A journey of discovery: FANG Wei's growth as a chemical engineer

Today, let's delve into the story of FANG Wei, a doctoral student majoring in Chemical Engineering and Technology at the College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, and the recipient of the Chu Kochen Scholarship (the highest honor bestowed upon ZJU students) for the academic year 2022-2023.

Fascinating experiments during high school opened the door for FANGWei's love for chemistry. Those magical experimental phenomena and the intriguing knowledge deeply captivated him. From a novice enthusiast in chemistry to being admitted to the School of Chemical Engineering at Zhejiang University for a master's degree, and then choosing the direction of molecular sieve synthesis and catalysis, FANGWei explored his path step by step.

When I first joined the group, facing the large-scale reaction apparatus in the laboratory, I really felt somewhat overwhelmed. Throughout the research process, FANG Wei encountered various challenges, but he said, When facing difficulties, one must learn to motivate and improve oneself. Scientific research is not an easy task. It not only requires the careful guidance of mentors and the patient guidance of senior colleagues, but also requires taking the first step, continuous thinking, and experimentation.

Many times, in order to measure the performance of materials, he had to stay in the laboratory from nine in the morning until eleven at night; to debug a synthetic formula, he spent a full three months... This process may wear down our enthusiasm. We may complain about why there are so many problems, but we must have the courage to shout 'there are always more methods than difficulties', discuss more with our teachers, show execution, and there will definitely be positive feedback.

Regarding FANG Wei's research direction, he said, I used to feel lost about what I would do in the future until I started research on relevant topics, and I realized that chemical engineering and life are closely related. The hydrophobic catalyst designed by FANG Wei's research group has made significant breakthroughs in improving the conversion efficiency of low-carbon olefins represented by ethylene, which is of great significance for the clean and efficient utilization of coal.

For him, it was not easy to start this project. At that time, the synthesis of low-carbon olefins from synthesis gas had already reached a high level.We tried many materials, but their effects were not significant. During a review with my advisor, I thought that water would be generated during the reaction process, so we could try a superhydrophobic additive developed by our group, similar to the properties of a hydrophobic lotus leaf, to shift the reaction equilibrium.

After continuous attempts, it indeed worked. FANG Wei and his research group carried out a series of work around this idea, including catalyst preparation, performance testing, and characterization. They proposed the design concept of micro-balance regulation of catalyst surface, which promotes the diffusion rate of by-product water molecules and doubles the efficiency of synthesizing low-carbon olefins from synthesis gas.

Adhering to the spirit of striving for higher levels, the team repeatedly polished this research result, and in 2022, it was published in the top international academic journal Science.

Success does not always come immediately, and many times it requires a lot of effort and time. Looking back on his previous research experiences, FANG Wei exclaimed, Maintaining a normal mindset is very important when doing research projects.

At the same time, FANG Wei's research life is not as boring as we imagine.In his spare time, FANG Wei loves playing basketball. He said, I really enjoy the time spent playing basketball with my research group or dormitory mates every week. Stress and anxiety are fully released, and it also exercises the body.

In the future, FANG Wei will continue to contribute to tackling research challenges, the dual-carbon strategy, voluntary service, and other aspects with his original intention and resilience, holding a normal mindset, and becoming a better self.

Adapted and translated from the articlewrittenby CAI Shenxue, LIN Qianxu and HUANGYike

Translator: ZHAO Hanle ('25, Education)

Photo: the interviewee

Editor: HAN Xiao ('25 PhD, Education), TIAN Minjie

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