Tenured Associate Professor Haohong Duan
Address: D112, Medicine Building, Tsinghua University, 30 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100084
Tel: +86 6278 0648
E-mail: hhduan@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Homepage: https://www.haohongduan-group.com
ORCID: 0000-0002-9241-0984
Education background
2005–2009 College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, B.Sc. Degree (Research training supervisor: Prof. Yan Chunhua)
2009–2014 Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Ph.D. Degree (Supervisor: Prof. Li Yadong)
Professional Experience
2015−2018 Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Postdoctoral associate (Collaborated supervisors: Profs. Dermot O’Hare and Edman Tsang)
2019−2025 Tenure-track Associate Professor
Since 2025 Tenured Associate Professor
Editor
Advisory Board of Chemical Science
Editorial Board of Molecular Catalysis
Specially invited editor of Science Bulletin
Youth Editor for Science China Chemistry and Precision Chemistry
Research interest
Dr. Haohong Duan is a tenured associate professor at Tsinghua University. He has led an independent research group at Tsinghua since 2019. His research focuses on developing electrocatalytic systems for converting industrial feedstocks, biomass, and waste plastics into value-added chemicals, with an emphasis on reaction pathway design, catalyst synthesis, and electrolyzer construction. He has published over 100 papers as corresponding author in top-tier journals including Nat. Catal., Nat. Synth., Nat. Commun., J. Am. Chem. Soc., and Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. He is also an editor and co-author of the book Photocatalysis Using 2D Nanomaterials (2022, Royal Society of Chemistry). He has received the Distinguished Young Scholar Award of China, the Distinguished Young Scholar Award of Beijing, and the Green Tech Award, among other honors. He currently serves as the principal scientist for the National Key R&D Program of China. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Chemical Science , a specially invited editor of Science Bulletin , and a Youth Editor for Science China Chemistry, Precision Chemistry, and other high-quality journals.
Teaching
General Chemistry (fundamental course for undergraduates)
Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry Experiment (fundamental course for undergraduates)
Awards
2014 Excellent doctoral dissertation of Tsinghua University
2014 Outstanding PhD graduate of Tsinghua University
2021 Qingshan Science and Technology Award (Green Tech Award)
2022 Beijing Natural Science Found for Distinguished Young Scholars
2023 National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars
2024 National Key R&D Program of China, Principal Scientist
2025 National Science Fund for Innovative Research Groups
2025 Science and Technology Progress Award of China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, First Prize (First Principal Contributor)
2026 Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, Science and Technology Award, First Prize (second contributor)
Selected publications
1. Kong, K., Zheng, H.-L., Duan, H.* et al Thermochemical polarization-driven heterolytic hydrogenation in an electrochemical palladium-membrane reactor, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148, 39623−39637
2. Zhang, C., Duan, H.* et al. A paired electrolysis for hydroxymethanesulfonate synthesis using sulfide waste as the sulfur source, Nat. Commun. 2026, 17:8529
3. Miao, Y., Gao, D., Dai, Y., Li, Z.,* Shao, M.,* Duan, H.* et al. A redox flow battery coupling energy storage and chemical manufacturing in a single device, Nat. Commun. 2026, 17:8926
4. Liu, X., Zhou, T., Shao, M.,* Duan, H.* et al. Dynamic attraction of leached metal species enables durable glucose electrooxidation in a strong acid, Nat. Commun. 2026, 17:7159
5. Wang, X., Zhang, C.,* Duan, H.* et al. Electrosynthesis of ethylene glycol from methanol via oxidative C–C coupling, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148, 21, 21963–21972
6. Ji, K., Liu, Y., Kong, K., Chau, Z., Liu, X., Yuan, B.-J., Wang, X., Xu, X., Duan, H.* A pH gradient at electrode−electrolyte interface for tandem reactions, Nat. Commun. 2026, 17:6099
7. Liu, Y., Niu, X., Zhang, L.,* Duan, H.* et al. Selective Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation of Phenol to Cyclohexanone at Industrial-Relevant Current Density, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2026, e2978958 (Hot Paper)
8. Shi, Q., Liu, W.,* Duan, H.* et al. The C–C Bond-Centric Mechanism in Electrocatalytic Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate Valorization, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2026, e9944053
9. Ren, Y., Xu, M. Zou, K., Zhou, H.,* Shao, M.,* Duan, H.* et al. Electron-Efficient Formate Electrosynthesis from CO2 and Biomass-Derived Carbohydrates in a Zero-Gap Electrolyzer, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2026, e3951875
10. Yuan, B.-J., Xu, S.-M., Li, B.-J.* Duan, H.* et al. Homogeneous silver catalyst for propylene electrooxidation to propylene glycol, Nat. Commun. 2025, 16:10319
11. Li, J., Liu, X., Xu, S.-M.,* Duan, H.* et al. Sustainable oxime production via the electrosynthesis of hydroxylamine in a free state, Nat. Synth. 2025, 4, 1598-1609
12. Zhang, C., Zhou, H.*, Duan, H.* et al. Electrochemical valorization of H2S in natural gas to sulfate under mild conditions, Nat. Commun. 2025, 16:7175
13. Ren, Y., Kong, W., Li, Y., Zhou, H.,* Shao, M.,* Duan, H.* et al. Selective electrooxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural at pilot scale by engineering a solid polymer electrolyte reactor, Nat. Catal. 2025, 8, 771–783 (Cover)
14. Wang, X., Xu, S.-M. Duan, H.* et al. Ligand Tuning of Molecular Ag Catalysts Enables Efficient Direct Propylene Electrooxidation to Propylene Glycol, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 23090-23102
15. Shi, Q., Duan, H.* et al. Electrocatalytic Ethylene Glycol to Long-Chain C3+ α-Hydroxycarboxylic Acids via Cross-Coupling with Primary Alcohols, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 16, 14004-14014
16. Li, A.-Z., Li, B.-J.* Duan, H.* et al. Direct Electrooxidation of Ethylene to Ethylene Glycol over 90% Faradaic Efficiency Enabled by Cl− Modification of the Pd Surface. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 12, 10493-10503
17. Liu, Y. and Duan, H.* Electrocatalysis enables polyvinyl chloride functionalization Chem, 2025 11, 102435
18. Liu, Y., Ji, K., Zhu, Y.-Q.* Duan, H.* Modulating the Coverage of Adsorbed Hydrogen via Hydrogen Spillover Enables Selective Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation of Phenol to Cyclohexanone, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 137, e202419178
19. Li, J., Duan, H.* Recent progress in hydrogen production coupled with value-added anodic reactions: biomass valorization, plastic upcycling, and organic synthesis, Chem, 2024, 10, 1-32
20. Liu, X., Zhu, Y.-Q. Li, J.,* Duan, H.* et al. Electrosynthesis of adipic acid with high faradaic efficiency within a wide potential window, Nat. Commun. 2024, 15:7685
21. Sendeku, M. G., Harrath, K., Wang, F.,* Duan, H.* Sun, X.* et al. Deciphering in-situ surface reconstruction in two-dimensional CdPS3 nanosheets for efficient biomass hydrogenation, Nat. Commun. 2024, 15:5174
22. Shi, Q., Duan, H.* et al. Electrocatalytic upgrading of plastic and biomass-derived polyols to formamide under ambient conditions, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 10.1002/anie.202407580
23. Li, M., Shi, Q., S.-M. * Duan, H.* et al. Photoelectrocatalytic synthesis of urea from carbon dioxide and nitrate over a Cu2O photocathode, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, e202406515
24. Ji, K., Liu, Y., Duan, H.* et al. Steering selectivity in electrocatalytic furfural reduction via elec-trode–electrolyte interface modification, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 17, 11876–11886.
25. Li, A.-Z., Yuan, B.-J., Li, B.-J.,* Duan, H.* et al. One-step electrochemical ethylene-to-ethylene glycol conversion over a multitasking molecular catalyst, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 8, 5622–5633
26. Kong, K., Duan, H.* et al. Electrochemical carbon−carbon coupling with enhanced activity and controlled stereoselectivity by microenvironment regulation. Nat. Commun. 2023, 14:6925
27. Zhou, H., Ren, Y., Duan, H.* et al. Scalable electrosynthesis of commodity chemicals from biomass by suppressing non-Faradaic transformations, Nat. Commun. 2023, 14:5621 (Editors’ Highlights)
28. Li, J., Duan, H.* et al. Rechargeable biomass battery for electricity storage/generation and concurrent valuable chemicals production, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, e202304852 (a News Article)
29. Yan, Y., Li Z.*, Duan, H.,* et al. Electrocatalytic upcycling of biomass and plastic wastes to biodegradable polymer monomers and hydrogen fuel at high current densities, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 6144−6155 (Cover)
30. Zhu, Y.-Q., Zhou, H.,* Duan, H.,* et al. Identification of active sites over cobalt oxyhydroxide in glucose electrooxidation, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, e202219048
31. Li, Z., Duan, H.* et al. Electrocatalytic oxidation of KA oil to adipic acid coupled with H2 production enhanced by a ligand modification strategy, Nat. Commun. 2022, 13:5009
32. Ji, K., Duan, H.* et al. Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural promoted by a Ru1Cu single-atom alloy catalyst, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, e202209849.
33. Luo, L., Li, Z.,* Duan, H.* et al. Selective photoelectrocatalytic glycerol oxidation to dihydroxyacetone via enhanced middle hydroxyl adsorption over Bi2O3-incorporated catalyst, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 17, 7720–7730 (Cover)
34. Ge, R., Duan, H.* et al. Selective electrooxidation of biomass-derived alcohols to aldehydes in a neutral medium: promoted water dissociation over a nickel-oxide-supported ruthenium single-atom catalyst, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202200211
35. Li. Z., Duan, H.* et al. Alcohols electrooxidation coupled with H2 production at high current densities promoted by a cooperative catalyst, Nat. Commun. 2022, 13:147 (Editors’ Highlights)
36. Li. Z., Duan, H.* et al. Photoelectrocatalytic C–H halogenation over an oxygen vacancy-rich TiO2 photoanode. Nat. Commun. 2021, 12:6698 (Editors’ Highlights)
37. Zhou, H., Duan, H.* et al. Electrocatalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate to commodity chemicals and H2 fuel. Nat. Commun. 2021, 12:4679 (Editors’ Highlights)
38. Zhou, H., Duan, H.* et al. Selectively upgrading lignin derivatives into carboxylates through electrochemical oxidative C(OH)-C bonds cleavage by a Mn-doped cobalt oxyhydroxide catalyst. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 8976-8982
39. Cui, T., Zhang, J.,* Duan, H.,* Wang, D.,* et al. Atomically dispersed Pt−N3C1 sites enabling efficient and selective electrocatalytic C−C bond cleavage in lignin models under ambient conditions. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 9429-9439
40. Duan, H., Li J.,* Tsang, S.,* O’Hare, D.* et al. Molecular nitrogen promotes catalytic hydrodeoxygenation. Nat. Catal. 2019, 2, 1078-1087
41. Duan, H., Tsang. S.,* O’Hare, D.* et al. Hydrodeoxygenation of water-insoluble bio-oil to alkanes using a highly dispersed Pd-Mo catalyst, Nat. Commun. 2017, 8:591
42. Duan, H., Li, J.,* Stamenkovic, V.,* Li, Y.* et al. High-performance Rh2P electrocatalyst for efficient water splitting, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 5494-5502
43. Duan, H., Wang, D.,* and Li. Y.* Green chemistry for nanoparticle synthesis, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2015, 44 (16), 5778-5792
44. Duan, H., Li. J.,* Li, Y.* et al. Ultrathin rhodium nanosheets, Nat. Commun. 2014, 5: 3093
