Prof. Cheng Yang’s research group focuses on hierarchical functional nanostructure fabrication methodologies and evolution mechanism under non-equilibrium thermodynamic condition. Finding nonlinear reaction windows can enable formation of unusually complicated nanostructures, which is analogous to the “self-organizing” phenomenon and dissipative structure. He has been dedicated in developing experimental platforms and related theories, and successfully realized functional nanostructures e.g. silver fractal dendrites (Nat. Commun. 2015, ACS nano 2017), nickel nanostructure arrays (Adv. Mater. 2016), “snake-cage” like lithium dendrite structure (Nat. Commun. 2018), and hierarchical structures of metal alloys (Adv. Mater. 2021, Energy Environ. Sci. 2020, 2021), which show superior performance and great promise in various applications including electronic wiring, electrocatalysis, and energy storage applications. His review article “Polymorph Evolution Mechanisms and Regulation Strategies of Lithium Metal Anode under Multi-physical Fields” was recently accepted by Chemical Reviews (2021).