Our research interests cover syntheses and high resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) studies of solid state materials including mixed metal oxides, oxide ion conductors, fuel cell materials, porous materials and nanomaterials. Recent research projects include early stage crystal growth and anodic metal oxides.

Our recent research on crystal growths of zeolite analcime, zeolite A and perovskites revealed a reversed crystal growth route. In the field of anodisation, we developed a new model of formation mechanism of the ordered pores in anodic metal oxides. Using the so-called Equifield Strength Model, most experimentally observed data can be explained. For the electron beam sensitive specimens, we successfully obtained HRTEM images from zeolite beta, which show the defects for accommodate silanol groups. HRTEM images have also been obtained from extremely beam sensitive metal organic frameworks and newly discovered C60/trimethylbenzene nanowires. We also developed several new nanomaterials including H₂Ti₃O₇ nanotubes, which can be synthesised by a simple reaction of any type of crystalline TiO₂ with a highly concentrated NaOH solution. Solid state NMR and ionic conductivity studies confirmed the existence of structural protons.

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1. Early stage reversed crystal growth of zeolite A and its phase transformation to sodalite, H. Greer, P. S. Wheatley, S. E. Ashbrook, R. E. Morris, W. Z. Zhou, J. Am. Chem. Soc ., 2009, 131, 17986-17992.
2. Chemically blockable transformation and ultra-selective low pressure gas adsorption in a non-porous metal organic framework, B. Xiao, P. J. Byrne, P. S. Wheatley, D. S. Wragg, X. B. Zhao, A. J. Fletcher, M. Thomas, L. Peters, J. S.O. Evans, J. E. Warren, W. Z. Zhou, R. E. Morris, Nature Chem ., 2009, 1, 289-294.
3. Formation Mechanism of Porous Anodic Aluminium and Titanium Oxides, Z. X. Su, W. Z. Zhou, Adv. Mater ., 2008, 20, 3663-3667.
4. Crystal structure and growth mechanism of unusually long fullerene (C60) nanowires, J. F. Geng, W. Z. Zhou, P. Skelton, W. B. Yue, I. A. Kinloch, A. H. Windle, B. F. G. Johnson, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 2527-2534.
5. Self-Construction of Core-Shell and Hollow Zeolite Analcime Icositetrahedra: A Reversed Crystal Growth Process via Oriented Aggregation of Nanocrystallites and Recrystallization from Surface to Core, X. Y. Chen, M. H. Qiao, S. H. Xie, K. N. Fan, W. Z. Zhou, H. Y. He, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129 . 13305-13312 (2007).
6. Disruption of extended defects in solid oxide fuel cell anodes for methane oxidation, J. C. Ruiz-Morales, J. Canales-Vázquez, C. Savaniu, D. Marrero-López, W. Zhou, J. T. S. Irvine, Nature, 2006, 439, 568-571.
7. Growth of porous single-crystal Cr₂O₃ in a 3-D mesopore system, K. Jiao, B. Zhang, B. Yue, Y. Ren, S. Liu, S. Yan, C. Dickinson, W. Zhou, H. He, Chem. Commun. 2005, 5618-5620.
8. Formation, Structure and Stability of Titanate Nanotubes and their Proton Conductivity, A. Thorne, A. Kruth, D. Tunstall, J. T. S. Irvine, W. Zhou, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2005, 109, 5439-5444.
9. Direct observation of growth defects in zeolite beta, P. A. Wright, W. Zhou, J. Perez-Pariente, M. Arranz, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 494–495.