学习及工作经历:
2023.07-至今,四川大学化学学院,特聘研究员,博士生导师
2020.09—2023.06 瑞士苏黎世联邦理工学院,博士后,合作导师:Prof. Renato Zenobi(詹诺瑞)
2018.08—2020.08比利时荷语鲁汶大学,博士后,合作导师:Prof. Steven De Feyter
2013.09—2018.06中国科学院化学研究所,物理化学专业,博士,导师:万立骏院士,王栋研究员
2009.09—2013.06 华南农业大学,材料化学专业,学士
学术兼职:
Carbon Neutralization青年编委
中国化学会-表面物理化学专业委员会委员
主要研究方向:
1. 表面纳米结构表征与调控
2. 表面反应过程的纳米尺度研究
3. 气液界面反应过程的谱学分析
4. 能源器件表界面的化学成像与精准测量
主要工作业绩
表界面是许多物理化学过程发生的主要场所,对相关材料与器件的性能有着重要的影响。从分子层次深入研究功能分子在表界面的作用与反应过程,揭示表面动态化学转变的微观机制与规律,对高性能分子纳米结构与器件的理性设计与构建,以及新型功能材料与器件的创制都具有重要意义。
针对表界面动态化学转变过程的微观机制与规律这一基本科学问题,我们结合原位实时的高空间分辨扫描隧道显微技术(STM),高化学分辨的针尖增强拉曼光谱技术(TERS)与质谱技术(MS),围绕功能分子表面聚合与催化反应的动态化学转变过程展开研究,并取得了一系列创新性成果,以第一或通讯作者(含共同)发表论文二十余篇,包括Nature (1篇),Nat. Commun. (1篇),J. Am. Chem. Soc. (4篇),Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (1篇),CCS Chem. (1篇)等。研究工作获得Nature,Chemistry World,Phys.org 等科研与新闻媒体的专题报道。
主要奖励和荣誉
2025年,四川大学“优秀本科毕业论文”指导老师
2023年,入选四川省“天府峨眉计划”青年科技人才
2023年,四川大学优秀科研人才奖
2022年,入选国家级青年人才计划
主要代表性论文:
加入四川大学之后:
1. Ming-Yang Jia†, Yue-Wen Zhou†, Jun-Lei Yang, Qinlei Liu*, Zhen-Feng Cai*, Catalyst-Free Ullmann Coupling in Aqueous Microdroplets, Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 7453.

2. Yue-Wen Zhou†, Ming-Yang Jia†, Jun-Lei Yang, Qinlei Liu*, Zhen-Feng Cai*, Electric-Field-Induced Covalent Condensation of Boronic Acids in Water Microdroplets, Chem. Sci., 2025, 16, 8470-8477.
3. Qinlei Liu, Alina Begley, Daniel F. Abbott, Jun-Lei Yang, Victor Mougel, Renato Zenobi*, Zhen-Feng Cai*, Radical-Induced Selective C-C Bond Activation at the Air-Solid Interface, Small, 2025, 21, 2500706.
4. Zhen-Feng Cai*, Zi-Xi Tang, Yao Zhang, Naresh Kumar*, Mechanistic Understanding of Oxygen Activation on Bulk Au(111) Surface Using Tip‑Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2024, 63, e202318682.

5. Jun-Lei Yang, Yue-Wen Zhou, Ming-Yang Jia, Qinlei Liu*, Zhen-Feng Cai*, Insights into Heterogeneous Catalysis by Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, ChemCatChem, 2024, 16, e202400370.
加入四川大学之前:
1. Zhen-Feng Cai, Naresh Kumar, Renato Zenobi*, Probing On-Surface Chemistry at the Nanoscale Using Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. CCS Chem., 2023, 5, 55-71.
2. Zhen-Feng Cai, Ting Chen*, Dong Wang*, Insights into the Polymerization Reactions on Solid Surfaces Provided by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, J. Phys. Chem. L, 2023, 14, 2463-2472.
3. Gaolei Zhan†, Zhen-Feng Cai†*, Karol Strutyński, Lihua Yu, Niklas Herrmann, Marta Martínez-Abadía, Manuel Melle-Franco, Aurelio Mateo-Alonso and Steven De Feyter*, Observing Polymerization in Two-Dimensional Dynamic Covalent Polymers. Nature. 2022, 603, 835.

4. Zhen-Feng Cai, Juan Pedro Merino, Wei Fang, Naresh Kumar*, Jeremy O. Richardson, Steven De Feyter and Renato Zenobi*, Molecular-level Insights on Reactive Arrangement in On-surface Photocatalytic Coupling Reactions using Tip-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 538.

5. Zhen-Feng Cai†, Li-Qing Zheng†, Yao Zhang and Renato Zenobi*, Molecular-Scale Chemical Imaging of the Orientation of an On-Surface Coordination Complex by Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 12380.

6. Gaolei Zhan†, Zhen-Feng Cai†*, Marta Martínez-Abadia, Aurelio Mateo-Alonso, and Steven De Feyter*, Real-Time Molecular-Scale Imaging of Dynamic Network Switching between Covalent Organic Frameworks. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 5964.

7. Zhen-Feng Cai†, Gaolei Zhan†*, Lakshya Daukiya, Samuel Eyley, Wim Thielemans, Kay Severin and Steven De Feyter*, Electric-Field-Mediated Reversible Transformation between Supramolecular Networks and Covalent Organic Frameworks. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2019, 141, 11404. (Highlighted in Nature)

8. Zhen-Feng Cai, Timon Käser, Naresh Kumar and Renato Zenobi*, Visualizing On-Surface Decomposition Chemistry at the Nanoscale Using Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. J. Phys. Chem. L, 2022, 13, 4864.
9. Zhen-Feng Cai, Hui-Juan Yan, Dong Wang*, Li-Jun Wan*, Potential and concentration-dependent self-assembly structure at solid/liquid interface, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 3438-3443.
10. Zhen-Feng Cai, Wei-Long Dong, Ting Chen, Hui-Juan Yan, Dong Wang*, Wei Xu*, Li-Jun Wan*, Directed assembly of fullerene on modified Au(111) electrodes, Chem. Commun., 2018, 54, 8052-8055.
11. Zhen-Feng Cai, Ting Chen, Jing-Ying Gu, Dong Wang*, Li-Jun Wan*, Ionic-interactions-induced assembly of bimolecular "chessboard" structure, Chem. Commun., 2017, 53, 9129-9132.
12. Zhen-Feng Cai, Dong Wang*, Li-Jun Wan*, Electric-field-controlled interfacial assembly structures investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy, SCIENTIA SINICA Chimica, 2017, 45, 517-523.
13. Jing-Ying Gu†, Zhen-Feng Cai†, Dong Wang*, Li-Jun Wan*, Single-Molecule Imaging of Iron-Phthalocyanine-Catalyzed Oxygen Reduction Reaction by in Situ Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, ACS Nano, 2016, 10, 8746-8750.
14. Zhen-Feng Cai, Xiang Wang, Dong Wang*, Li-Jun Wan*, Cobalt-Porphyrin-Catalyzed Oxygen Reduction Reaction: A Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study, Chemelectrochem, 2016, 3, 2048-2051.
15. Zhen-Feng Cai, Jie-Yu Yue, Jing Li, Dong Wang*, Wei Xu*, Li-Jun Wan*, Self-assembly of a sulfur-bridged annulene: Substrate effect and donor-acceptor complex, J. Electroanal. Chem., 2016, 781, 20-23.
16. Zhen-Feng Cai, Bing Sun, Wen-Jie Jiang, Ting Chen, Dong Wang*, Li-Jun Wan*, STM Investigation of Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Solid Interface in Fuel Cell., J. Electrochem., 2016, 22, 561-569.
学术报告与交流:
1. 第六届全国表面物理化学青年论坛,邀请报告,广东-深圳,2023年7月;
2. 表界面化学与器件前沿研讨会,邀请报告,西藏-林芝,2023年8月;
3. Photonics and Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS), Invited speaker,四川-成都,2024年4月;
4. 15th International Conference on Atomically Controlled Surfaces, Interfaces and Nanostructures (ACSIN-15), Invited speaker,江苏-苏州,2024年5月;
5. 中国化学会第34届学术年会,邀请报告(第45分会),广东-广州,2024年6月;
6. 微纳技术与催化国际创新论坛,邀请报告,安徽-芜湖,2024年8月;
7. 纳米材料与器件创新发展大会,邀请报告,浙江-温州,2024年9月;
8. 第三届催化与表界面化学青年学者学术研讨会,墙报,湖北-武汉,2024年10月;
9. 9th International Conference on Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (TERS9), Invited speaker,Belo Horizonte-Brazil,2024年11月;
10. 中国化学会第一届全国表界面科学会议,邀请报告,四川-成都,2025年5月;