Background

• Professor, University of South Carolina, 01/2023-present
• Assistant/Associate/Full Professor, University of Akron, 08/2012-12/2022
• Postdoc, University of California, Berkeley, 04/2010-07/2012

Education

• Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, 2010
• M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, 2005
• B.S., Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, 2002

Research Overview

Our research advances the molecular understanding and engineering of chemical processes to accelerate the electrification of chemical manufacturing and drive sustainable solutions for energy, water, and resource systems. By integrating heterogeneous catalysis, materials science, electrochemistry, and physical chemistry, we develop fundamental design principles for next-generation catalysts and electrochemical technologies through catalyst discovery, advanced materials synthesis, performance evaluation, and mechanistic investigations that elucidate structure–property–performance relationships. Our research encompasses electrochemical hydrogen technologies for clean energy conversion and storage, nonthermal plasma catalysis and reaction engineering, electrochemical desalination and separations, and sustainable recovery of critical materials. Through these efforts, we seek to advance transformative chemical process technologies that enable decarbonization, strengthen resource circularity, and address pressing global challenges in energy and environmental sustainability.

Selected Publications

•   P. Pishva, J. Y. Tang, Y. L. Zhu, J. Lauterbach, Z. M. Peng, Highly energy-efficient hydrogenolysis of high-density polyethylene via hydrogen nonthermal plasma reaction engineering, Green Chemistry, 2025, 27, 15161-15173.
• J. Y. Tang, J. L. Li, D. Z. Wu, R. X. Xie, Z. M. Peng, Ethylamine as a regenerative fuel for emission-free direct liquid fuel cell, Next Materials, 2025, 6, 100398.
• P. Pishva, J. L. Li, R. X. Xie, J. Y. Tang, P. Nandy, T. Farouk, J. H. Guo, Z. M. Peng, Nonthermal hydrogen plasma-enabled ambient, fast lignin hydrogenolysis to valuable chemicals and bio-oils, Chemical Engineering Journal, 2024, 501, 157776.
• X. Xie, D. Sun, J. Y. Tang, X. C. Shen, P. Pishva, Y. L. Zhu, K. Huang, Z. M. Peng, Ecofriendly, Highly Selective Lithium Extraction by Redox-Mediated Electrodialysis, ACS Central Science, 2024, 10, 2119-2124.
• Y. Tang, J. L. Li, P. Pishva, R. X. Xie, Z. M. Peng, Aqueous, Rechargeable Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier Battery for High-Capacity, Safe Energy Storage, ACS Energy Letters, 2023, 8, 3727-3732.
• L. Li, L. B. Yao, D. Z. Wu, J. King, S. S. C. Chuang, B. Liu, Z. M. Peng, Electrocatalytic Methane Oxidation to Ethanol on Iron-Nickel Hydroxide Nanosheets, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2022, 316, 121657.

See a full list on Google Scholar