Zexu Zhao

Dr. Zexu Zhao

Hunan University, Changsha, Guangdong, China
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 July 2021 in Journal of Energy Chemistry
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
YWYaya Wang
Yaya Wang
ZZZexu Zhao
Zexu Zhao
WZWei Zeng
Wei Zeng
XLXingbo Liu
Xingbo Liu
LWLei Wang
Lei Wang
BLBingan Lu
Bingan Lu

8 June 2021 in Energy & Environmental Materials
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
YWYaya Wang
Yaya Wang
ZZZexu Zhao
Zexu Zhao
JZJiang Zhong
Jiang Zhong
TWTao Wang
Tao Wang
LWLei Wang
Lei Wang
JZJian Zhu
Jian Zhu
Commercial Cu and Al current collectors for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) possess high electrical conductivity, suitable chemical and electrochemical stability. However, the relatively flat surface of traditional current collectors causes weak bonding strength and poor electrochemical contact between current collectors and electrode materials, resulting in potential detachment of active materials and rapid capacity degradation during extended cycling. Here, we report an ultrafast femtosecond laser strategy to manufacture hierarchical micro/nanostructures on commercial Al and Cu foils as current collectors for high‐performance LIBs. The hierarchically micro/nanostructured current collectors (HMNCCs) with high surface area and roughness offer strong adhesion to active materials, fast electronic delivery of entire electrodes, significantly improving reversible capacities and cyclic stability of HMNCCs based LIBs. Consequently, LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523) cathode with Al HMNCC generated a high reversible capacity after 200 cycles (25% higher than that of cathode with Al CC). Besides, graphite anode with Cu HMNCC also maintained prominent reversible capacity even after 600 cycles. Moreover, the full cell assembled by graphite anode with Cu HMNCC and NCM523 cathode with Al HMNCC achieved high reversible capacity and remarkable cycling stability under industrial‐grade mass loading. This study provides promising candidate for achieving high‐performance LIBs current collectors.

10 September 2021 in ACS Applied Energy Materials
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
HLHuaizhi Liu
Huaizhi Liu
GZGuanhua Zhang
Guanhua Zhang
LWLei Wang
Lei Wang
XZXianan Zhang
Xianan Zhang
ZZZexu Zhao
Zexu Zhao
HDHuigao Duan
Huigao Duan

13 November 2022 in Coatings
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Journal Article
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ZZZexu Zhao
Zexu Zhao
GLGuoyun Luo
Guoyun Luo
MCManping Cheng
Manping Cheng
LSLijun Song
Lijun Song
Metal corrosion causes huge economic losses and major disasters every year. Inspired by the lotus leaf and nepenthes pitcher, the superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) and the slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) were produced as a potential strategy to prevent metal corrosion. However, how to prepare stable water-repellent coatings that can prevent the intrusion of corrosive ions remains to investigate. In this work, we first fabricated a micro/nano hierarchical structure on the aluminum surface by femtosecond laser processing. Then, the SHS was prepared on the above structure by fluorosilane modification. Finally, the SLIPS was fabricated on the SHS by coating lubricant. The morphology and wettability of the fabricated samples were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and contact angle measurements. Furthermore, the corrosion resistance properties of SHS and SLIPS in simulated seawater were characterized by electrochemical measurements. From the comparison of the electrochemical parameters of different immersion times, both water-repellent coatings are effective in protecting the aluminum alloy from corrosion in simulated seawater due to reduced contact area between the metal substrate and corrosive solution. In comparison with the SHS, the SLIPS has a corrosion inhibition efficiency of up to 99.95% and it maintains long-term stability in the corrosive solution. This work also provides a promising method for the water-repellent coatings by femtosecond laser processing for metal corrosion prevention in practical industrial applications.

13 March 2026 in Coatings
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ZZZexu Zhao
Zexu Zhao
GLGuoyun Luo
Guoyun Luo
YLYuchao Li
Yuchao Li
LSLijun Song
Lijun Song
Slippery lubricant-infused surfaces (SLIPS) suffer from rapid lubricant depletion, severely limiting their durability in practical applications. To overcome this, we propose a laser-engineered hierarchical architecture that physically locks a solid paraffin lubricant, creating a multifunctional coating with thermally switchable slipperiness. Using femtosecond laser ablation, a hierarchical porous structure (HPS) was fabricated on an aluminum alloy, followed by silanization to achieve superhydrophobicity (contact angle ≈ 154.7°) for enhanced paraffin wetting. The resulting HPS-P coating exhibits thermally switchable adhesion: water droplets pin on the solid surface (sliding angle > 90°) but slide readily (<10°) upon heating above the paraffin’s melting point. The coating demonstrates rapid self-healing, repairing severe scratches within 100 s via molten paraffin flow. The HPS-P coating provides excellent corrosion protection, with its corrosion current density reduced by six orders of magnitude compared to bare aluminum and an inhibition efficiency approaching 100%. This work provides a durable, thermally responsive coating strategy with integrated anti-corrosion and self-healing functions for extreme environments.