The Zang Research Group

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 nanoscale imaging, molecular probing, organic semiconductors and nanostructures, metal organic frameworks, porous graphitic carbons, chemosensors and devices, and the applications in chemical sensors and nanodevices. These research endeavors aim to address critical problems in the fields of public safety, health, renewable energy and environment. The implementation of this research embodies a synergy among 'making', 'measuring', and 'manipulating', aimed at breaking down conventional barriers between chemistry, physics, and engineering. Engaged students will receive training across diverse disciplines, including chemical synthesis, physical characterization, materials science, and nanoscale engineering and processing. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to collaborate within cohesive teams across various campuses, honing teamwork skills and gaining familiarity with the intellectual and scientific methods essential for solving complex scientific problems.

Current Research Interests:
Molecular self-assembly, nanostructure and nanomaterial, organic nanofibers and nanodevices, surface nanopatterning, nanoscale imaging, nanojunction charge transfer, fluorescence sensor, chemiresistive sensor, optoelectronic sensor, trace level detection of explosives, toxic chemicals and water pollutants including PFAS, porous materials like metal organic frameworks (MOF), porous graphitic carbons (PGC), and application in extraction of lithium from brines.

Review papers published:
1.    Ling Zang*, Yanke Che, Jeffrey S. Moore*, One-Dimensional Self-Assembly of Planar pi-Conjugated Molecules: Adaptable Building-Blocks for Organic Nanodevices, Accounts of Chemical Research, a special issue on nanoscience, 41 (2008), 1596-1608.
2.    Ling Zang*, Interfacial Donor−Acceptor Engineering of Nanofiber Materials To Achieve Photoconductivity and Applications, Accounts of Chemical Research, 48 (2015) 2705-2714.
3.    Shuai Chen, Paul Slattum, Chuanyi Wang*, Ling Zang*, Self-Assembly of Perylene Imide Molecules into 1D Nanostructures: Methods, Morphologies and Applications, Chem. Rev., 115 (2015) 11967-11998.
4.    Shuai Chen*, Nan Gao, Benjamin R. Bunes, Ling Zang*, Tunable nanofibril heterojunctions for controlling interfacial charge transfer in chemiresistive gas sensors (invited Review), J. Mater. Chem. C, 7 (2019) 13709-13735.
5.    Zexu Xue, Shuai Chen*, Nan Gao, Yu Xue, Baoyang Lu, Olivia Anielle Watson, Ling Zang*, Jingkun Xu*, Structural Design and Applications of Stereoregular Fused Thiophenes and Their Oligomers and Polymers (Review), Polymer Reviews, 60 (2020) 318-358.
6.    Shuai Chen, Xueze Xu, Nan Gao, Xiaomei Yang, Ling Zang*, Perylene Diimide-based Fluorescent and Colorimetric Sensors for Environmental Detection (Invited Review), Sensors, 20 (2020) 917.
7.    Yu Xue, Shuai Chen*, Jiarui Yu, Benjamin R. Bunes, Zexu Xue, Jingkun Xu, Baoyang Lu*, and Ling Zang*, Nanostructured Conducting Polymers and Their Composites: Synthesis Methodologies, Morphologies and Applications (Review), J. Mater. Chem. C, 8 (2020) 10136-10159.
8.    Chenglong Liao, Jiangfan Shi, Miao Zhang, Rana Dalapati, Qingyun Tian, Shuai Chen,* Chuanyi Wang, Ling Zang*,Optical Chemosensors for Gas Phase Detection of Aldehydes: Mechanism, Material Design and Application (Review), Materials Advances, 2 (2021), 6213-6245, doi:10.1039/D1MA00341K
9.    Nan Gao, Jiarui Yu , Qingyun Tian, Jiangfan Shi, Miao Zhang, Shuai Chen, and Ling Zang*, Application of PEDOT:PSS and Its Composites in Electrochemical and Electronic Chemosensors (Invited Review), Chemosensors, 2021, 9 (4), 79.
10.    Miao Zhang, Jiangfan Shi, Chenglong Liao, Qingyun Tian, Chuanyi Wang, Shuai Chen*, Ling Zang*, Perylene Imide-based Optical Chemosensors for Vapor Detection (Invited Review), Chemosensors, 9 (2021) 1-26.
11.    Qingyun Tian, Shuai Chen*, Jiarui Yu, Miao Zhang, Nan Gao, Xiaomei Yang, Chuanyi Wang*, Xuemin Duan, Ling Zang*, Tunable Construction of Electrochemical Sensors for Chlorophenols Detection (Review). Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 10 (2022) 10171-10195. (highlighted as inside front cover)
12.    Shuai Chen*, Meng Zhou, Ling Zhu, Xiaomei Yang, and Ling Zang*, A Mini-review about Architectures and Mechanisms of Perylene Diimide-based Optical Chemosensors for pH Probing (invited review), Chemosensors, 11 (2023) 293.

A Research Example: Organic Nanofibers for Detecting Danger at Nanoscale: molecular design, self-assembly, 1D confinement and enhancement of optoelectronic properties, and application for optical/electrical sensing of explosives and other chemical threats. see Chem. Rev., 115 (2015) 11967-11998; Accounts of Chemical Research, 48 (2015) 2705-2714; Accounts of Chemical Research, 41 (2008) 1596-1608; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 132 (2010) 5743-5750; Nano Lett., 8 (2008) 2219-2223.

Tech transfer:
In collaboration with Gentex, we strive to transfer the functional materials and sensor technologies into real products to serve the public.

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

Department of Materials Science & Engineering

Department of
Materials Science & Engineering