• Electrochemical membrane for water purification and decontamination
• Novel catalytic processes for resource recovery from wastewaters
• Environmental applications of nanomaterials

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China                                             2014-2020

Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering

Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Harbin, China                                               2010-2014

B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering

   

Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS                              2023 to present

Associate professor

Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS                                     2022-2023

Assistant professor

Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS                                     2020-2022

Postdoctoral research fellow

   

1. Yuyang Kang, Zhenao Gu*, Wei Zhang, Baiwen Ma, Chenghai Lu, Chengzhi Hu, Jiuhui Qu. Confinement-enhanced valorization of contaminants in electrified hydrogenation membranes for water purification[J]. Nature Communications, 2025, 16(1): 9443.
2. Yuyang Kang, Zhenao Gu*, Baiwen Ma, Wei Zhang, Jingqiu Sun, Xiaoyang Huang, Chengzhi Hu, Wonyong Choi, Jiuhui Qu*. Unveiling the spatially confined oxidation processes in reactive electrochemical membranes[J]. Nature Communications, 2023, 14(1): 6590.
3. Zhenao Gu, Nan Ni, Guangzhi He, Yulong Shan, Kun Wu, Chengzhi Hu*, Jiuhui Qu. Enhanced Hydrosaturation Selectivity and Electron Transfer for Electrocatalytic Chlorophenols Hydrogenation on Ru Sites[J]. Environmental Science & Technology, 2023, 57(43): 16695-16706.
4. Zhenao Gu, Zhiyang Zhang, Nan Ni, Chengzhi Hu*, Jiuhui Qu. Simultaneous Phenol Removal and Resource Recovery from Phenolic Wastewater by Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation[J]. Environmental Science & Technology, 2022, 56(7): 4356-4366. (Cover Article)
5. Zhenao Gu, Nan Ni, Yuyang Kang, Haozhi Wang, Wei Zhang*, Kun Wu, Chengzhi Hu*, Jiuhui Qu. Electronic regulation of Ru electrocatalyst for enhanced atomic hydrogen generation and selective chlorophenol hydrogenation[J]. Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy, 2025, 365: 124958.
6. Tianyu Wang, Tonghui Bao, Xiaocong Ma, Wei Zhang*, Zhenao Gu*, Kenan Zhu, Chengzhi Hu, Jiuhui Qu. Electro-Dialysis-Reduction-Enabled Synergistic Nitrate Enrichment and Conversion for Wastewater Valorization[J]. Environmental Science & Technology, 2025, 59(33): 17881-17889.
7. You Wu#, Zhenao Gu#, Chenghai Lu, Chengzhi Hu*, Jiuhui Qu. In situ regulation of selectivity and permeability by electrically tuning pore size in trans-membrane ion process[J]. Water Research, 2023, 244: 120478.
8. Zhenao Gu, Zheying Liu, Yu Cheng, Zongqiang Zhu*, Jiayu Tian, Chengzhi Hu*, Jiuhui Qu. Intensified denitrification in a fluidized-bed reactor with suspended sulfur autotrophic microbial fillers[J]. Bioresource Technology, 2024, 391: 129965.
9. Xueyu Li, Qi Cheng, Yuyang Kang, Zhenao Gu*, Haihua Bao, Ning Wang, Yuting Liu, Chengzhi Hu, Jiuhui Qu. Synergistic adsorption and removal of nitrate in an electrically polarized column packed with AlCl3-modified activated carbon[J]. Separation and Purification Technology, 2025, 364: 132570.
10. Qi Cheng, Xueyu Li, Yuyang Kang, Zhenao Gu*, Thabo T. I. Nkambule, Chengzhi Hu, Jiuhui Qu. Accelerated Fe(II) regeneration and enhanced 1O2 production for antibiotic degradation on three-dimensional electro-Fenton filter[J]. Separation and Purification Technology, 2025, 363: 132174.
11. Yingtao Zhan, Yuting Di, Zhenao Gu*, Zongqiang Zhu, Chengcheng Xie, Chengzhi Hu. Catalytic dechlorination and deep hydrogenation of 4-chlorophenol in a hydrogen-based internal circulation reactor for efficient wastewater detoxification[J]. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 2024, 60: 105148.
12. Yuting Di, Zhenao Gu*, Yuyang Kang, Jiayu Tian*, Chengzhi Hu. Enhanced oxidation of organic pollutants by regulating the interior reaction region of reactive electrochemical membranes[J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2024, 466: 133584.
13. Nan Ni, Zhenao Gu*, Yuyang Kang, Dong Zhu, Jie Mao, Kun Wu*, Chengzhi Hu. Electrocatalytic deep hydrogenation of 4-chlorophenol into cyclohexanol on microchannel-enhanced Ru/TiO2 for wastewater detoxification and simultaneous resource recovery[J]. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 2023, 11(3): 109709.
14. Zhenao Gu, Jing Zhou, Xiaoqiang An*, Qiang Chen, Chengzhi Hu*, Huijuan Liu, Jiuhui Qu. A dual-biomimetic photocatalytic fuel cell for efficient electricity generation from degradation of refractory organic pollutants[J]. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2021, 298: 120501.
15. Zhenao Gu#, Xiaoqiang An#, Ruiping Liu, Lunqiao Xiong, Junwang Tang, Chengzhi Hu, Huijuan Liu, Jiuhui Qu*. Interface-modulated nanojunction and microfluidic platform for photoelectrocatalytic chemicals upgrading[J]. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2021, 282: 119541.
16. Zhenao Gu, Xiaoqiang An, Huachun Lan, Yu Tian, Jinxing Zhang, Ruiping Liu*, Huijuan Liu, Jiuhui Qu. Microfluidic-enhanced 3-D photoanodes with free interfacial energy barrier for photoelectrochemical applications[J]. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2019, 244: 740-747.
17. Zhenao Gu#, Le Zhang#, Bo Wen, Xiaoqiang An, Huachun Lan, Li-Min Liu, Tao Chen, Jing Zhang, Xingzhong Cao, Junwang Tang, Huijuan Liu, Jiuhui Qu. Efficient design principle for interfacial charge separation in hydrogen-intercalated nonstoichiometric oxides[J]. Nano Energy, 2018, 53: 887-897.  

• National Natural Science Foundation of China (RMB 490,000)                            2025-2028
• National Key R&D Program of China (RMB 700,000)                                            2023-2026
• National Key R&D Program of China (RMB 800,000)                                            2023-2026
• National Natural Science Foundation of China (RMB 300,000)                            2022-2024
• National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents (RMB 630,000)               2020-2022

• Beijing Science and Technology Advancement Award (ranking 12/15)                  2023
• Environmental Technology Advancement Award, CEPIA (ranking 10/15)              2022
• Pioneer Team Award of Science and Technology Innovation, CAS (ranking 9/10)  2022
• Excellent Postdoctoral Fellowship, RCEES                                                             2021
• Dean Award of the Chinese Academy of Sciences                                                  2020
• ZhuLiYueHua Fellowship for Excellent Doctorates                                                  2020
• National Fellowship for Distinguished Doctorates                                                 2018
• Outstanding Graduate, HIT                                                                                      2014
• Construction Technology Elite Fellowship, HIT                                                       2012
• National Fellowship for Outstanding Graduate Student                                          2011