Zhifeng Ding
Associate Professor
M.Sc. (Nanjing University, China)
Ph.D. (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL))
Postdoctoral Research Associate (Univ. of Texas at Austin)
Office: MSA 0203; Lab: MSA 0250
Phone (Office): (519) 661-2111 ext. 86161
Phone (Lab): (519) 661-2111 ext. 86320
Analytical Chemistry. Scanning Probe Microscopies, Spectroelectrochemistry and other Instrumental Analyses:
Toward Optoelectronic, Biological, Pharmaceutical
and Environmental Applications
Awards:
• Professeur invité at the EPFL (2003)
• Canada Foundation for Innovation New Opportunities Fund Award (2003)
Current Research Programs:
Our lab is applying modern analytical methods such as electrochemistry,
spectroscopy and microscopy to multidisciplinary research. We
specialize in the development and applications of scanning
electrochemical microscopy (SECM), Raman microspectroscopy (RMS),
atomic force microscopy (AFM), near-field scanning optic microscopy
(NSOM), electrochemiluminescence (ECL), and their combination. Chemical reaction imaging creates ways to
visualize reactions of samples with their environments. For instance,
SECM and RMS are being utilized in our group to unfold physiology and
pathology of single live cells by mapping electron transfer, ion
transfer, and molecule transfer across their membranes. Reactivities of
grains and grain boundaries of Ti, Zr, and other materials are being
determined and analyzed through these images on micrometer scale.
AC-SECM has recently been combined with conventional DC-SECM in our lab
to deconvolute the topography and chemistry profiles of specimens. Electrochemical preparation of luminescent
nanocrystals and electrochemical assembly of nanomaterials are actively
pursued in our lab. These investigations will lead to novel
optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices. Electrochemistry and ECL of
various organic and organometallic molecules, and the
structure-property correlation are also being explored. Other research projects being carried out in
our group include pharmaceutical analysis in biologic fluids, and drug
transfer, its mechanisms and dynamics at micro liquid/liquid
interfaces.
Selected Publications:
J. Zhou, C. Booker, R. Li, X. Zhou, T.-K. Sham,
X. Sun, Z. Ding, "An Electrochemical Avenue to Blue Luminescent
Nanocrystals from Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)", Journal of
the American Chemical Society 129 (2007) 744-745. X. Zhao, N.O. Petersen, Z. Ding, "Comparison
study of live cells by atomic force microscopy, confocal microscopy and
scanning electrochemical microscopy", Canadian Journal of Chemistry 85
(2007) 175-183. Front cover of the March 2007 Issue. P.M. Diakowski, Z. Ding, "Interrogation of live
cells using alternating current scanning electrochemical microscopy
(AC-SECM)", Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 9 (2007) 5966 - 5974. In News of RSC Chemical Biology; Front Cover of Issue 45, Vol. 9, 2007. F. Wang, X. Zhou, J. Zhou, T.-K. Sham, Z. Ding,
"Observation of Single Tin Dioxide Nanoribbons by Confocal Raman
Microspectroscopy"(Letter), Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 111 (2007) 18839-18843. R. Zhu, Z. Qin, J. J. Noel, D. W. Shoesmith, Z.
Ding, "Analyzing the Influence of Alloying Elements and Impurities on
the Localized Reactivity of Titanium Grade-7 by Scanning
Electrochemical Microscopy", Analytical Chemistry, 80 (2008) 1437-1447.
