Recently, at the 35th Chinese Chemical Society Annual Congress held in Chongqing, Professor Dan Wang from the College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, received two major honors: the 2nd Chinese Chemical Society “LIHUAYI” Chemical Innovation Award and a Contribution Award presented by Materials Chemistry Frontiers, a journal published by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). The former recognizes Professor Wang’s outstanding achievements in fundamental chemical research and technological innovation in China, while the latter honors his long-standing service as Associate Editor of the journal and his significant contributions to the development of the global materials chemistry community. Together, these two honors highlight Professor Wang’s sustained innovation and broad academic influence in chemistry and materials science, and also reflect the steady rise of Shenzhen University’s chemistry discipline in both overall strength and international reputation.
Pioneering a New Paradigm for the Precise Synthesis of Hollow Multi-Shelled Structures
The Chinese Chemical Society “LIHUAYI” Chemical Innovation Award was established to recognize scientists and researchers who have made outstanding achievements in fundamental chemical research, interdisciplinary frontier exploration, and key technological breakthroughs. It is one of the most prestigious academic awards in the Chinese chemistry community. Professor Wang’s receipt of the 2nd “LIHUAYI” Chemical Innovation Award represents high recognition from the field for his long-term commitment to original innovation and his leadership in advancing new research directions.
The award recognizes Professor Wang’s creation of a precise and controllable synthetic methodology for hollow multi-shelled structures (HoMS), as well as his elucidation of the underlying “concentration wave” mechanism and the temporal–spatial ordering principle governing multi-shell formation. This work not only overcame key technical bottlenecks in the preparation of complex hollow hierarchical materials, but also deepened the theoretical understanding of how multi-shelled structures form and evolve, opening a new pathway for the programmable construction and functional design of nanomaterials.
Owing to their hierarchical interfaces, high specific surface areas, shortened diffusion pathways, and shell-by-shell tunable functionalities, hollow multi-shelled structures show great promise in catalysis, energy storage and conversion, environmental remediation, sensing, biomedicine, and other fields. However, precise control over the number of shells, inter-shell spacing, shell thickness, and compositional distribution has long remained a central challenge in this area. Starting from the intrinsic rules governing material formation, Professor Wang’s team established a new controllable synthetic system, clarified the “concentration wave” physical mechanism behind it, and proposed the temporal–spatial ordering mechanism of multi-shell formation. This work marks a major transition from empirical preparation to rule-based design, and from structural construction to mechanism-guided synthesis.
The far-reaching significance of this original contribution lies in the fact that it not only solves the practical question of how to synthesize hollow multi-shelled materials, but also addresses the fundamental scientific questions of why such structures form and how they evolve. It has advanced the study of hollow multi-shelled structures from the level of material preparation to the level of structural formation theory, substantially strengthening the international leadership and academic visibility of Chinese researchers in this field. These achievements have become an important benchmark in the field of hollow hierarchical materials and have exerted a lasting influence on the controllable synthesis and integrated structure–function design of nanomaterials.
Other recipients of this year’s “LIHUAYI” Chemical Innovation Award include Professors Wenxiong Zhang, Feng Yan, Qilong Shen, Jinsong Hu, Hailing Guo, Lifeng Chen, and other distinguished scholars. During the same annual congress, honorary certificates were also presented to more than 50 recipients of several major awards, including the 2024 and 2025 Chinese Chemical Society Young Chemist Award, the 2025 Award for Fundamental Chemistry Education, the 11th and 12th CCS–RSC Young Chemist Award, the 13th CCS–BASF Youth Knowledge Innovation Award, the 2024 and 2026 China–France Chemistry Lectureship Award, the 2nd Tang Aoqing Chemical Award, the 10th CCS–Sinopec Chemistry Contribution Award, and the 5th Chinese Chemical Society Lifetime Achievement Award. Awardees included Academicians Chunli Bai, Can Li, Jiacong Shen, Lihe Zhang, and other leading scientists.
Deep Engagement in International Academic Publishing and Recognition by Materials Chemistry Frontiers
In addition to his remarkable research achievements, Professor Wang has long been actively engaged in the development of the international academic community and has played an important role in high-level journal editing and scholarly exchange. As Associate Editor of Materials Chemistry Frontiers, a leading journal published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Professor Wang has devoted years of service to the journal’s academic organization and manuscript handling. He has made outstanding contributions to topic planning, quality control, disciplinary guidance, and international dissemination. The Contribution Award presented by the journal is a full recognition of his sustained and dedicated service to international academic publishing.
Materials Chemistry Frontiers is a high-level journal with global influence in the field of materials chemistry. It focuses on frontier topics such as energy materials, catalytic materials, functional nanomaterials, interfaces, and device-related materials. As an important platform connecting cutting-edge research communities in materials chemistry worldwide, the journal places high demands on the academic judgment, professional vision, and international coordination capacity of its editorial team. Professor Wang’s long-term service as Associate Editor and his receipt of the Contribution Award fully demonstrate his deep academic expertise and international recognition in materials chemistry and related interdisciplinary fields. They also reflect the increasing voice and influence of Chinese scholars in the global high-level academic publishing system.
Against the backdrop of intensifying global scientific and technological competition and increasingly internationalized academic exchange, high-level academic journals are not only major channels for disseminating research findings, but also important platforms for shaping disciplinary development and guiding global research frontiers. Professor Wang’s sustained contributions to international journal editorial work represent active service to the global academic community. They have also made a solid contribution to promoting the international visibility of China’s scientific achievements and enhancing the presence and leadership of Chinese scholars on the global academic stage.