主要從事多級結構磁性有機-無機復合納米功能材料、多級結構高分散負載型金屬納米催化材料及粘土基多孔復合納米材料的設計合成和催化應用方面的研究工作。主持國家自然科學基金4項、作為專項負責人承擔國家“973計劃”2項。在Nanoscale、ChemCommun、J Mater Chem、J Phys Chem C、AIChE J、Chem Eng Sci、Ind Eng Chem Res、RSC Adv及Catal Sci Techi等國際學術刊物發(fā)表論文50余篇。參加撰寫編著2冊（《插層組裝與功能材料》和《二維納米復合氫氧化物》。獲得授權國家發(fā)明專利22項（第一發(fā)明人），美國發(fā)明專利1項（第二發(fā)明人）。

在研項目：

 （1）  國家自然科學基金項目“多級核殼結構磁性納米金催化劑的制備及其在醇氧化反應中的應用(21276015)”2013-2016，負責人

 （2）  國家重大科學問題導向項目(國家973項目)“貴金屬高效利用與替代的納米催化材料(2011CBA00508)” 2011-2015，專題負責人

代表性論文：

1.      Lun Li, Liguang Dou, Hui Zhang*, Layered double hydroxide supported gold nanoclusters by glutathione-capped Au nanoclusters precursor method for highly efficient aerobic oxidation of alcohols, Nanoscale, 2014, DOI:10.1039/C3NR05604J 

2.      Hui Zhang,* Guoyan Zhang, Xue Bi and Xitao Chen, Facile assembly of a hierarchical core@shell Fe₃O₄@CuMgAl-LDH (layered double hydroxide) magnetic nanocatalyst for the hydroxylation of phenol, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2013, 1, 5934-5942.

3. Fei Mi, Xitao Chen, Yuewen Ma, Shuangtao Yin, Fanglong Yuan and Hui Zhang* Facile synthesis of hierarchical core-shell Fe₃O₄@MgAl-LDH@Au as magnetically recyclable catalysts for catalytic oxidation of alcohols Chem.Commun., 2011,47(48), 12804-12806

4. Xitao Chen, Fei Mi, Hui Zhang*, Huaiqian Zhang,     Facile synthesis of a novel magnetic core-shell hierarchical composite submicrospheres Fe₃O₄@CuNiAl- LDH under ambient conditions, Mater Lett, 2012, 69, 48-51

5. Dengke pan, Hui Zhang,*Ting Fan, Jiangang Chen, Xue Duan, Nearly monodispersed core-shell structural Fe₃O₄@DFUR–LDH submicro particles for magnetically controlled drug delivery and release, Chem.Commun., 2011, 47(3), 908-910

6. Ting Fan, Dengke Pan, and Hui Zhang*, Study on Formation Mechanism by Monitoring the Morphology and Structure Evolution of Nearly Monodispersed Fe3O4 Submicroparticles with Controlled Particle Sizes. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.2011, 50(15), 9009-9018

7. Wei Huang, Hui Zhang*, Dengke Pan, Study on the Release Behavior and Mechanism by Monitoring the Morphology Changes of the Large-Sized Drug-LDH Nanohybrids AIChE J, 2011, 57(7), 1936–1946

8. Gao, Zhiyue; Du, Bing; Zhang, Guoyan; Gao, Yan; Li, Zejiang; Zhang, Hui*; Duan, Xue, Adsorption of Pentachlorophenol from Aqueous Solution on Dodecylbenzenesulfonate Modified Nickel?Titanium Layered Double Hydroxide Nanocomposites, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2011, 50, 5334-5345

9. Dengke Pan, Hui Zhang*, Ting Zhang, Xue Duan, A novel organic–inorganic microhybrids containing anticancer agent doxifluridine and layered double hydroxides: Structure and controlled release properties Chem Eng Sci 2010, 65, 3762-3771

10. Hui Zhang*, Dengke Pan, Kang Zou, Jing He, Xue Duan, A novel core-shell structured magnetic organic-inorganic nanohybrid involving drug-intercalated layered double hydroxides coated on a magnesium ferrite core for magnetically controlled drug release, J Mater Chem，2009, 19, 3069–3077