Peng Zhang, Dalhousie University

Research

bio-inspired nanomaterials electrochemical catalysis fuel cells functional nanomaterials gold and silver nanoparticles single-atomic-site catalysts synchrotron radiation synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy

Latest papers

When Atoms Choose Their Neighbors: Element-Specific Views of Local Chemical Order in High-Entropy Alloys.
ACS nano · 2026 · senior author
Element-Specific Local Chemical Order of High-Entropy Nanoalloys.
ACS nano · 2025 · senior author
Pulsed laser-induced dewetting for the production of noble-metal high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles.
Nanoscale · 2025

All 72 publications

Latest funding

Camera for Transmission Electron Microscope
NSERC · 2024 · Co-investigator
$150,000
Shining the brightest light on functional nanomaterials
NSERC · 2019 · Principal investigator
$384,000
A light scattering instrument for characterization of (bio)molecule and supramolecular assembly size, shape and oligomerization state.
NSERC · 2015 · Co-investigator
$131,720

All 12 grants and awards

72 publications.

01

When Atoms Choose Their Neighbors: Element-Specific Views of Local Chemical Order in High-Entropy Alloys.

Morris D, Yao Y, Zhang P

ACS nano2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c21782 PMID: 41801183

02

Element-Specific Local Chemical Order of High-Entropy Nanoalloys.

Morris D, Li B, Yao Y, Huang Z, Shahbazian-Yassar R, Wang G, Hu L, Zhang P

ACS nano2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c06666 PMID: 40669870

03

Pulsed laser-induced dewetting for the production of noble-metal high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles.

Ghebretnsae S, Ziehl TJ, Purdy S, Zhang P, Sham TK, Shi Y

Nanoscale2025

DOI: 10.1039/d5nr00988j PMID: 40503995

04

Colloidal High Entropy Alloy Nanoparticles: Synthetic Strategies and Electrocatalytic Properties.

Joe Ziehl T, Zhang P

Chemphyschem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202400853 PMID: 39777842

05

Single-atom alloy structure and unique bonding properties of Au104Ag40(PET)60 nanoclusters.

Morris D, Du X, Jin R, Zhang P

Nanoscale2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1039/d4nr02688h PMID: 39109410

06

Sustainable H2O2 production via solution plasma catalysis.

Liang S, Wu Q, Wang C, Wang R, Li D, Xing Y, Jin D, Ma H, Liu Y, Zhang P, Zhang X

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2024

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2410504121 PMID: 39150782

07

New Insights into the ORR Catalysis on Pt Alloy Nanoparticles from an Element Specific d-Band Analysis.

Ziehl TJ, Li J, Sun S, Zhang P

The journal of physical chemistry letters2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c01912 PMID: 39109518

08

Unveiling the Nanocluster Conversion Pathway for Highly Monodisperse InAs Colloidal Quantum Dots.

Shin J, Choi M, Shim D, Ziehl TJ, Park S, Cho E, Zhang P, Lee H, Kang J, Jeong S

JACS Au2024

DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00809 PMID: 38559718

09

Structural Analysis of Single-Atom Catalysts by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy.

Chen Z, Walsh AG, Zhang P

Accounts of chemical research2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00693 PMID: 38334075

10

Detection and impact of short-range order in medium/high-entropy alloys.

Ziehl TJ, Morris D, Zhang P

iScience2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106209 PMID: 36923000

Camera for Transmission Electron Microscope

Co-investigatorNSERC2024Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Simpson, Alastair

Keywords: Collagen; Cytoskeleton; Electron Microscopy; Microbial Eukaryotes; Nanoparticles; Nutrient Stress; Organelles; Plant Development; Ultrastructure

$150,000

Shining the brightest light on functional nanomaterials

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zhang, Peng

Keywords: bio-inspired nanomaterials; electrochemical catalysis; fuel cells; functional nanomaterials; gold and silver nanoparticles; single-atomic-site catalysts; synchrotron radiation; synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy; X-ray absorption spectroscopy; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

$384,000

A light scattering instrument for characterization of (bio)molecule and supramolecular assembly size, shape and oligomerization state.

Co-investigatorNSERC2015Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Rainey, Jan

$131,720

Synchrotron X-ray Spectroscopy of Metal Nanostructures

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zhang, Peng

$170,000

Canadian Light Source Inc.

Co-investigatorNSERC2012Major Resources Support Program - Infrastructure

Principal investigators: Singh, Baljit B

$62,200,000

X-Ray Powder Diffractometer

Co-investigatorNSERC2012Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Obrovac, Mark

$149,554

Raman Spectrometer

Co-investigatorNSERC2012Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: White, MaryAnne

$141,441

Canadian light source inc.

Co-investigatorNSERC2009Major Resources Support Program - Infrastructure

Principal investigators: Hormes, Josef

$36,532,800

Tailoring the local/atomic structure and electronic properties of nanoparticles: from fundamental studies to potential applications in catalysis and biotechnology

Principal investigatorNSERC2009Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zhang, Peng

$135,000

Equipment for electron microscope image capture

Co-investigatorNSERC2008Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Meinertzhagen, Ian

$150,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Chemistry
Medical/Health Geography
Department of Medical Biophysics
Biomedical Engineering
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Co-authors at Dalhousie University, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Lu Wang

Medical/Health Geography

2 shared papers, latest 2018

Yujun Shi

Chemistry

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Michael Dunbar

Biomedical Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2010

Chenxi Qian

Department of Medical Biophysics

1 shared papers, latest 2017

Zheng-Hong Lu

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2017

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2019

Subject: Prospective PhD student: bio-inspired nanomaterials Dear Professor Zhang, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "When Atoms Choose Their Neighbors: Element-Specific Views of Local Chemical Order in High-Entropy Alloys." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Shining the brightest light on functional nanomaterials" (2019), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]