06/2024 —  Full Professor, Tsinghua University

12/2017 — 06/2024  Associate Professor, Tsinghua University

02/2015 — 2017/12  Assistant Professor, Tsinghua University

02/2014 — 12/2014  Postdoc fellow, University of British Columbia, Canada

06/2013 — 02/2014  Postdoc researcher, Delft University of Technology

Steel is the foundation of modern industry and plays a crucial role in numerous fields such as automobiles, aerospace, construction, and mechanical manufacturing. Steel research is indispensable for enhancing the performance and quality of steel, propelling innovation in industry, and meeting increasing demands for steel across various sectors. China becomes the world's largest producer and consumer of steel, and the continued advancements in steel research is of the critical importance for the country. Dr Chen’s research ranges from thermodynamics and kinetics of phase transformations in steels, to the application of emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing, flash heating and advanced modeling techniques (including physics-based modeling and artificial intelligence) in steel research. His works has provided new understanding of fundamental aspects of physical metallurgy and developed new concepts for designing superior steels.

2020 Outstanding Young Scholar of Tsinghua University

2019  National science fund for excellent young scholar from National Science Foundation

2015 “Aaronson award” by International phase transformation committee

2013 Doctor Cum Laude, The highest distinction  (top 4%)

2012 Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad Award by Chinese Government

1) Shidong, Wang, Wenhua Wu, Yue Sun, Zhigang Yang, Gang Sha, Wei Wang, Zengbao Jiao, Hao Chen*, Regulating precipitation behavior in an ultrahigh-strength high mllybdenum maraging steel via laser powder bed fusion, Scripta Materialia 252 (2024)116245

2) Weiting Li, Jun Chai*, Geng Liu, Xuequan Rong, Pengyu Wen, Jie Su, Hao Chen*, On the role of chemically heterogeneous austenite in cryogenic toughness of maraging steels manufactured via laser powder bed fusion, Acta Materialia, 276(2024)120157

3) Shidong Wang, Jinhua Wang, Yue Sun, Zhigang Yang, Gang Sha, Zengbao Jiao, Hao Chen*, Ultrastrong and ductile metastable Fe-rich medium-entropy alloy with high-density nanolamellar L12 precipitates, Scripta Materialia, 2024, 247 : 116100

4) Boning Zhang, Kai Xiong, Maoqiu Wang, Zhenbao Liu, Kun Shen, Yong Mao*, Hao Chen*, Grain boundary alloying segregation to resist hydrogen embrittlement in BCC-Fe steels: Atomistic insights into solute-hydrogen interactions, Scripta Materialia, 2024, 238: 115757.

5) Jinhua Wang, Shidong Wang*, Weiting Li, Yingjie Yao, Xiaopei Wang, Zhigang Yang, Hao Chen*. Ultrastrong and ductile additively-manufactured medium-carbon steel via modulating austenite stability, Scripta Materialia, 2024, 239: 115780.

6) Zongbiao Dai, Hao Chen, Junjie Sun, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Jun Sun*, Carbon solute drag effect on the growth of carbon supersaturated bainitic ferrite: Modeling and experimental validations，Acta Materialia, 2024, 268 : 119791

7) Pangyu Liu, Boning Zhang, Ranming Niu, Shaolun Lu, Chao Huang, Maoqiu Wang, Fuyang Tian, Yong Mao, Tong Li, Patrick A. Burr, Hongzhou Lu, Aimin Guo, Hungwei Yen*, Julie M. Cairney*, Hao Chen*, Yisheng Chen*. Engineering metal-carbide hydrogen traps in steels, Nature communication, 2024, 15(1): 724.

8) Jinhua Wang, Shidong Wang*&, Wenhua Wu, Dongmei Wang, Jiali Zhao, Zhigang Yang, Hao Chen*, Achieving ultrahigh yield strength and decent toughness in an in-situ alloyed H13 steel via laser powder bed fusion, Additive Manufacturing, 2024, 85：104169.

9) Yan Wang, Ran Ding, Carlo Franke, Tong Li, Xuequan Rong, Pengyu Wen, Zhigang Yang, Hao Chen*, Flash annealing of a chemically heterogeneous medium Mn steel, Scripta Materialia, 2024, 242: 115923.

10) Jun Chai, Haokai Dong*, Jingyu Zhang, Kun Shen, Zhigang Yang, Hao Chen*, On the role of interfacial coherency and carbon in niobium segregation at ferrite/austenite interface: An atomistic study，Scripta Materialia, 2024, 247 : 116109

11) Yingjie Yao, Luyao Fana, Ran Ding, Carlo Franke, Zhigang Yang, Wei Liu, Tong Li, Hao Chen*, On the role of cellular microstructure in austenite reversion in selective laser melted maraging steel, Journal of Materials Science & Technology, 2024, 184: 180-194.

12) Shubo Zhang, Kailun Li, Wenjing Zhang, Menghan Ma, Mingshen Li, Jing Xue, Hao Chen, Rong Hu, Wei Liu, A novel additive manufactured reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel enhanced by in-situ nanoparticles benefiting from oxygen addition, Scripta Materialia, 2023, 235: 115627

13) Xiaopei Wang, Weiting Li , Yingjie Yao, Luyao Fan, Jinhua Wang, Weiyi Wang, Pengyu Wen, Zhigang Yang, Hao Chen. In-situ alloyed ultrahigh strength steels via additive manufacturing, Additive Manufacturing, 2023, 77: 103825.

14) Binhan Sun, Alisson Kwiatkowski da Silva, Yuxiang Wu, Yan Ma, Hao Chen*, Colin Scott, Dirk Ponge & Dierk Raabe*. Physical metallurgy of medium-Mn advanced highstrength steels. International Materials Reviews, 2023, 68: 786-824.

15) Haokai Dong, Yongjie Zhang, Goro Miyamoto, Masahiro Inomoto, Weiwen Zhang, Lehua Liu, Hao Chen, Tadashi Furuhara. Heterogeneous segregation behavior of Nb at the stepped migrating interface during phase transformation. Scripta Materialia, 2023, 222: 115038

16) Shidong Wang, Jinhua Wang , Yong Yang, Penghui Wang, Shubo Zhang, Hengwei Luan, Chi Zhang, Zengbao Jiao, Zhigang Yang, Gang Sha, Hao Chen*. Ultrastrong interstitially-strengthened chemically complex martensite via tuning phase stability. Scripta Materialia, 2023, 226: 115257.

17) Ran Ding, Chaofan Zhang, Yan Wang, Chenxi Liu, Yingjie Yao, Jun Zhang, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Yongchang Liu, Hao Chen*. Mechanistic role of Mn heterogeneity in austenite decomposition and stabilization in a commercial quenching and partitioning steel. Acta Materialia, 2023, 250: 118869.

18) Haokai Dong, Hao Chen*, Ahmadreza Riyahi khorasgani, Boning Zhang, et.al. Revealing the influence of Mo addition on interphase precipitation in Ti-bearing low carbon steels. Acta Materialia, 2022, 223: 117475.

19) Jun Zhang, Binhan Sun, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen*. Enhancing the hydrogen embrittlement resistance of medium Mn steels by designing metastable austenite with a compositional core-shell structure. Acta Metallurgica Sinica, 2022, 6: 1-19.

20) Boning Zhang, Jie Su, Maoqiu Wang, Zhenbao Liu, Zhigang Yang, Matthias Militzer, Hao Chen*. Atomistic insight into hydrogen trapping at MC/BCC-Fe phase boundaries: The role of local atomic environment. Acta Materialia, 2021, 208: 116744.

21) Jiazhi Zhang, Zongbiao Dai, Liyang Zeng, Xunwei Zuo, Jianfeng Wan, Yonghua Rong, Nailu Chen, Jian Lu, Hao Chen*. Revealing carbide precipitation effects and their mechanisms during quenching-partitioning-tempering of a high carbon steel: Experiments and Modeling. Acta Materialia, 2021, 217: 117176.

22) Haokai Dong, Yongjie Zhang, Goro Miyamoto, Masahiro Inomoto, Hao Chen, Zhigang Yang, Tadashi Furuhara. Unraveling the effects of Nb interface segregation on ferrite transformation kinetics in low carbon steels. Acta Materialia, 2021, 215: 117081.

23) Binhan Sun, Wenjun Lu, Baptiste Gault , Ran Ding, Surendra Kumar Makineni , Di Wan , Chunhung Wu, Hao Chen , Dirk Ponge, Dierk Raabe. Chemical heterogeneity enhances hydrogen resistance in high-strength steels. Nature Materials, 2021, 20: 1629-1634.

24) Jun Zhang , Mingxin Huang*, Boning Zhang, Ran Ding, Cheng Luo, Wu Zeng, Chi Zhang, Zhigang Yang , Hao Chen*, Revealing the role of localized deformation in hydrogen embrittlement of medium Mn steels, Scripta Materialia, 2021, 190, 32-37.

25) Xinhao Wan, Geng Liu, Zhigang Yang, Hao Chen*. Flash annealing yields a strong and ductile medium Mn steel with heterogeneous microstructure. Scripta Materialia, 2021, 198: 113819.

26) Ran Ding , Yingjie Yao, Binhan Sun, Geng Liu, Jianguo He, Tong Li, Xinhao Wan, Zongbiao Dai, Dirk Ponge, Dierk Raabe, Chi Zhang, Andy Godfrey, Goro Miyamoto, Tadashi Furuhara, Zhigang Yang, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Hao Chen*, Chemical boundary engineering: a new route towards lean, ultrastrong yet ductile steels. Science Advances, 2020, eaay1430.

27) Zongbiao Dai, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen*, Incomplete carbon partitioning during quenching and partitioning of Fe-C-Mn-Si steels: Modeling and Experimental validations, Acta Materialia, 2020, 200: 597-607

28) Geng Liu, Tong Li, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Jun Li, Hao Chen*, On the role of chemical heterogeneity in phase transformations and mechanical behavior of flash annealed quenching & partitioning steels, Acta Materialia, 2020, 201: 266-277.

29) Zongbiao Dai, Hao Chen*，Ran Ding, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Fundamentals and application of solid-state phase transformations for advanced high strength steels containing metastable retained austenite, Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports, 2021, 143:1-39

30) Ran Ding, Yingjie Yao, Binhan Sun, Geng Liu, Jianguo He, Tong Li, Xinhao Wan, Zongbiao Dai, Dirk Ponge, Dierk Raabe, Chi Zhang, Andy Godfrey, Goro Miyamoto, Tadashi Furuhara, Zhigang Yang, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Hao Chen*, Chemical boundary engineering: a new route towards lean, ultrastrong yet ductile steels. Science Advances, 2020, eaay1430.

31) Geng Liu, Zongbiao Dai, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Jun Li, Hao Chen*, Kinetic transitions and Mn partitioning during austenite growth from a mixture of partitioned cementite and ferrite: role of heating rate, Journal of Materials Science and Technology, 2020, 49: 70-80.

32) Xinhao Wan, Geng Liu, Ran Ding, Nobuo Nakada, Yaw-Wang Chai, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen*, Stabilizing austenite via a core-shell structure in the medium Mn steels, Scripta Materialia, 166(2019)68-72.

33) Cong-Yu Zhang, Hao Chen*, Zhu Jianing, Wenbo Liu, Geng Liu, Chi Zhang, Zhigang Yang, A new treatment of alloying effects on migrating interfaces in Fe-X alloys, Scripta Materialia, 162(2019)44-48.

34) Zongbiao Dai, Ran Ding, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen*, Thermo-kinetic design of retained austenite in advanced high strength steels, Acta Materialia, 152(2018)288-289.

35) Haokai Dong, Hao Chen*, Wei Wang, Yongjie Zhang, Goro Miyamoto, Tadashi Furuhara, Chi Zhang, Zhigang Yang, S. van der Zwaag, Analysis of the interaction between moving α/γ interfaces and interphase precipitated carbides during cyclic phase transformations in a Nb-containing Fe-C-Mn alloy, Acta Materialia, 158(2018)59-69.

36) Ran Ding, Zongbiao Dai, Mingxin Huang, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen*, Effect of pre-existed austenite on austenite reversion and mechanical behavior of an Fe-0.2C-8Mn-2Al medium Mn steel, Acta Materialia, 147(2018)167-179.

37) Zongbiao Dai, Ran Ding, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen*, Elucidating the effect of Mn partitioning on interface migration and carbon partitioning during Quenching and Partitioning of the Fe-C-Mn-Si steels: Modeling and experiments, Acta Materialia, 144(2018)666-678.

38) Huidong Wu, Goro Miyamoto, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen*, Tadashi Furuhara, Carbon enrichment during ferrite transformation in Fe-Si-C alloys, Acta Materialia, 149(2018)68-77.

39) Jianing Zhu, Ran Ding, Jianguo He, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen*, A cyclic austenite reversion treatment for stabilizing austenite in the medium manganese steels, Scripta Materialia, 136(2017)6-10.

40) Jianing Zhu, Haiwen Luo, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Hao Chen*, Determination of the intrinsic austenite/ferrite interface mobility during massive transformations in interstitial free Fe-X alloys, Acta Materialia, 133(2017)258-268.

41) Hu Chen, Yanzhou Ji, Chi Zhang, Wenbo Liu, Hao Chen, Zhigang Yang, Longqing Chen, Lei Chen, Understanding cementite dissolution in pearlitic steels subjected to rolling-sliding contact loading: A combined experimental and theoretical study, Acta Materialia, 141(2017)193-205.

42) Huidong Wu, Goro Miyamoto, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Hao Chen, Tadashi Furuhara, Incomplete bainite transformation in Fe-Si-C alloys, Acta Materialia, 133(2017)1-9.

43) Hao Chen*, Zhigang Yang, Chi Zhang, Kangying Zhu, Sybrand van der Zwaag, On the transition between grain boundary ferrite and bainitic ferrite in Fe-C-Mn and Fe-C-Mo alloys: The bay formation explained, Acta Materialia, 104(2016)62-71.

44) Hao Chen*, Sybrand van der Zwaag, A general mixed-mode model for the austenite to ferrite transformation kinetics in Fe-C-M alloys, Acta Materialia, 72(2014)1-12.

45) Kangying Zhu, Hao Chen, Jean-Philippe Masse, Olivier Bouaziz, Gabriel Gachet, The effect of ferrite/austenite interface on bainite and martensite transformations, Acta Materialia, 61(2013)6025-6036.

46) Hao Chen*, Kangying Zhu, Lie Zhao, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Analysis of transformation stasis during isothermal bainitic ferrite formation in Fe-C-Mn and Fe-C-Mn-Si alloys, Acta Materialia, 61(2013)5458-5468.

47) Hao Chen*, Annika Borgenstam, Joakim Odqvist, Ian Zuazo, John Ågren, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Application of interrupted cooling experiments to study the mechanism of bainitic ferrite formation in steels, Acta Materialia, 61(2013)4512-4523.

48) Hao Chen*, Ernst Gamsjäger, Siegfried Schider, Hamideh Khanbareh, Sybrand van der Zwaag, In situ observation of austenite-ferrite interface migration in a lean Mn steel during cyclic partial phase transformations, Acta Materialia, 61(2013)2414-2424.

49) Hao Chen*, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Analysis of ferrite growth retardation induced by local Mn enrichment in austenite created by prior interface passages, Acta Materialia, 61(2013)1338-1349.

50) Hao Chen*, Benoît Appolaire, Sybrand van der Zwaag, Application of cyclic partial phase transformations for identifying kinetic transitions during solid-state phase transformations: Experiments and modeling, Acta Materialia, 59(2011)6751-6760.