Biomass Group, Nanjing Agricultural University, PO Box 68, 40 Dianjiangtai Road, Nanjing 210031

These 3 books below are highly downloaded (以下3本由方老师等编著的专著为Springer高下载图书）:

1.Zhen Fang*, R. L. Smith, Jr., X. Qi (Editors), Production of Platform Chemicals from Sustainable Resources, Springer Book Series – Biofuels and Biorefineries, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg Berlin, hardcover, 14 Chapters, ISBN 978-981-10-4171-6, 500 pages, 2017. (Among the top 25% most downloaded eBooks in 2017; 7k chapter downloads, Feb. 2018).

2.Zhen Fang*, R. L. Smith, Jr.(Editors), Production of Biofuels and Chemicals from Lignin, Springer Book Series – Biofuels and Biorefineries, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg Berlin, hardcover, ISBN 978-981-10-1964-7, 2016. (Among the top 50% most downloaded eBooks in 2016; 12k chapter downloads, Feb. 2018).

3.Zhen Fang (Editor), Pretreatment Techniques for Biofuels and Biorefineries, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg,  ISBN 978-3-642-32734-6, hardcover, 476 pages, 2013. (Among the top 25% most downloaded eBooks in 2013; 36k chapter downloads, Feb. 2018).

Prof. Zhen Fang Won “2018 Most Cited Chinese Researchers” in Energy by Elsevier, He also won the award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 [China ranks the first in total citation and citation of the influential research papers (Top10%) in engineering, 2013-2015].

方老师获爱思唯尔能源领域“2017年中国高被引学者”，他2014，2015和2016也进入“中国高被引学者”榜单。

Cellulase immobilized on mesoporous biochar synthesized by ionothermal carbonization of cellulose

Recently, Mr. Chang-hui Zhu (a PhD student from Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences) supervised by Prof. Zhen FANG synthesized biochar via ionothermal carbonization and pyrolysis, and it was subsequent used to adsorb free cellulase physically for enzymatic hydrolysis.

In order to recover free cellulase, a mesoporous biochar was synthesized from cellulose by ionic thermal and pyrolysis methods for the adsorption of free cellulase. Kinetics analysis showed that the affinity of the immobilized cellulase to carboxymethyl cellulose was better than that of free cellulase. The immobilized cellulase at different pH and temperatures was more stable than those of free cellulase. It was used to hydrolyze pretreated cellulose with [Bmim]Cl with total reducing sugar yield of 99.9%. The immobilized cellulase activity can still retain 74.8% after 5 cycles. Lastly, the immobilized cellulase can improve sugar production from the pretreated corncob for potential practical applications.

Results were published in Cellulose: Chang-hui Zhu, Zhen Fang*, Tong-chao Su, and Qi-ying Liu, Cellulase Immobilized on Mesoporous Biochar Synthesized by Ionthermal Carbonization of Cellulose, Cellulose,  25(4), 2473-2485 (2018).

Mesoporous biochar was synthesized by ionothermal carbonization, and pyrolysis for the immobilization of cellulase to hydrolyze ionic liquid pretreated cellulose and corncob. During pretreated cellulose hydrolysis, total reducing sugar yield of 92.2 % was achieved with 74.8% enzyme activity remained after 5 cycles.（通过离子热和热解方法合成了介孔生物炭，该生物炭用于固定纤维素酶，固定化纤维素酶用于水解离子液体预处理的纤维素以及玉米芯。其中在预处理纤维素水解，总还原糖产率可达92.2%，固定化酶循环使用5次后，活性仍保留74.8%）。

最近，朱长辉同学（中国科学院广州能源研究所博士研究生）在方老师的指导下，通过离子热和热解法由纤维素合成生物炭以及后续物理吸附制备固定化纤维素酶，并将其应用于离子液体预处理纤维素/生物质的水解。
为了回收游离纤维素酶，通过离子热和热解两步法由纤维素合成一种介孔生物炭以用于吸附游离纤维素酶。动力学分析表明，固定化纤维素酶对羧甲基纤维素的亲和力优于游离纤维素酶。 不同pH和温度下的固定化纤维素酶比游离纤维素酶更稳定。该固定化酶具有较好的催化预处理纤维素水解的能力，总还原糖产率可达92.2%，固定化酶循环使用5次后，活性仍保留74.8%。最后，该固定化酶结合离子液体预处理技术，对水解生物质纤维素表现出一定的应用前景。
结果发表在Cellulose: Chang-hui Zhu, Zhen Fang*, Tong-chao Su, and Qi-ying Liu, Cellulase Immobilized on Mesoporous Biochar Synthesized by Ionthermal Carbonization of Cellulose, Cellulose 25(4), 2473-2485 (2018).

Prof. Zhen FANG becomes an Associate Editor for “the Journal of Supercritical Fluids”

Informed by Dr. Angela Welch, Senior Publisher (Chemical & Biomedical Engineering journals), ELSEVIER, Prof. Zhen Fang was appointed as an Associate Editor for peer-reviewed scientific journal, the Journal of Supercritical Fluids (IF 3.1), after the role of being an Editorial Board Member of it for a few months (07/2017-02/2018).

As an Associate Editor, Prof. Fang would work closely with the regional editor to help cover submissions from Asia and will be to coordinate the peer-review process and submit a recommended decision. He will also handle the assigned papers in the areas of biofuels and supercritical water.

He is also serving as  Editor-in-Chief of Springer Book Series – Biofuels and Biorefineries,  Associate Editor of Biotechnol Biofuels (IF 5.5)，as well as editorial (advisory) board members of Biofuel Bioprod Bior (Willey), Energy Sustain Soc (Springer), and Energy Policy Res (Taylor & Francis).

方真老师担任《The Journal of Supercritical Fluids》【《超临界流体学报》】副主编

最近, 方真老师应爱思唯尔出版商Angela Welch博士邀请，担任《The Journal of Supercritical Fluids》【《超临界流体学报》】副主编（Associate Editor）。最初的任命将为期2年。作为副主编, 方老师将协助地区主编，处理亚洲地区的稿件。同时，他还将处理生物燃料和超临界水领域的论文。《The Journal of Supercritical Fluids》 (影响因子 3.1, 化工Q1区，https://www.journals.elsevier.com/the-journal-of-supercritical-fluids/) ，是爱思唯尔(ELSEVIER)主办的国际期刊, 专门涉及超临界流体和过程的基本原理和应用。其目的是为学术和工业界研究人员提供一个重点的平台, 报告他们的研究结果, 并准备好进入这一迅速发展的领域的进展。它的覆盖面是多学科的并且包括基础的和应用的专题。

A novel biomass-derived mesoporous bifunctional hybrid (FDCA-Hf) prepared by facile assembly of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) with hafnium (Hf) was highly stable and active for the production of biofuels and valuable chemicals from bio-based compounds such as ketones, aldehydes and acidic oils via acid-base cooperative catalysis

Recently, Dr. Hu Li supervised by Prof. Zhen  Fang  designed and prepared a new porous and acid-base bifunctional hybrid (FDCA-Hf)  by simple assembly of biomass-derived 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) with hafnium (Hf) under template-free conditions. The resulting FDCA-Hf hybrid with mesopores centered at 6.9 nm, moderate surface area (365.8 m²/g) and acid-base couple sites (density: 0.51 vs 0.97 mmol/g, acid/base molar ratio: 0.53), could selectively catalyze the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction of carbonyl compounds under mild reaction conditions (as low as 90 ºC in a short time of 1 h), especially of ethyl levulinate to γ-valerolactone, in quantitative yields (95-100%) and relatively higher reaction rate (e.g., turnover frequency: 2.28 h^-1) compared to other catalysts. Moreover, the efficient simultaneous (trans)esterification of Jatropha oils with high acidic values to biodiesel (up to 98% yield) could also be achieved over FDCA-Hf with robust acid-base catalytic sites. The FDCA-Hf hybrid was highly stable due to the presence of robust metal-organic framework and could be resued with no decline in activity. Further studies demonstrated that the synergistic role of Lewis acid-base couple species (Hf⁴⁺–O^2–) and Brønsted acidic species (-OH) of FDCA-Hf contributed greatly to its pronounced catalytic activity.

Related results were published:

H Li , TT Yang, Zhen Fang*, Biomass-derived Mesoporous Hf-containing Hybrid for Efficient Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley Reduction at Low Temperatures. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental (IF 11.7), 227, 79–89 (2018).

最近，国际学术期刊Applied Catalysis B: Environmental（第一署名单位为南京农业大学，第一作者为博士后李虎，通讯作者为方真教授）发表了生物燃料最新研究成果。

李虎博士通过简单的组装2,5-呋喃二甲酸（FDCA）和金属铪（Hf），制备出一种新型介孔双功能的混合物（FDCA-Hf），它高度稳定和活跃，可用于酸碱协同催化生物基化合物如酮，醛和高酸值油低温高效生产生物燃料和有价值的化学品。

详情可见：

H Li , TT Yang, Zhen Fang*, Biomass-derived Mesoporous Hf-containing Hybrid for Efficient Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley Reduction at Low Temperatures. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental (IF 11.7), 227, 79–89 (2018).