Background:

Hongtao completed his B.Eng and M.Eng in Physical Metallurgy from Sichuan University, P. R. China. He then worked as a lecturer in Lanzhou University, China. His doctoral work at Queen Mary University of London was on processing and characterisation of lead-free ferroelectric ceramics with high Curie points for harsh environments. Subsequently he worked in the Department of Materials at Oxford University as a Research Fellow for more than six years. The projects involved “Smart materials using electrochemical energy storage devices” and “Manufacturing of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys for fission and fusion power”. Following this, Hongtao successfully gained a lecturing post at Loughborough University in 2014. He has been the Loughborough-China Materials Partnership (LCMP) Deputy Programme Director since 2017 and was made a Senior Lecturer in Functional Materials in 2022.

Qualifications:

• B.Eng, 1992, Sichuan University, China
• M.Eng, 1995, Sichuan University, China
• PhD, 2006, Queen Mary University of London, UK
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 2016

Outline of main research interests:

• Solid-state lithium ion batteries for energy storage applications
• Ferroelectric ceramics for energy storage and photocatalysis applications
• Ceramic matrix composites and high entropy alloys for nuclear applications
• Non-equilibrium processing of nanostructured metals and ceramics, such as mechanochemical synthesis, spark plasma sintering, cold sintering process
• Scalable and flexible energy storage devices produced by solution-based approaches, such as spray deposition, etc.

Current teaching responsibilities:

• DSA004 Technology in Industrial Design
• MPA322 Materials Applications
• MPB312 Materials processing
• MPC014 Materials in Service
• MPC114 Composites
• MPC103 Industrial case study
• MPP552/652 Design with engineering materials
• MPP554/654 Ceramics: processing and properties
• Supervision of final year/MSc projects

Current administrative responsibilities:

• Loughborough-China Materials Partnership (LCMP) Deputy Programme Director
• Tutor for undergraduates and LCMP students
• Research Area Lead for 'Advanced Materials'

Su, Y., Zhou, M., Sui, G., Lan, J., Zhang, H., Yang, X. (2020) Polyvinyl butyral composites containing halloysite nanotubes/reduced graphene oxide with high dielectric constant and low loss. Chemical Engineering Journal, 394. 10.1016/j.cej.2020.124910

Cao, J., Koval, V., Zhang, H., Lin, Y., Wu, J., Meng, N., Li, Y., Li, Z., Zhang, H., Yan, H. (2019) Crystal structure and electrical properties of textured Ba2Bi4Ti5O18 ceramics. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 39(4). 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2018.12.017

Hong, Z., Morrison, A.P.C., Zhang, H., Roberts, S.G., Grant, P.S. (2018) Development of a Novel Melt Spinning-Based Processing Route for Oxide Dispersion-Strengthened Steels. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science, 49(2). 10.1007/s11661-017-4398-x

Huang, Y., Zhang, H., Auger, M.A., Hong, Z., Ning, H., Gorley, M.J., Grant, P.S., Reece, M.J., Yan, H., Roberts, S.G. (2017) Microstructural comparison of effects of hafnium and titanium additions in spark-plasma-sintered Fe-based oxide-dispersion strengthened alloys. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 487. 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.030

Liu, T., Wang, L., Wang, C., Shen, H., Zhang, H. (2015) Feasibility of using Y2Ti2O7 nanoparticles to fabricate high strength oxide dispersion strengthened Fe-Cr-Al steels. Materials and Design, 88. 10.1016/j.matdes.2015.08.118

Zhang, H., Huang, Y., Ning, H., Williams, C.A., London, A.J., Dawson, K., Hong, Z., Gorley, M.J., Grovenor, C.R.M., Tatlock, G.J., Roberts, S.G., Reece, M.J., Yan, H., Grant, P.S. (2015) Processing and microstructure characterisation of oxide dispersion strengthened Fe-14Cr-0.4Ti-0.25Y2O3 ferritic steels fabricated by spark plasma sintering. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 464. 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.04.029

Zhang, H., Gorley, M.J., Chong, K.B., Fitzpatrick, M.E., Roberts, S.G., Grant, P.S. (2014) An in situ powder neutron diffraction study of nano-precipitate formation during processing of oxide-dispersion-strengthened ferritic steels. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 582. 10.1016/j.jallcom.2013.08.069

 View central publications database

External Collaborators: 

• Queen Mary University of London
• Oxford University

External roles and appointments: 

• External PhD Examiner for Hull University
• Active reviewers for multiple journals including: J. Physics D: Appl. Physics; Materials Research Bulletin; J. Am. Ceram. Soc; Ceramics International, J. Alloy & Compounds; Advances in Applied Ceramics, etc.

Personal affiliations: 

• Member, Institute of Physics