Kailong successfully completed and passed his PhD defense on Feb. 26. Kailong earned his B.S. in 2017 from Northwest A&F University and his M.S. in 2020 from Shaanxi Normal University in China. In 2021, he began his PhD studies in the School of Natural Resources under the supervision of CRC Assistant Prof. Mi Li. Kailong’s research focuses on the functionalization of cellulose through templating cellulose with inorganic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) nanoparticles. His dissertation focuses on the synthesis and fabrication of cellulose/MOF hybrid materials for pollutant removal and detection, examination of the interfacial compatibility for scalable processing, and study of the fundamental interactions of inorganic nanoparticles with cellulose substrates. By bridging material science of cellulose and reticular chemistry of MOFs, his research provides a strategy of combining soft macromolecules with inorganic nanoparticles, and advances the development of high-performance multi-functional materials from renewable resources.

Best wishes to Dr. Zhang as he continues his career!