FeiFei Zhang, Ph.D.

Dr. Zhang specializes in the mechanical testing and failure analysis of solid materials and consumer products. Having an in-depth understanding of mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties of materials, Dr. Zhang has extensive experience in the nondestructive evaluation, health monitoring, and failure prevention of various materials and structures, including composites, alloys, coatings, and electronic devices. Dr. Zhang’s background also includes experience in the acoustics, micro-fabrication, stress analysis, and engineering dynamics of materials.

Dr. Zhang has gained experience in reliability and safety testing for electronic and consumer products by serving prestigious clients in the industry. Dr. Zhang has experiences in failure analysis of Lithium-ion and Lithium-ion polymer cells and battery packs by investigation many of such failures. Dr. Zhang has received the ISO 9001:2000 Lead Auditor Training and he is qualified to perform factory audits and quality inspections for electronic and consumer product manufacturers.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Zhang was a Technological Supplier Manager with Q-Cells SE, a leading global solar photovoltaic solution provider. Dr. Zhang coordinated technical cooperation and quality management with the suppliers of solar modules and solar silicon wafers across Asia. He was also involved in exploring photovoltaic system development opportunities in China.

Dr. Zhang was formerly a research assistant at the Center of Quality Engineering and Failure Prevention at Northwestern University, where he participated in developing an ultrafast optical and ultrasonic system to nondestructively characterize the mechanical and thermal performances of ultrahard coating materials.

Zhang F, Du Y. New development and applications of Lithium-ion batteries abroad. Chemical and Physical Power Sources (in Chinese), 2008; 1(5):50-55.

Martin R, Zhang F, McGoran B. Propane appliances on small vessels: Personal injury flash fire. Proceedings, 2007 China National Failure Analysis Conference, Changsha, China, November 2007. Heat Treatment of Metals 2007; Suppl 32:95–98.

McGoran B, Zhang F, Ross B. The interdisciplinary nature of failure analysis. Proceedings of the 2007 China National Failure Analysis Conference, Changsha, China, November 2007. Heat Treatment of Metals, 2007; Suppl 32:11.

Zhang F, Krishnaswamy S, Lilley CM. Bulk-wave and guided-wave photoacoustic evaluation of the mechanical properties of aluminum/silicon nitride double-layer thin films. Ultrasonics, 2006; 45:66–76.

Zhang F. High-frequency ultrasonic characterization of the mechanical properties of micro- and nano-structured thin films. Ph.D. Thesis, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, June 2006.

Zhang F, Krishnaswamy S, Fei D, Rebinsky DA, Feng B. Ultrasonic characterization of the mechanical properties of diamond-like carbon hard coatings. Thin Solid Films 2006; 503:250–258.

Zhang F, Krishnaswamy S. Photoacoustic characterization of the mechanical properties of thin film materials. Proceedings of SPIE, 2005; 5766:89–97.

Zhang F, Krishnaswamy S, Lilley CM. Photoacoustic evaluation of the mechanical properties of Al / Si3N4 double-layer thin films. Proceedings of International Conference on Computational and Experimental Sciences, Chennai, India, 2005.

Zhang F, Krishnaswamy S. Photoacoustic evaluation of the mechanical properties of multi-layered thin films. 32nd Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Brunswick, Maine, American Institute of Physics, Vol. 25, 2005.

Zhang F, Krishnaswamy S, Fei D, Rebinsky DA. Non-destructive characterization of the mechanical properties of nano-structured DLC thin films. 31st Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, American Institute of Physics, Golden, CO 2004; 24:1159–1165.

Zhang F, Krishnaswamy S. Ultrasonic characterization of the mechanical properties of micro and nano-structured thin films. Proceedings, International Conference on Computational and Experimental Sciences, Madeira, Portugal, 2004.

Zhou Y, Zhang F, Krishnaswamy S. Lamb wave dispersion characterization using multiplexed two-wave mixing interferometry. 30th Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Green Bay, WI, American Institute of Physics, CP657, 2003; 22:333–339.

Chen H, Li G, Zhang F, Chen HL, Zhang SY. Co_/C bond dissociation energy and reaction volume change of 2’,5’-dideoxyadenosylcobalamin studied by laser-induced time-resolved photoacoustic calorimetry. Spectrochimica Acta Part A, 2003; 59:2767–2774.

Li G, Zhang F, Chen HL, Zhang SY. Determination of Co-C bond dissociation energies for organo-cobalt complexes related to coenzyme B-12 using photoacoustic calorimetry. Journal of the Chemical Society – Dalton Transactions, 2002; 105–110.

Du Y, Zhu SN, Zhu YY, Zhang F, Zhang SY, et al. Parametric and cascaded parametric interactions in a quasiperiodic optical superlattice. Applied Physics Letters 2002; 81:1573–1575.

Zhang F. Laser ultrasonics and its applications on materials characterization and photochemistry. Master’s Thesis, Nanjing University, China, June 2001.

Zhang F, Xu WH, Hong Y, Zhang SY, Coufal H. Non-destructive characterization of laminated composite films by laser ultrasonic technique. Analytical Sciences, 2001; 17:S208–S211.

Zhang F, Zhang SY. Calculation of equivalent circuits and impedance response of radially polarized cylindrical thin shell. Progress in Natural Sciences, 2001; 11:S22–S26.

Xu WH, Meng XK, Liu ZG, Zhang F, Zhang SY. The synthesis and mechanical property evaluation of Ni/Ni3Al microlaminates. Materials Letters 2001; 50:375–375.

Zhang F, Li G, Chen HL, Zhang SY. Determination of Rh-C bond dissociation energy in methyl-(porphyrinato)rho-dium (III) complexes: A new application of photoacoustic calorimetry. Chemistry Letters, 2001; 4:284–285.

Selected Presentations

Zhang F. Propane appliances on small vessels: Personal injury flash fire. China National Failure Analysis Conference, Changsha, China, November 2007 (Presented on behalf of R.J. Martin).

Zhang F. Advanced Li-ion and Li-ion polymer battery construction, reliability, manufacturing, and safety. 6th China International Forum of Battery Technology, Shanghai, China, November 2006.

McGoran B, Zhang F. Evaluation of a chemical plant explosion and lessons learned. Annual Meeting of the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society and 1st Annual Meeting of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Mechanics and Transportation Engineering Division, Hangzhou, China, November 2006.

Zhang F. Liquefied petroleum gas cylinder safety—Can solar heating lead to venting? 2006 International Symposium on Safety, Science, and Technology, Changsha, China, October 2006 (Presented on behalf of Qin WJ and Martin RJ).

Zhang F. Photoacoustic evaluation of the mechanical properties of Al/Silicon Nitride thin films. 32nd Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Brunswick, ME, August 2005.

Zhang F. Photoacoustic characterization of the mechanical properties of thin film materials. SPIE International Symposium on Nondestructive Evaluation for Health Monitoring, San Diego, CA, March 2005.

Zhang F. Ultrasonic characterization of the mechanical properties of nano-structured DLC ultra-hard thin films. 31st Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Golden, CO, July 2004.

Zhang F. Calculation of equivalent circuits and impedance response of radially polarized cylindrical thin shell. 8th International Workshop on Modern Acoustics, Nanjing, China, 2000.

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers