Introduction

Prof. Li’s research interests focus on the design, fabrication and characterization of high-performance metal matrix composites.

Biographical Information

Prof. Zan Li received his B.S. degree in Materials Physics from Nanjing University in 2011, and received his Ph.D. in Materials Science from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2017. He was a visiting scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory from 2015.10 to 2016.10. He joined Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2020.6 as an associate professor (tenure track), after being a post-doctoral researcher at this university for three years (from 2017.06 to 2020.05).

Research Interests

My research interests are the synthesis of high performance metal matrix composites and understanding the underlying mechanisms controlling the mechanical properties of the composites. State-of-the-art ex- and in-situ mechanical methods combined with computational modeling are usually employed as the major research tools. Current research subjects include improving the strength-ductility synergy of metal matrix composites through microstructural design, and additive manufacturing of metal matrix composites with high strength and ductility.

Selected Publications

1. Z. Li, Y. Zhang, Z. Zhang, Y.T. Cui, Q. Guo, P. Liu, S. Jin, G. Sha, K. Ding, Z.Q. Li, T. Fan, H.M. Urbassek, Q. Yu, T. Zhu, D. Zhang, Y.M. Wang, “A nanodispersion-in-nanograins strategy for ultra-strong, ductile and stable metal nanocomposites”. Nature Communications 13 (2022) 5581.
2. Z. Li, Y. Cui, W. Yan, D. Zhang, Y. Fang, Y. Chen, Q. Yu, G. Wang, H. Ouyang, C. Fan, Q. Guo, D.B. Xiong, S. Jin, G. Sha, N. Ghoniem, Z. Zhang, Y.M. Wang, “Enhanced strengthening and hardening via self-stabilized dislocation network in additively manufactured metals”. Materials Today 50 (2021) 79-88.
3. Z. Li, Z.Q. Li, Z. Tan, D.B. Xiong, Q. Guo, “Stress relaxation and the cellular structure-dependence of plastic deformation in additively manufactured AlSi10Mg alloys”. International Journal of Plasticity 127 (2020) 102640.
4. Z. Li, B. He, Q. Guo, “Strengthening and hardening mechanisms of additively manufactured stainless steels: The role of cell sizes”. Scripta Materialia 177 (2020) 17-21.
5. Z. Li, T. Voisin, J.T. McKeown, J. Ye, T. Braun, C. Kamath, W.E. King, Y.M. Wang, “Tensile properties, strain rate sensitivity, and activation volume of additively manufactured 316L stainless steels”. International Journal of Plasticity 120 (2019) 395-410.
6. Z. Li, H. Wang, Q. Guo, Z.Q. Li, D.B. Xiong, Y. Su, H. Gao, X. Li, D. Zhang. “Regain strain-hardening in high-strength metals by nanofiller incorporation at grain boundaries”. Nano Letters 18 (2018) 6255-6264.
7. Z. Li, X. Fu, Q. Guo, L. Zhao, G. Fan, Z.Q. Li, D.B. Xiong, Y. Su, D. Zhang. “Graphene quality dominated interface deformation behavior of graphene-metal composite: the defective is better”. International Journal of Plasticity 111 (2018) 253-265.
8. Y.M. Wang, T. Voisin, J.T. McKeown, J. Ye, N.P. Calta, Z. Li, Z. Zeng, Y. Zhang, W. Chen, T.T. Roehling, R.T. Ott, M.K. Santala, P.J. Depond, M.J. Matthews, A.V. Hamza, T. Zhu. “Additively manufactured hierarchical stainless steels with high strength and ductility”. Nature Materials 17 (2018) 63.
9. S. Feng, Q. Guo, Z. Li, G. Fan, Z.Q. Li, D.B. Xiong, Y. Su, Z. Tan, J. Zhang, D. Zhang. “Strengthening and toughening mechanisms in graphene-Al nanolaminated composite micro-pillars”. Acta Materialia 125 (2017) 98-108.
10. Z. Li, Q. Guo, Z.Q. Li, G.L. Fan, D.B. Xiong, Yishi Su, et al. “Enhanced mechanical properties of graphene (reduced graphene oxide)/aluminum composites with a bioinspired nanolaminated structure”. Nano Letters 15 (2015) 8077-8083.

Research Projects

National Natural Science Foundation of China (51801120 and 52171142) 

Honors & Awards

Excellent doctoral dissertation award of Chinese Society for Composite materials (5 per year)

Excellent doctoral dissertation award of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (13 per year)