Xinghang Zhang Research Interests

Synthesis of nanomaterials

  1. ​Sputtering deposition of nanotwins, nanolayers, nanoporous metals
  2. Epitaxial metal films
  3. Sintering of nanostructured ceramics
  4. Rapid solidification, casting of advanced materials
  5. Severe plastic deformation

Radiation damage in nanostructured materials

  1. Radiation damage in nanocrystalline, nanotwinned metals; metallic nanolayers,
  2. nanowires, and nanoporous metals
  3. Radiation damage in bulk nanostructured steelsIn situ radiation studies in transmission electron microscope

Mechanical behavior of nanostructured metals

  1. Strengthening and deformation mechanisms in nanolayers,
  2. nanotwinned metals Mechanical behavior of bulk nanostructured metallic materials
  3. High strength Al alloys
  4. In situ nanomechanical testing in SEM and TEM
  5. Mechanical behavior of nanostructured ceramics

Functional materials

  1. Magnetic shape memory alloy thin films for sensor or actuator applications
  2. Hydrogen storage in nanostructured metals
  3. Advanced coatings

Awards & Honors

  • TMS Brimacombe medalist award, 2018
  • Gulf Oil/Thomas A. Dietz Career Development Professor, TAMU, 2014 - 2016.
  • College of Engineering Holleran-Bowman Faculty Fellow award, TAMU, 2014.
  • TEES (Texas Engineering Experiment Station) fellow, TAMU, 2013.
  • Outstanding graduate teaching award, Mechanical Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, 2009.

​Selected Publications

  1. S. Xue, W Kuo, Q. Li, Z. Fan, J. Ding, R. Su, H. Wang, X. Zhang, Texture-directed twin formation propensity in Al with high stacking fault energy, Acta Materialia 144, 226-234, 2018.
  2. J. Li, C Fan, Q Li, H. Wang, X. Zhang, In situ studies on irradiation resistance of nanoporous Au through temperature-jump tests, Acta Materialia 143, 30-42, 2018.
  3. Jin Li, C. Fan, Q. Li, H. Wang, X. Zhang, In situ studies on irradiation resistance of nanoporous Au through temperature-jump tests, Acta Materialia, Volume 143, 15 January 2018, Pages 30-42.
  4. C. Fan, Y. Chen, Jin Li, Jie Ding, H.Wang, X. Zhang, Defect evolution in heavy ion irradiated nanotwinned Cu with nanovoids, Journal of Nuclear Materials, 496 (2017) 293-300.
  5. Sichuang Xue, Zhe Fan, Olawale B. Lawal, Ramathasan Thevamaran, Qiang Li, Yue Liu, K.Y. Yu, Jian Wang, Edwin L. Thomas, Haiyan Wang & Xinghang Zhang, High-velocity projectile impact induced 9R phase in ultrafine-grained aluminium, NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | 8: 1653 | DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01729-4, 2017.
  6. C. Fan, Jin LI, Zhe Fan, H. Wang, and X. ZHANG, In Situ Studies on the Irradiation-Induced Twin Boundary-Defect Interactions in Cu, Metall. Trans. A, 2017, DOI: 10.1007/s11661-017-4293-5.
  7. Zhe Fan, Jin Li, Yingchao Yang, Jian Wang, Qiang Li, Sichuang Xue, Haiyan Wang, Jun Lou, Xinghang Zhang, “Ductile” Fracture of Metallic Glass Nanolaminates, Advanced Materials Interfaces, DOI: 10.1002/admi.201700510, 2017.
  8. Zhe Fan, Qiang Li, Jin Li, Sichuang Xue, Haiyan Wang, Xinghang Zhang, Tailoring plasticity of metallic glasses via interfaces in Cu/amorphous CuNb laminates, J. Mater. Research, 32 (2017) 2680-2689 (invited feature article).
  9. Meng Fan, Bruce Zhang, Han Wang, Jie Jian, Xing Sun, Jijie Huang, Leigang Li, Xinghang Zhang, Haiyan Wang, Self‐Organized Epitaxial Vertically Aligned Nanocomposites with Long‐Range Ordering Enabled by Substrate Nanotemplating, 29, 2017, Advanced Materials, DOI: 10.1002/adma.201606861.
  10. Z. Fan, Y Liu, S Xue, RM Rahimi, DF Bahr, H Wang, X Zhangc, Layer thickness dependent strain rate sensitivity of Cu/amorphous CuNb multilayer, Applied Physics Letters 110 (2017) 161905.
  11. M. Fan, B Zhang, H Wang, J Jian, X Sun, J Huang, L Li, X Zhang, H Wang, Self‐Organized Epitaxial Vertically Aligned Nanocomposites with Long‐Range Ordering Enabled by Substrate Nanotemplating, Advanced Materials, 10.1002/adma.201606861 (2017).
  12. Y. Chen, H Wang, MA Kirk, M Li, J Wang, X. Zhangc, Radiation induced detwinning in nanotwinned Cu, Scripta Materialia 130 (2017) 37-41.
  13. J. Li, C Fan, J Ding, S Xue, Y Chen, Q Li, H Wang, X. Zhangc, In situ heavy ion irradiation studies of nanopore shrinkage and enhanced radiation tolerance of nanoporous Au, Scientific Reports 7, 2017.
  14. Jin Li, Y. Chen, H. Wang,  X. Zhangc, In Situ Studies on Twin-Thickness-Dependent Distribution of Defect Clusters in Heavy Ion-Irradiated Nanotwinned Ag, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 48 (2017) 1466.
  15. Y. Chen, H. Wang, MA Kirk, M. Li, J. Wang, and X. Zhang, Radiation induced detwinning in nanotwinned Cu, Scripta Materialia 130 (2017) 37-41.
  16. J Li, C Fan, J Ding, S Xue, Y Chen, Q Li, H Wang, X. Zhangc, In situ heavy ion irradiation studies of nanopore shrinkage and enhanced radiation tolerance of nanoporous Au, Scientific Reports 7, 2017.
  17. J Li, Y Chen, H Wang, X Zhang, In Situ Studies on Twin-Thickness-Dependent Distribution of Defect Clusters in Heavy Ion-Irradiated Nanotwinned Ag, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 1-8, 2016.
  18. K Yu, Y Chen, J Li, Y Liu, H Wang, MA Kirk, M Li, X Zhang, Measurement of heavy ion irradiation induced in-plane strain in patterned face-centered-cubic metal films: an in situ study, Nano Letters, 2016, 16 (12), pp 7481–7489.
  19. Y Chen, J Li, KY Yu, H Wang, MA Kirk, M Li, X Zhang, In situ studies on radiation tolerance of nanotwinned Cu, Acta Mater., 111 (2016) 148-156.
  20. Jin Li, Y Chen, S Xue, H Wang, X Zhang, Comparison of size dependent strengthening mechanisms in Ag/Fe and Ag/Ni multilayers, Acta Materialia,114 (2016) 154.
  21. Z. Fan, S. Xue, J. Wang, K.Y. Yu, H. Wang, X. Zhang, Unusual size dependent strengthening mechanisms of Cu/amorphous CuNb multilayers, Acta Materialia 120 (2016) 327-336.
  22. Jin Li, Y. Chen, S. Xue, H. Wang, X. Zhang, Comparison of size dependent strengthening mechanisms in Ag/Fe and Ag/Ni multilayers, Acta Materialia 114 (2016) 154-163.
  23. J Jian, JH Lee, Y Liu, F Khatkhatay, K Yu, Q Su, X Zhang, L Jiao, H Wang, Plastic deformation in nanocrystalline TiN at ultra-low stress: An in situ nanoindentation study, Materials Science and Engineering: A 650 (2016) 445-453.
  24. M Song, C Sun, Z Fan, Y Chen, R Zhu, KY Yu, KT Hartwig, H Wang, X. Zhang, A roadmap for tailoring the strength and ductility of ferritic/martensitic T91 steel via thermo-mechanical treatment, Acta Materialia 112 (2016) 361-377.
  25. C Sun, S Zheng, CC Wei, Y Wu, L Shao, Y Yang, KT Hartwig, SA Maloy, SJ Zinkle, TR Allen, H Wang, and X Zhang, Superior radiation-resistant nanoengineered austenitic 304L stainless steel for applications in extreme radiation environments, Scientific Reports, 5. 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep07801.
  26. Y. Chen, K.Y. Yu, Y. Liu, S. Shao, H. Wang, M.A. Kirk, J. Wang and X. Zhang, Damage tolerant nanotwinned metals with nanovoidsunder radiation environments, Nature Communications, Volume 6, Article number 7036, DOI:doi:10.1038/ncomms8036, 2015.
  27. Jin Li, Kaiyuan Yu, Youxing Chen, Miao Song, Haiyan Wang, Kirk Mark, Meimei Li, Xinghang Zhang, In situ Study of Defect Migration Kinetics and Self-Healing of Twin Boundaries in Heavy Ion Irradiated Nanotwinned Metals, Nano Letters,Mar. 2015, DOI: 10.1021/nl504677z.
  28. Y. Chen, Y. Liu, E.G. Fu, C. Sun, K.Y. Yu, M. Song, Jin Li, Y.Q. Wang, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, Unusual size dependentstrengthening mechanisms in helium ion irradiated immiscible coherent Cu/Conanolayers, Acta Materialia, 84 (2015) 393-404.
  29. Byung-Gil Yoo, Steven T. Boles, Y. Liu, X. Zhang, Ruth Schwaiger, Christoph Eberl, Oliver Kraft, Quantitative damage and detwinning analysis of nanotwinned copper foil undercyclic loading, Acta Materialia, 81 (2014) 184-193.
  30. D. Bufford, Y. Liu, J. Wang, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, In situ nanoindentation study onplasticity and work hardening in twinned aluminum with high density incoherent twin boundaries, Nature Communications, 5, 2014. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5864.
  31. Irene J. Beyerlein, Xinghang Zhang, and Amit Misra, Growth twins and deformation twins in metals, Annual Review of Materials Research, 44 (2014) 329-363.
  32. Y. Liu, J. Jian, Y. Chen, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, Plasticity and ultra-low stressinduced twin boundary migration in nanotwinned Cu by in situ nanoindentationstudies, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 104, 231910 (2014).
  33. K.Y. Yu, Z. Fan, Y. Chen, M. Song, Y. Liu, H. Wang, M.A. Kirk, M. Li and X. Zhang, In situ Observation of Defect Annihilation in Kr Ion-Irradiated Bulk Fe/Amorphous-Fe2 Zr Nanocomposite Alloy, Materials Research Letters, 3 (2015) 35-42.
  34. M. Song, Y. D.Wu, D. Chen, X. M. Wang, C. Sun, K.Y. Yu, Y. Chen, L. Shao, Y.Yang, K. T. Hartwig, and X. Zhang, Response of equal channel angular extrusion processed ultrafine grained T91steel subjected to high temperature heavy ion irradiation, Acta Materialia, 74 (2014) 285-295.
  35. Y. Liu, J. Jian, J. H. Lee, C. Wang, Q.P. Cao, C. Gutierrez, H. Wang, J. Z. Jiang, and X. Zhang, Repetitiveultra-low stress induced nanocrystallization in amorphous Cu-Zr-Al alloyevidenced by in situ nanoindentation, Materials Research Letters, 2 (2014) 209.
  36. B Ham, A Junkew, D Bufford, R Arróyave, X Zhang, Fabrication of porous and pillar-shaped Mg by magnetron sputtering, Thin Solid Films, 550 (2014) 220–226.
  37. B. Ham, A. Junkaew, R. Arroyave, J. Park, H.-C. Zhou, D. Foley, S. Rios, H. Wang, X. Zhang, “Size and stress dependent hydrogen desorption in metastableMg hydride films”, International Journal of Hydrogen energy 39 (2014) 2597-2607.
  38. Y. Liu, I. Karaman, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, Two types of martensitic phasetransformations in magnetic shape memory alloys by in-situ nanoindentation studies, Advanced Materials, DOI: 10.1002/adma.201400217.
  39. Y. Chen, L. Jiao, C. Sun, M. Song, K.Y. Yu, Y. Liu, M. Kirk, M. Li, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, In situstudies of Kr ion irradiation response of Fe/Y2O3 nanolayers, J. Nuclear Materials, 452 (2014) 321.
  40. KY Yu, D Bufford, Y Chen, Y Liu, H Wang, X Zhang, Basic criteria for formation of growth twins in high stacking fault energy metals, Applied Physics Letters103 (18), 181903, 2014
  41. C Sun, DW Brown, B Clausen, DC Foley, KY Yu, Y Chen, SA Maloy, KT Hartwig, H Wang and X. Zhang, In situ neutrondiffraction study on temperature dependent deformation mechanisms of ultrafinegrained austenitic Fe–14Cr–16Ni alloy, International Journal of Plasticity 53, 125-134, 2014.
  42. C. Sun, J. Ma, K. T. Hartwig, S. A. Maloy, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, “Temperature and grain size dependent plastic instability and strain ratesensitivity of ultrafine grained austenitic Fe-14Cr-16Ni alloy, Materials Science and Engineering, A, 597 (2014) 415.
  43. Y. Liu, J. Hay, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, “A new method for reliabledetermination of strain-rate sensitivity of low-dimensional metallic materialsby using nanoindentation”, Scripta Materialia, Volume 77, 15 April 2014, 5-8. (Top 25 most downloaded article in June 2014).
  44. C. Sun, D. Bufford, Y. Chen, M. A. Kirk, Y.Q. Wang, M. Li, H. Wang, S. Maloy, and X. Zhang, “In situ study of defect migrationkinetics in nanoporous Ag with enhanced radiation tolerance”, Scientific Report, 4 (2014) 3737 (doi:10.1038/srep03737).
  45. K. Y. Yu, D. Bufford, Y. Chen, Y. Liu, H. Wang, X. Zhang, "Basic criteria for formation of growth twins in high stacking fault energy metals", Applied Physics Letters, 103, 181903 (2013).
  46. B. Ham, A. Junkaew, R. Arroyave, J. Chen, H. Wang, P. Wang, J. Majewski, J. Park, H.C. Zhou, R.K. Arvapally, U. Kaipa, M.A. Omary, X.Y. Zhang, Y. Ren, X. Zhang, "Hydrogen sorption in orthorhombic Mg hydride at ultra-low temperature", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 38, 8328-8341, (2013). (Downloaded more than 570 times)
  47. C. Sun, D. W. Brown, B. Clausen, D. C. Foley, K. Y. Yu, Y. Chen, S. Maloy, K. T. Hartwig, H. Wang, X. Zhang, “In situ neutron diffraction study on temperature dependent deformation mechanisms of ultrafine grained austenitic Fe-14Cr-16Ni alloy”, Int. J. Plasticity, 53, 125-134, 2014.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijplas.2013.07.007
  48. K.Y. Yu, Y. Liu, Y. Chen, C. Sun, H. Wang, M.A. Kirk, M. Li, X. Zhang, "Superior tolerance of Ag/Ni multilayers against Kr ion irradiation: an in situ study", Philosophical Magazine, 93 (2013) 3547-3562 (downloaded more than 100 times).
  49. K.Y. Yu, Y. Liu, S. Rios, H. Wang, X. Zhang, "Strengthening mechanisms of immiscible Ag/Ni multilayers with fcc/fcc interface", Surface & Coatings Technology, 237 (2013) 269–275.
  50. K.Y. Yu, D. Bufford, F. Khatkhatay, H. Wang, M.A. Kirk, X. Zhang, "In situ studies of irradiation induced twin boundary migration in nanotwinned Ag", Scripta Materialia, 69 (2013) 385 .
  51. K.Y. Yu, Y. Liu, E. Fu, Y. Wang, M. Myers, H. Wang, L. Shao, X. Zhang, "Comparisons of radiation damage in He ion and proton irradiated immiscible Ag/Ni nanolayers ", Journal of Nuclear Materials, 440 (2013) 310–318.
  52. K. Y. Yu, D. Bufford, C. Sun, Y. Liu, H. Wang, M. A. Kirk, M. Li and X. Zhang, “Removal of stacking fault tetrahedra by twin boundaries in nanotwinned Ag”, Nature Communication, 4:1377, 2013.
  53. D. Bufford, Y. Liu, Y. Zhu, Z. Bi, Q.X. Jia, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, “Formation mechanisms of high-density growth twins in aluminum with high stacking fault energy”, Materials Research Letters, 1 (2013) 51-60. (Downloaded over 870 times)
  54. Joon Hwan Lee, Troy B. Holland, Amiya K. Mukherjee, Xinghang Zhang, Haiyan Wang "Direct observation of Lomer-Cottrell Locks during strain hardening in nanocrystalline nickel by in situ TEM", Scientific Report, 3 : 1061 2013.
  55. E. G. Fu, H. Wang, J. Carter, Lin Shao, Y. Q. Wang and X. Zhang, Fluence-dependent radiation damage in helium (He) ion-irradiated Cu/V multilayers, Philosophical Magazine, DOI:10.1080/14786435.2012.735773, 93 (2013) 883-898. (Downloaded over 600 times)
  56. C. Sun, M. Song, K. Y. Yu, Y. Chen, M. A. Kirk, M. Li, H. Wang, X. Zhang, In situ evidence of defect cluster absorption by grain boundaries in irradiated nanocrystalline Ni, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 43 (2013) 1966-1974.
  57. Y. Liu, Y. Chen, K. Yu, H. Wang, J. Chen, and X. Zhang, “Stacking fault and partial dislocation dominated strengthening mechanisms in highly textured Cu/Co multilayers”, Int. J. Plasticity, 49 (2013) 152-163.
  58. X. Zhang and A. Misra, Superior thermal stability of coherent twin boundaries in nanotwinned metals, Scripta Mater. 66 (2012) 860–865. (view point).
  59. Y. Chen, Y. Liu, C. Sun, K.Y. Yu, M. Song, H. Wang, X. Zhang, “Microstructure and strengthening mechanisms in Cu/Fe multilayers”, Acta Mater., 60 (2012) 6312–6321.
  60. D. Bufford, Z. Bi, Q. X. Jia, H. Wang, and X. Zhang, “Nanotwins and stacking faults in high-strength epitaxial Ag/Al multilayer films”, Appl. Phys. Letter, 101, 223112 (2012).
  61. Y. Chen, Y. Liu, F. Khatkhatay, C. Sun, H. Wang and X. Zhang, “Significant enhancement in the thermal stability of nanocrystalline metals via immiscible tri-phases”, Scripta Mater., 67 (2012) 177–180.
  62. Y. Liu, D. Bufford, S. Rios, H. Wang, J. Chen, J. Y. Zhang, and X. Zhang, “A formation mechanism for ultra-thin nanotwins in highly textured Cu/Ni multilayers”, J. Appl. Phys., 111, 073526 (2012).
  63. C. Sun, K. Y. Yu, J. H. Lee, Y. Liu, H.Wang, L. Shao, S. A. Maloy, K.T. Hartwig and X. Zhang, “Enhanced radiation tolerance of ultrafine grained Fe-Cr-Ni alloy”, J. Nuclear Mater., 420 (2012) 235-240.
  64. K. Y. Yu, Y. Liu, C. Sun, H. Wang, L. Shao, E. G. Fu, and X. Zhang, “Radiation Damage in Helium Ion Irradiated Nanocrystalline Fe”, J. Nuclear Mater., 425 (2012) 140–146.
  65. X. Zhang, E. Fu, N. Li, A. Misra, Y.Q. Wang, L. Shao, and H. Wang, Design of Radiation Tolerant Nanostructured Metallic Multilayers, Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology, 134, 041010-1, (2012) (review).
  66. N. Li, J. Wang, J.Y. Huang, A. Misra and X. Zhang, “Influence of slip transmission on the migration of incoherent twin boundaries in epitaxial nanotwinned Cu”, Scripta Mater. 64 (2011) 149–152.
  67. N. Li, J. Wang, A. Misra, X. Zhang, J.Y. Huang and J.P. Hirth, “Twinning dislocation multiplication at a coherent twin boundary”, Acta Mater. 59 (2011) 5989-5996.
  68. Y. Liu, D. Bufford, H. Wang, C. Sun, X. Zhang, “Mechanical properties of highly textured Cu/Ni multilayers”, Acta Mater., 59 (2011) 1924-1933.
  69. Nan Li, J.J. Carter, A. Misra, L. Shao, H. Wang and X. Zhang, “The influence of interfaces on the formation of bubbles in He-ion-irradiated Cu/Mo nanolayers”, Philosophical Magazine Letters, 91 (2011) 19–29. (Downloaded > 150 times)
  70. D. Bufford, H. Wang, X. Zhang, “High strength, epitaxial nanotwinned Ag films”, Acta Mater. 59 (2011) 93–101.
  71. B. Ham, X. Zhang, “High strength Mg/Nb nanolayer composites”, Materials Science and Engineering A 528 (2011) 2028–2033.
  72. E. G. Fu, A. Misra, H. Wang. L. Shao, and X. Zhang, “Interface enabled defects reduction in helium ion irradiated Cu/V nanolayers”, J. Nuclear Mater., 407 (2010) 178–188.
  73. O. Anderoglu, A. Misra, J. Wang, R.G. Hoagland, J.P. Hirth, and X. Zhang, “Plastic flow stability of nanotwinned Cu foils”, Int. J. Plasticity, 26 (2010) 875–886.
  74. S. Rios, I. Karaman, and X. Zhang, “Crystallization and high temperature shape memory behavior of sputter-deposited NiMnCoIn thin films”, Applied Physics Letters, 96, 173102 (2010).
  75. Nan Li, J. Wang, J.Y. Huang, A. Misra and X. Zhang, “In situ TEM observations of room temperature dislocation climb at interfaces in nanolayered Al/Nb composites” Scripta Mater. 63 (2010) 363–366.
  76. Joon Hwan Lee, Ickchan Kim, Dustin M. Hulbert, Dongtao Jiang, Amiya K. Mukherjee, Xinghang Zhang and Haiyan Wang, Grain and Grain Boundary Activities Observed in Alumina-Zirconia-Magnesia Spinel Nanocomposites by in situ Nanoindentation in a Transmission Electron Microscope, Acta Mater., 58, 4891-4899, 2010.