Associate Professor
Zhanying Zhang
Faculty of Engineering,
School of Mech., Medical & Process Engineering
Biography
Dr Zhanying Zhang is an Associate Professor of Bioprocess Engineering at the School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering (MMPE), and the Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy (CAB) at QUT. His primary research area focuses on bioprocessing and biorefining, with an emphasis on converting low-value agricultural biomass and food processing waste into sustainable high-value products. Early in his career, A/Prof Zhang developed solvent-based biomass pretreatment and processing technologies to convert agricultural biomass, such as sugarcane fibers, into fermentable sugars. These sugars served as precursors for the production of biofuels and biochemicals. Additionally, he pioneered technologies for processing municipal wastes, including sludge and textile waste, to facilitate resource recovery and the creation of value-added products. A/Prof Zhang’s current research concentrates on producing high-value functional food ingredients, such as dietary fibers and phenolic antioxidants, and high-value functional materials, including nanocellulose, biosilica, and carbon materials. One of his technologies is currently being commercialized by an industry partner, and two others are undergoing pilot-scale testing in preparation for scale-up and commercialisation. His ongoing research activities involve: (1) Producing exotic mushrooms using low-value agricultural biomass, (2) extracting functional food ingredients from mushrooms and food processing waste (such as brewer’s spent grain and grape pomace). (3) Developing advanced functional materials, including nanocellulose, biosilica, and carbon materials from agricultural biomass for polymer composites and energy storage applications. A/Prof Zhang’s research projects have primarily been funded through industry-related funding schemes, including the Sugar Research Australia funding program, the Rural R&D for Profit program, the Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship program, the Australian Research Council Linkage Program, the Fight Food Waste CRC, and the Future Food Systems CRC.Personal details
Positions
- Principal Research Fellow
Faculty of Engineering,
School of Mech., Medical & Process Engineering
Keywords
Lignocellulose, Bioprocessing, Biorefining, Nutraceuticals, Energy storage, Dietary fibres, Protein, Nanocellulose, Lignin, Carbon materials
Research field
Chemical Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- PhD (University of Adelaide)
- Masters of Engineering (Research)
Teaching
EGB160 - Process Principles (Unit Coordinator)
EGH 411 - Industrial Chemistry
Experience
A/Prof Zhang has extensive industry engagement experience. Industry partners have supported or currently support A/Prof Zhang for the development of lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment and biorefinery technologies to produce cellulosic biofuels and advanced materials (Syngenta, Sugar Research Australia, UPALA), the development of sludge processing technologies to improve sludge dewaterability and produce hydrochar (Meat & Livestock Australia, Queensland Urban Utilities), the development of extraction technologies to produce functional food ingredients from Brewer’s spent grain and food industry waste (Grainstone, Extracta) and the development of advanced cultivation systems to produce exotic mushrooms (Kenon). A/Prof Zhang’s research had led to real-world impact. In 2023, A/Prof Zhang received the VC’s Award for Excellence in Innovation and Creative Practice.
Publications
- Liu, X., Zhao, S., Chen, X., Han, X., Zhang, J., Wu, M., Song, X. & Zhang, Z. (2024). The effect of lignin molecular weight on the formation and properties of carbon quantum dots. Green Chemistry, 26(6), 3190–3201. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/247792
- Liu, S., Lian, J., Xu, Z., Shi, M., Zhao, Z. & Zhang, Z. (2022). Chitosan-coated nanoliposomes for efficient delivery of betanin with enhanced stability and bioavailability. Food Hydrocolloids, 132. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/234476
- Liu, Y., Li, W., Li, K., Annamalai, P., Pratt, S., Hassanpour, M., Lu, H. & Zhang, Z. (2022). Tailored production of lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils from sugarcane bagasse pretreated by acid-catalyzed alcohol solutions. Carbohydrate Polymers, 291. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/230541
- Zhang, P., Liu, S., Zhao, Z., You, L., Harrison, M. & Zhang, Z. (2021). Enzymatic acylation of cyanidin-3-glucoside with fatty acid methyl esters improves stability and antioxidant activity. Food Chemistry, 343. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/206076
- Hassanpour, M., Abbasabadi, M., Gebbie, L., Te'o, J., O'Hara, I. & Zhang, Z. (2020). Acid-catalyzed glycerol pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse: Understanding the properties of lignin and its effects on enzymatic hydrolysis. ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 8(28), 10380–10388. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/203780
- Wang, X., Cao, L., Lewis, R., Tubuxin, T., Zhang, Z. & Wang, H. (2020). Biorefining of sugarcane bagasse to fermentable sugars and surface oxygen group-rich hierarchical porous carbon for supercapacitors. Renewable Energy, 162, 2306–2317. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/206422
- Zhang, Z., Harrison, M., Rackemann, D., Doherty, W. & O'Hara, I. (2016). Organosolv pretreatment of plant biomass for enhanced enzymatic saccharification. Green Chemistry, 18(2), 360–381. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/91323
- Moghaddam, L., Zhang, Z., Wellard, R., Bartley, J., O'Hara, I. & Doherty, W. (2014). Characterisation of lignins isolated from sugarcane bagasse pretreated with acidified ethylene glycol and ionic liquids. Biomass and Bioenergy, 70, 498–512. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/88532
- Zhang, Z., O'Hara, I. & Doherty, W. (2013). Effects of pH on pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse using aqueous imidazolium ionic liquids. Green Chemistry, 15(2), 431–438. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/59873
- Zhang, Z., Wong, H., Albertson, P., Doherty, W. & O'Hara, I. (2013). Laboratory and pilot scale pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse by acidified aqueous glycerol solutions. Bioresource Technology, 138, 14–21. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/58821
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Zhanying, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Awards
- Type
- Editorial Role for an Academic Journal
- Reference year
- 2023
- Details
- Editor, Results in Engineering
- Type
- Other
- Reference year
- 2023
- Details
- Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence - Innovation and Creative Practice
- Type
- Fellowships
- Reference year
- 2018
- Details
- Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship
- Type
- Other
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Vice-Chancellor's Performance Award
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2015
- Details
- Mid-Career Researcher Award
Selected research projects
- Title
- ARC Research Hub for Value-Added Processing of Underutilised Carbon Waste
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- IH230100011
- Start year
- 2023
- Keywords
- Title
- Joint Research Centre for Biofuels and Biorefining
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- ACSRIV000053
- Start year
- 2022
- Keywords
- Title
- High Performance Bioderived Hybrid Fillers for Rubber Composite
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP200200965
- Start year
- 2021
- Keywords
- Title
- Wastes to Profits: Value Propositions for Better Management of Wastes in Animal Industry Supply Chains (4303)
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- V.RDP.3010
- Start year
- 2018
- Keywords
- Title
- A profitable future for Australian agriculture: Biorefineries for higher-value animal feeds, chemicals, and fuels (RnD4Profit 14-01-044) (4207)
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 2015/902
- Start year
- 2016
- Keywords
- Agriculture; Bioproducts; Biorefinery; Diversification; Value Chain
- Title
- Enhancing Sugarcane Growth and Yield by Biocontrol Agents/Biofertilizers (SRA ECR) (4260)
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 2014/402
- Start year
- 2016
- Keywords
- Biocontrol Agent; Biofertilizer; Fermentation; Sugarcane; Sugarcane Disease
- Title
- Revenue diversification from sugarcane fibre: novel technologies for the processing of bagasse for low-cost biofuels production
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- QUT051
- Start year
- 2011
- Keywords
- Pretreatment; Biofuels; Ethanol
Projects listed above are funded by Australian Competitive Grants. Projects funded from other sources are not listed due to confidentiality agreements.
Supervision
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Current supervisions
- Synthesis of Functional Bio-based Nanoparticles from Rice Husk for Agrochemical Delivery
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Ian O'Hara, Dr Morteza Hassanpour - Tailored production of hard carbon from lignin for high-performance sodium-ion batteries
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Hongxia Wang, Professor Cheng Yan - Innovative Biorefineries of Grape Pomace for Valuable Functional Food Ingredients
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Kameron Dunn - Production of nanocellulose-based photonic materials for advanced polymer composites applications
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam, Dr Changrong Shi - Functional Bio-Silica from Rice Husk for Synthesis of High-Performance Polymer Composites
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Cheng Yan, Dr Morteza Hassanpour
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Development of bioinspired multifunctional nanocomposites (2023)
- Hydrothermal treatment of sludge for dewaterability improvement and value-adding applications (2023)
- Biotransformation of Low-Value Sugarcane Molasses to High-Value Fructooligosaccharides as Functional Feed Prebiotics (2022)
- Development of an Integrated Process for Biogas Production from Sugarcane Trash (2022)
- Biorefining of Sugarcane Bagasse Based on Acid-Catalysed Glycerol Pretreatment (2021)
- Selective Catalytic Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass Components to Chemicals (2021)
- Customized hydrochar from biomass materials for water treatment (2020)
- Microbial Oil Production from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (2016)