three-Dimensional Copper Butterfly Wing Scales for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection.” Advanced Functional Materials 22(8), 1578–1585 (2012).

• Zhou, H.; Li, X.; Fan, T.; Osterloh, F. E.; Ding, J.; Sabio, E. M.; Zhang, D.; Guo, Q. “Artificial Inorganic Leafs for Efficient Photochemical Hydrogen Production Inspired by Natural Photosynthesis.” Advanced Materials 22(9), 951 (2010).

• Hong, W.; Hu, X.; Zhao, B.; Zhang, F.; Zhang, D. “Tunable Photonic Polyelectrolyte Colorimetric Sensing for Anions, Cations and Zwitterions.” Advanced Materials 22(44), 5043 (2010).

• Shi, N.; Li, X.; Fan, T.; Zhou, H.; Ding, J.; Zhang, D.; Zhu, H. “Biogenic N,I-Codoped TiO₂ Photocatalyst Derived from Kelp for Efficient Dye Degradation.” Energy & Environmental Science 4(1), 172–180 (2011).

• Zhou, H.; Fan, T.; Zhang, D. “Biotemplated Materials for Sustainable Energy and Environment: Current Status and Challenges.” ChemSusChem 4(10), 1344–1387 (2011).

• Wang, J.; Li, Z.; Fan, G.; Pan, H.; Chen, Z.; Zhang, D. “Reinforcement with Graphene Nanosheets in Aluminum Matrix Composites.” Scripta Materialia 66(8), 594–597 (2012).

• Jiang, L.; Li, Z.; Fan, G.; Cao, L.; Zhang, D. “The Use of Flake Powder Metallurgy to Produce Carbon Nanotube (CNT)/Aluminum Composites with a Homogenous CNT Distribution.” Carbon 50(5), 1993–1998 (2012).

• Guo, X.; Wang, L.; Wang, M.; Qin, J.; Zhang, D.; Lu, W. “Effects of Degree of Deformation on the Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Texture of Hybrid-Reinforced Titanium Matrix Composites.” Acta Materialia 60(6–7) (2012).

Other Information

Professor Di Zhang has made distinguished contributions to the development of advanced composites, particularly in metal matrix composites, architectured materials, and bioinspired materials design. Among his most original achievements is the introduction of the concept of morphology-genetic materials, through which he established a new materials-design methodology inspired by the refined hierarchical structures of natural species. By integrating biological architectures with artificial material systems, his work has revealed new morphology–composition coupling effects, deepened understanding of structure–property relationships, and opened new directions for the creation of high-performance composites. His research stands out for its rare combination of theoretical originality, methodological innovation, and successful engineering translation.