My research delivered 45 publications in reputed international journals, peer-reviewed conferences and book chapters (citation: 286, h-index: 10). My work of multi-scale tooling manufacturing using BMGs was published in Materials Today in 2012 and was highlighted by Elsevier, Physics News, and Science Daily with the article of “Making Microscopic Machines Using Metallic Glass”. The subsequent work on this topic published in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering was chosen as “IOP Select”. My work on the relationship among material-processing-morphology-properties of miniaturized microinjection moulded products was featured by Society of Plastic Engineers in 2015 and subsequently published in German industry magazines and journals. I also actively developed some new manufacturing processes for hard and brittle materials, multi-scale tools, and high precision polymeric optics, which are reflected by submitted innovation disclosure forms or patents.

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Selected peer-review journals: 

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1. Zhang, H Y, Gilchrist M D, Fang F Z, *Zhang N,Precision Replication of Micro Features Using Micro Injection Moulding: Process Simulation and Validation, submitted to Materials & Design, 2019

2. Fang, F Z, Zhang, N, Guo D M, Ehmann K, Cheung B, Liu K, Yamamura K,  “Towards atomic and close-to-atomic scale manufacturing, International journal of extreme manufacturing”, Vol.1, pp. 012001

3. Zhang, N., Zhang, H Y., Zhang, H G., Fang, F. and Gilchrist, M., 2018. “Geometric Replication Integrity of Micro Features Fabricated Using Variotherm Assisted Micro Injection Moulding”, Procedia CIRP, Vol. 71, pp.390-395.

4. Zhang, N., Zhang, H., Stallard, C., Fang, F. and Gilchrist, M.D., 2018. “Replication integrity of micro features using variotherm and vacuum assisted microinjection moulding”,  CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology.

5. Cahill, E.M., Keaveney, S., Stuettgen, V., Eberts, P., Ramos-Luna, P., Zhang, N., Dangol, M. and O'Cearbhaill, E.D., 2018. “Metallic microneedles with interconnected porosity: A scalable platform for biosensing and drug delivery”,  Acta biomaterialia, 80, pp.401-411.

6. Zhang, H., Fang, F., Gilchrist, M.D. and Zhang, N., 2018. “Filling of high aspect ratio micro features of a microfluidic flow cytometer chip using micro injection moulding”,  Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 28(7), p.075005.

7. Denning, D., Kilpatrick, J.I., Fukada, E., Zhang, N., Habelitz, S., Fertala, A., Gilchrist, M.D., Zhang, Y., Tofail, S.A. and Rodriguez, B.J., 2017. “Piezoelectric Tensor of Collagen Fibrils Determined at the Nanoscale” , ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 3(6), pp.929-935.

8. F. Z. Fang, N. Zhang, X. D. Zhang, “Precision injection moulding of complex form plastic optics”, Advanced Optical Technology, Vol. 5, no. 4, pp.303-324, 2016.  

9. S. Y. Choi, O. Habimana, P. Flood, E. G. Reynaud, B. J. Rodriguez, N. Zhang, E. Casey, and M. D. Gilchrist, “Material-and feature-dependent effects on cell adhesion to micro injection moulded medical polymers”, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, Vol.145, pp.46-54, 2016.

10. S. Y. Choi, N. Zhang, J. P. Toner, G. Dunne, Michael D. Gilchrist, “Vacuum venting enhances the replication of nano/microfeatures in micro-injection moulding process”, ASME Journal of Micro Nano Manufacturing, Vol. 4, no. 2, pp.021005-021005-7, 2016.  

11. N. Zhang, D. J. Browne, M. D. Gilchrist, “Performance of Nickel and Bulk Metallic Glass tools for production of polymeric microfluidics devoices”, Journal of material processing technology, Vol.231, no.2016, pp, 288-300, 2016.   

12. Q. L. Su, N. Zhang, M. D. Gilchrist, “A review of the use of variotherm systems for micro injection moulding”, Journal of applied polymer science, Vol.133, no.9, pp. 1-17, 2016.  

13.  N. Zhang, A. Srivastava, B. Kirwan, R. Byrne, F. Z. Fang, D. J. Browne, M. D. Gilchrist, “Manufacturing various microstructured tool inserts for production of polymeric microfluidics” Journal of micromechanics and microengineering, Vol.25, no.9, pp. 95005-95024, 2015.   

14. N. Zhang, M. D. Gilchrist, “ The effects of miniaturization and processing on microinjection mouldings”, Society of Plastic Engineers, Plastic Research Online, 2015, DOI: 10.2417/spepro.00582. (This paper was also invited to be published in a Germany Industrial Magezine“TPE Magazine international”, German Journal “GAK - Gummi Fasern Kunststoffe” and “Rubber Fibres Plastics International”)

    • N. Zhang, M. D. Gilchrist, “Theeffects of miniaturization and processing on microinjection mouldings”, TPE Magazine international, Vol.3, pp.198-199, 2015. 

    • N. Zhang, M. D. Gilchrist, “Die Konsequenzen der Miniaturisierung und ihrer Fertigungsverfahren für Mikrospritzgießteile”, GAK-Gummi Fasern Kunststoffe, Vol. 9, pp.610-611, 2015. 

    • N. Zhang, M. D. Gilchrist, “The effects of miniaturization and processing on microinjection mouldings”, Rubber Fibres Plastics International, Vol.11, pp.116-117, 2015.

15. N. Zhang, Q. L. Su, S.Y. Choi, M. D. Gilchrist “Effect of gate and cavity thickness on filling, morphology and mechanical properties of microinjection mouldings”, Materials and design, Vol.83, no. 15, pp. 835–847, 2015.  

16. N. Zhang and M. D. Gilchrist, “Characterization of micro injection moulding process for milligram polymer micro parts,” Polymer engineering and science, Vol. 54, no. 6, pp. 1458-1470, 2014.

17. N. Zhang, S. Y. Choi, and M. D. Gilchrist, “Flow induced crystallization of Poly(ether-block-amide) from the microinjection moulding process and its effect on mechanical properties,” Macromolecular materials and engineering, Vol. 299, no. 11, pp. 1362-1383, 2014.

18. N. Zhang, D. J. Browne, and M. D. Gilchrist, “Characterization of Micro Injection Moulding Process for the Replication of Micro / Nano Features Using Bulk Metallic Glass Insert,” International Journal of Engineering and Technology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 198–201, 2013.

19. N. Zhang and M. D. Gilchrist, “Characterization of thermorheological behaviour of polymer melts during the micro injection moulding process,” Polymer Testing, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 748–758, Sep. 2012. (Most Downloaded Polymer Testing Articles in 90 days since published)

20. N. Zhang, J. S. Chu, C. J. Byrne, D. J. Browne, and M. D. Gilchrist, “Replication of micro/nanoscale features by micro injection moulding with a bulk metallic glass mould insert,” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, vol. 22, no. 6, p. 065019, Jun. 2012. (IOP select: IOP Select is a service provided by the Institute of Physics (IOP) that features articles chosen by editors for their novelty, significance and potential impact on future research)

21. N. Zhang, C. J. Byrne, D. J. Browne, and M. D. Gilchrist, “Towards nanoinjection moulding,” Materials Today, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 216–221, May 2012. (Featured article, reported by ELSEVIER, Physics News, Science Daily with article of “Making Microscopic Machines Using Metallic Glass”). 

 

Book Chapters:

 

1. J-S. Chu. M. D. Gilchrist, N. Zhang, “Micro injection moulding for microfluidics applications,” In: Li D. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics: Springer Reference (www.springerreference.com). Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2013.

2. F. Z. Fang, N. Zhang, “Microstructure”, The International Academy for Production Engineering et al. (eds.), CIRP Encyclopedia of Production Engineering, 2017, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-35950-7_16727-1