Assoc. Prof. Dr Zhongnan Wang | Soft Materials | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zhongnan Wang is a leading researcher in biotribology and nanomaterials, currently based at Beijing Jiaotong University 🇨🇳. He holds dual Ph.D. degrees from the University of Warwick and Harbin Institute of Technology 🎓. His interdisciplinary research focuses on hydrogel nanocomposites, MEMS, superlubricity, and biomedical coatings 🧫🩻. With 3 patents, 50+ SCI publications 📚, and editorial roles in top journals, Dr. Wang is driving innovation in medical devices, sensor tech, and wear-resistant systems 🤖💡. His work bridges advanced mechanics and biomedical applications, making him a pioneer in sustainable and intelligent material design 🌱🔍.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Zhongnan Wang, Beijing Jiaotong University, China

Profile

ORCID

SCOPUS

🎓 Education

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zhongnan Wang holds dual Ph.D. degrees in Engineering from the University of Warwick 🇬🇧 (2017) and in Mechatronic Engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology 🇨🇳 (2016), demonstrating a strong international academic foundation. He earned his Master’s degree in Engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology in 2009 and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Northeast Agricultural University in 2006. His interdisciplinary education bridges mechanical systems, automation, and materials science 🧪⚙️🧠, equipping him with robust theoretical knowledge and practical skills to lead innovation in advanced tribology, sensors, and hydrogel materials.

🏫 Experience

Dr. Zhongnan Wang has been serving as an Associate Professor at the School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University since March 2020 🏫⚙️. Prior to this, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the prestigious State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University from August 2017 to November 2019 🔬🇨🇳. During his postdoctoral tenure, he focused on cutting-edge tribology, nanomaterials, and bio-inspired lubricating systems 🧪💧. His academic career bridges theory and real-world applications in biomechanics, MEMS, and hydrogel development, making him a strong leader in engineering research 🌟📈.

🏅 Honors

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zhongnan Wang has been recognized for his academic excellence and editorial leadership. He currently serves as Associate Editor of the Open Access Journal of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (2025–present) and Guest Editor for Lubricants (2025–present). He is also an Editorial Board Member for International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (2024–2027) and Materials Science and Technology (2023–2026). Since 2021, he’s served as a Topic Editor for Materials. As an active reviewer for top journals including ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Langmuir, and Scientific Reports, Dr. Wang is widely respected in the global research community.

🧪 Patents

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zhongnan Wang is revolutionizing soft material science through the development of smart composite hydrogels with advanced lubrication and mechanical properties. His patented inventions include a multi-functional hydrogel designed for biomedical and wearable applications (ZL202210451596.1) and a dopamine-modified nanocomposite hydrogel offering enhanced adhesion and resilience (ZL202310234681.7) ⚙️🦾. These hydrogels mimic biological tissue behavior and hold promise for artificial joints, flexible electronics, and bioinspired robotics. His work bridges materials engineering with biomedicine, paving the way for next-generation smart interfaces and soft actuators 🚀🧠🧤.

🔬 Research Focus

Dr. Zhongnan Wang’s research spans the cutting edge of biotribology, focusing on the mechanical and lubricating properties of hydrogels for biomedical applications 🧬💧. His work in MEMS devices involves developing advanced sensors and actuators for precise mechanical control and detection ⚙️📡. He specializes in micro/nanotribology, investigating friction and wear at the molecular scale 🔍🧲, and employs advanced material characterization techniques to analyze surface interactions and smart coatings. His interdisciplinary studies integrate nanotechnology, soft materials, and biomechanics to create next-generation solutions for artificial joints, robotics, and smart materials 🤖🩻🌟.

📚 Publications

Sensor for a solid–liquid tribological system
Authors: Ruize Zhang, Zeyang Yu, Zhikai Fan, Shanshan Wang, Yihui Xiang, Yanfei Liu*, Zhongnan Wang*
Journal: Sensors, 2025, Vol. 25, Article 437

A bilayer composite hydrogel with simultaneous high load bearing and superior lubrication by dopamine modified nano-hydroxyapatite
Authors: Zhongnan Wang*, Hui Guo, Ji Zhang, Yi Qian, Fanjie Meng, Yueshan Mu
Journal: Surfaces and Interfaces, 2024, Vol. 51, 104680

Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials in Hydrogels and Their Potential Bio-Applications
Authors: Zhongnan Wang, Hui Guo, Ji Zhang, Yi Qian, Yanfei Liu*
Journal: Lubricants, 2024, Vol. 12, Article 149

Electric Potential Controlled Ionic Lubrication
Authors: Zhongnan Wang, Hui Guo, Sudesh Singh, Vahid Adibnia, Hongjiang He, Fang Kang, Ye Yang, Chenxu Liu, Tianyi Han*, Chenhui Zhang
Journal: Lubricants, 2024, Vol. 12, Article 214

Preparation and Properties of Nanocomposite Hydrogel with Dopamine Modification
Authors: Zhongnan Wang*, Hui Guo, Yueshan Mu
Journal: Chinese Journal of Materials Research, 2024, Vol. 38(4), pp. 269–278

Low-Friction Hybrid Hydrogel with Excellent Mechanical Properties for Simulating Articular Cartilage Movement
Authors: Zhongnan Wang*, Fanjie Meng, Yue Zhang, Hui Guo
Journal: Langmuir, 2023, Vol. 39(6), pp. 2368–2379

Tribological Investigation of a Mixed Solution with Superlubricity Achieved
Authors: Fanjie Meng, Zhongnan Wang, Qiuying Chang, Zhiyuan Wang, Jianwen Zhang, Xu Geng
Journal: Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2022, Vol. 58(11), pp. 210–219

Prof. Dr Haigen Gao | Functional Materials | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Haigen Gao is a renowned materials scientist at Panzhihua University, China, specializing in computational materials science 🧠🧪. He earned his Ph.D. from Nanjing University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Tsinghua University 🎓🔬. His cutting-edge research uses density functional theory (DFT) to predict and design multiferroic and ferroelectric materials ⚛️📊. As a chief scientist for the NSFC 🇨🇳 and author of numerous high-impact publications and patents 📚📈, Prof. Gao combines theoretical depth with real-world application. His work plays a pivotal role in the development of advanced functional materials for next-generation technologies 🧲🧱.

🎓 Education

Prof. Haigen Gao holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Nanjing University, one of China’s premier institutions for scientific research 🧪🎓. Following his doctoral studies, he completed a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at Tsinghua University, widely recognized as one of the top engineering universities in the world 🌏🏛️. His academic training provided him with a strong foundation in theoretical modeling and materials design 🧠📘. This high-level education equipped him to lead innovative research in computational materials science and physical property prediction 🔬📈. Prof. Gao’s scholarly path reflects a blend of academic excellence and scientific ambition 🌟🧑‍🔬

💼 Experience

Prof. Haigen Gao is an accomplished materials scientist at Panzhihua University, with a strong academic and research background 🏫🔬. He earned his Ph.D. from Nanjing University and completed a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at Tsinghua University, one of China’s top institutions 🎓🇨🇳. Currently, he serves as Chief Scientist on projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, leading innovative efforts in materials research 🧪🌍. His expertise centers on theoretical prediction and design of new materials and exploring their physical properties through advanced computational methods 🧠📊. Prof. Gao blends theory with application, driving discovery in modern materials science ⚙️💡.

🧲 Scientific Contributions

He has made significant advancements in 2D multiferroic materials by using density functional theory (DFT) to design stable structures based on BaTiO₃ ⚛️💡. His work revealed that Ni substitution at Ti sites can effectively induce strong coupling between electric and spin orders, overcoming limitations from Ba site distortion and experimental challenges with Ti site replacements 🔬🌀. The resulting magnetoelectric coupling coefficient exceeds 10 V/cm·Oe, outperforming traditional composite systems 📈🔋. These insights offer a promising route for next-generation multifunctional materials used in sensors, memory devices, and spintronics 🧠💾🔧.

🔬 Research Focus

The research focus centers on multiferroic and ferroelectric materials, which exhibit unique combinations of electric, magnetic, and structural properties 🔋🧲🧪. These materials play a crucial role in the development of next-generation memory devices, sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters 💾🎯⚡. The work involves understanding domain dynamics, phase transitions, and structure-property relationships at both nano and macro scales 🔍🔬. By integrating experimental techniques and theoretical modeling, the aim is to design smart, tunable materials for applications in electronics, spintronics, and green technologies 🖥️🔄🌱. This research contributes to advancing miniaturization and multifunctionality in modern electronic systems 📱💡.