Welcome to the Zang Research Group!

We are part of the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR), a long-term, state-funded program to strengthen Utah's "knowledge economy."

Our research covers broad range in nanomaterials, nanoscale and molecular imaging and probing, optoelectronic sensors and nanodevices, aiming at long-term real applications in the fields relevant to security, energy, and environment.  Implementation of the research represents a synergism between 'making', 'measuring' and 'manipulating', where the conventional barriers between chemistry, physics and engineering will be broken down. Students involved will be trained in various cross-discipline areas in chemical synthesis, physical characterization, materials science, as well as nanoscale engineering and processing. They will also have the opportunity to work as part of a coherent team in collaboration with different groups on different campuses, to practice teamwork skills and be familiar with necessary intellectual and scientific methods to solve scientific problems.

Current Major Research Interests:

Detecting Danger at Nanoscale: nanomaterials, nanodevices for optical/electrical sensing of  explosives and other chemical threats.  sponsored by DHS, NSF, NASA, USTAR, U-Utah and State of Utah.

see Accounts of Chemical Research, 41 (2008) 1596-1608; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 132 (2010) 5743-5750; Nano Lett., 8 (2008) 2219-2223

An all-in-one detector from Vaporsens can be used to test up to 16 different sensor mateirals patterned on a single board, providing direct comparison of photoconductivity response, as well as differential sensing.

Organic Nanowires/nanobelts: molecular design, self-assembly, and 1D confinement and enhancement of optoelectronic properties. sponsored by NSF, DHS, ACS, USTAR, U-Utah.

see Chem. Rev., 115 (2015) 11967-11998; Accounts of Chemical Research, 48 (2015) 2705-2714.

 

Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Lead Halide Perovskites: Aims to study the role of intrinsic defects in the slow transient optoelectronic response (STOR) of the organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskite materials, particularly methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3), which have emerged as revolutionary photovoltaic material with photoconversion efficiency increasing from 3% to over 22% in less than a decade.  sponsored by USTAR, UofU VPR.

see Chem. Commun., 52 (2016) 10743-10746; J. Phys. Chem. C, 120 (2016) 7893-7902.

Tech transfer

In collaboration with Vaporsens Inc., we strive to transfer the nanofiber technology into sensor devices to sniff out explosives, narcotics and chemcial threats. 

Our labs and offices are located in the new USTAR building, James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building, on the main campus of University of Utah.