Zhu Research Group


Education

  • Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004
  • Ph.D., Tsinghua University, China, 1999
  • B.S., Tsinghua University, China, 1995

Teaching Interests

Professor Zhu’s teaching interests focus on core mechanical engineering courses in mechanics of materials, computational mechanics, and micromechanics at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. His teaching integrates fundamental theory with practical insight, enabling students to develop a deep understanding of deformation and fracture phenomena. Through an active, problem-driven instructional approach, he engages students in critical thinking and analytical reasoning, building strong technical competence across both traditional and emerging areas of mechanical engineering.

Research Interests

Professor Zhu’s research centers on the mechanical behavior of advanced structural and energy materials across length scales spanning from the nanoscale to the macroscale. His work employs atomistic, continuum, and multiscale modeling and simulation methods to uncover the fundamental mechanisms governing deformation, damage, and failure. The overarching goal of his research is to understand, predict, and design materials with superior mechanical performance. Recent projects in his group include the mechanics of ultra-high-strength materials; 3D-printed metal alloys; electrode degradation in lithium-ion batteries; strengthening mechanisms in high-entropy alloys; fracture behavior of two-dimensional materials; irradiation damage in nuclear materials; hydrogen embrittlement of alloys; and the development of advanced multiscale modeling frameworks.

Recent Publications

  • T Zhu, W Chen, Mechanical behaviour of additively manufactured metals, Nature Materials, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-025-02459-5 (2026)
  • Q. Pan, K. Ding, S. Luo, N. Lu, N. Tao, T. Zhu, L. Lu. Superior resistance to cyclic creep in a gradient structured steel. Science, 388, 82-88 (2025)
  • Z. Liu, J. Liu, S. Zhao, S. Xun, P. Byaruhanga, S. Chen, Y. Tang, T. Zhu and H. Chen. Low-cost iron trichloride cathode for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries. Nature Sustainability, 7, 1492–1500 (2024)
  • J. Ren, Y. Zhang, D. Zhao, Y. Chen, S. Guan, Y. Liu, L. Liu, S. Peng, F. Kong, J. D. Poplawsky, G. Gao, T. Voisin, K. An, Y. M. Wang, K. Y. Xie, T. Zhu and W. Chen. Strong yet ductile nanolamellar high-entropy alloys by additive manufacturing. Nature, 608, 62–68 (2022)
  • L. Wang, Y. Zhang, Z. Zeng, H. Zhou, J. He, P. Liu, M. Chen, J. Han, D. J. Srolovitz, J. Teng, Y. Guo, G. Yang, D. Kong, E. Ma, Y. Hu, B. Yin, X. Huang, Z. Zhang, T. Zhu and X. Han. Tracking the sliding of grain boundaries at the atomic scale. Science, 375, 1261–1265 (2022)