Dr. Zhu received her B.S. degree in Chongqing University and Ph.D. degree from Nanjing University. Then she joined the group of Prof. Rongchao Jin at Carnegie Mellon University as a postdoctoral researcher studying catalysis of atomically precise gold clusters. She has been a full-time professor at Nanjing University since 2017. Her research focuses on rational design and synthesis of atomically precise metal catalysts with exact atom packing structure, attainment of atomic-level information on the nature of metal catalysis, and precise control of well-defined heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts for the important chemical reactions. She has published more than 100 research papers in international journals, e.g., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew. Chem., Nature Commun. and ACS Catal. She received multiple awards with Distinguished Young Scholar of NSF, The Distinguished Lectureship Award of The Chemical Society of Japan, High-Level Entrepreneurial and Innovative Talent Introduction of Jiangsu Province, and Distinguished Woman Young Scientist of Jiangsu Province. She is also selected as young editorial board members for Nano Research, Physical Chemistry, and as editorial board members for Green Energy & Environment and Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry.

Prof. Zhu's research focuses on rational design and synthesis of atomically precise metal clusters with exact atom packing structure, attainment of atomic-level information on the nature of metal catalysis, and precise control of well-defined heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts for the important chemical reactions.

Selected Publications

1. T.Song, C.Shen, Y.Tian, Q.Zhai, S.Tang, Y. Zhu. A Heterodimeric Cluster-based Pair Catalyst for Electrochemical Synthesis of Cyclohexanone Oxime. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202507569.

2. X.Liu, J.Tang, F.Zhao, M.Zhou, S.Ye, D.Hong, Y.Tian, Y.Zhao, F.Tian, T.Song, X.Cai, Y.Tian, W.Zhang, Q.Li, Y.Zhu. Atomically Engineered Trimetallic Nanoclusters Towards Enhanced Photoluminescence and Photoinitiation Activity. Adv. Mater. 2025, 37, 2417984. 

3. T.Sun, B.Ge, S.Huang, X.Wang, Y.Tian, X.Cai, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Heterogeneous Catalysis of Molecular-Like Au8M(PPh3)8n+ Clusters Cultivated in Mesoporous SBA-15. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202420274.

4. X.Cai, Y.Tian, H.Wang, S.Huang, X.Liu, G.Li, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Catalytic N-Formylation of CO2 by Atomically Precise Au8Pd1(DPPF)42+ Clusters into a Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202414030.

5. G.Li, J.Hou, X.Lei, D.Li, E.Yu, W.Hu, X.Cai, X.Liu, M.Chen, Y.Zhu. Reactivity and Recyclability of Ligand-Protected Metal Cluster Catalysts for CO2 Transformation. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202216735.

6. X.Liu, X.Cai, Y.Zhu. Catalysis Synergism by Atomically Precise Bimetallic Nanoclusters Doped with Heteroatoms. Acc. Chem. Res. 2023, 56, 1528.

7. X.Cai, Y.Liu, G.Li, W.Hu, X.Liu, M.Chen, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. The functionalized heterogeneous catalyst from atomically precise Pd1Au8 cluster facilitates the carbon-carbon bond construction. Adv. Mater. 2023, 35, 2301466.

8. T.Song, Z.Yao, G.Li, X.Cai, X.Liu, Y.Wang, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Catalytic Activity Coupled with Structural Stability within a Heterodimeric Au29(SR)19 Cluster. ACS Catal. 2023, 13, 10878.

9. Q.Yuan, S.Huang, H.Lin, G.Saranya, W.Hu, G.Li, X.Cai, X.Liu, M.Chen, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Atomically Precise AgCu Clusters Affixed to SiO2 Aerogel for N-formylation of Amines. ACS Catal. 2023, 13, 16188.

10. X.Liu, E.Wang, M.Zhou, Y.Wan, Y.Zhang, H.Liu, Y.Zhao, J.Li, Y.Gao, Y.Zhu. Asymmetrically Doping a Platium Atom into a Au38 Nanocluster for Changing the Electron Configuration and Reactivity in Electrocatalysis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202207685.

11. G.Li, X.Sui, X.Cai, W.Hu, X.Liu, M.Chen, Y.Zhu. Precisely Constructed Silver Active Sites in Gold Nanoclusters for Chemical Fixation of CO2. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 10573.

12. Y.Sun, X.Liu, K.Xiao, Y.Zhu, M.Chen. Active-Site Tailoring of Gold Cluster Catalysts for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction. ACS Catal. 2021, 11, 11551.

13. X.Liu, W.Xu, X.Huang, E.Wang, X.Cai, Y.Zhao, J.Li, M.Xiao, C.Zhang, Y.Gao, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. De novo design of Au36(SR)24 nanoclusters. Nature Commun. 2020, 11, 3349.

14. X.Cai, W.Hu, S.Xu, D.Yang, M.Chen, M.Shu, R.Si, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Structural Relaxation Enabled by Internal Vacancy Available in a 24-atom Gold Cluster Reinforces Catalytic Reactivity. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 4141.

15. G.Li, W.Hu, Y.Sun, J.Xu, X.Cai, X.Cheng, Y.Zhang, A.Tang, X.Liu, M.Chen, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Reactivity and Lability of Modulated by a Valence Electron Moving in and out of 25-Atom Gold Nanoclusters. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 21135.

16. D.Yang, W.Pei, S.Zhou, J.Zhao, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Controllable Conversion of CO2 on Non-metallic Gold Clusters. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 1919.

17. X.Liu, G.Saranya, X.Huang, X.Cheng, R.Wang, M.Chen, C.Zhang, T.Li, Y.Zhu. Ag2Au50(PET)36 Nanocluster: Dimeric Assembly of Au25(PET)18 Enabled by Silver Atoms. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 13941.

18. X.Cai, G.Saranya, K.Shen, M.Chen, R.Si, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Reversible Switching of Catalytic Activity by Shuttling an Atom into and out of Au Nanoclusters. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 9964.

19. Y.Liu, X.Chai, X.Cai, M.Chen, R.Jin, W.Ding, Y.Zhu. Central Doping of a Foreign Atom into the Silver Cluster for Catalytic Conversion of CO2 toward C-C Bond Formation. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 9775.

20. Q.Li, J.C. Russell, T.Luo, X.Roy, N.L. Rosi, Y.Zhu, R.Jin. Modulating the Hierarchical Fibrous Assembly of Au Nanoparticles with Atomic Precision. Nature Commun. 2018, 9, 3871.

General Chemistry

Industrial Catalysis and Application