
PhD (University of Adelaide), Masters of Engineering (Research)
Dr Zhanying Zhang is a 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, Prof Zhang developed solvent-based biomass pretreatment and processing technologies to convert agricultural biomass, such as sugarcane fibers, into fermentable sugars for 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. His textile processing and resource recovery technology has been commercialised by an industry partner.
Prof. Zhang’s current research focuses on producing high-value functional food ingredients (dietary fibers, phenolic antioxidants, etc.) and high-value functional materials (nanocellulose, biosilica, biomass-derived hard carbon anodes, biomass-derived SiOx-carbon anodes, etc). His work in both functional food ingredients and battery anode materials receives strong support from industry partners.
Projects (Chief investigator)
- High Performance Bioderived Hybrid Fillers for Rubber Composite Production (LP200200965)
- Hydrothermal treatment of sludge for deep dewatering and producing hydrochar soil amendments
- Hydrothermal treatment of sludge for deep dewatering and soil application
- Joint Research Centre for Biofuels and Biorefining
Projects
Additional information
Prof Zhang has extensive industry engagement experience. Industry partners have supported or currently support 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). Prof Zhang’s research had led to real-world impact. In 2023, Prof Zhang received the VC’s Award for Excellence in Innovation and Creative Practice.
- Type
- Other
- Reference year
- 2023
- Details
- Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence - Innovation and Creative Practice
- Type
- Editorial Role for an Academic Journal
- Reference year
- 2023
- Details
- Editor, Results in Engineering
- Type
- Fellowships
- Reference year
- 2018
- Details
- Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship
- Type
- Visiting Professorships/Fellowships
- Reference year
- 2019
- Details
- Visiting professor
- Type
- Visiting Professorships/Fellowships
- Reference year
- 2018
- Details
- Visiting professor
- 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
- Title
- Developing Sustainable Hard Carbon for High Performance Sodium-Ion Battery
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP250102885
- Start year
- 2025
- Keywords
- Title
- Low-Cost Carbon Materials from Agricultural Biomass for Battery Anodes
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP240100202
- Start year
- 2025
- Keywords
- Title
- Biorefining of Brewer's Spent Grain into Novel Dietary Fibres
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP230201082
- Start year
- 2024
- Keywords
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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: Associate Professor Kameron Dunn - Production of nanocellulose-based photonic materials for advanced polymer composites applications
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam, Dr Morteza Hassanpour - Integrated Living Systems: Parametric Design and 3D Printing for Self-Sustaining Indoor Plant Ecosystems
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Julia Bally, Associate Professor Muge Fialho Leandro Alves Teixeira - Functional Bio-Silica from Rice Husk for Synthesis of High-Performance Polymer Composites
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Cheng Yan, Dr Morteza Hassanpour
- Production and Evaluation of Tailored Thermostable Enzyme Mixtures for Hydrolysis of Lignocellulose to Fermentable Sugars (2024)
- 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)