Zhang Lina

Zhang Lina (; 14 August 1940 – 17 October 2020) was a Chinese physical chemist specializing in polymer science. She focused on high-performance mechanisms of biomass based materials such as soy protein, alginate and cellulose; all are a part of green chemistry. She was a dedicated educator, training 118 postgraduate and doctoral students. Zhang was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, becoming the first woman from Wuhan University to receive this honor.

Scientific career Zhang Lina graduated from Wuhan University in 1963 and later became a distinguished professor at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences of Wuhan University. Zhang studied in Japan through a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science scholarship at Osaka University in 1984–1986. There she started work on green chemistry by studying polysaccharide solutions.

Zhang founded the Natural Polymer and Polymer Physics Research Group at Wuhan University in 1993. Zhang's research focused on fundamental and applied research of biomass resources and natural macromolecular material science. Zhang's technology reduces the generation of white pollution, and the materials generated using Zhang's technology can be completely degraded within a month. This technology makes the recycling of biomass waste possible and renewable resources can be better utilized.

Throughout her career, Zhang published over 530 papers in international journals and was granted nearly 100 patents. Her work is highly influential in the field of "Self-healing hydrogels" and "Regenerated cellulose," with her top-cited paper, Rapid dissolution of cellulose in LiOH/urea and NaOH/urea aqueous solutions, receiving over 1,200 citations.

Research and Innovation Zhang's most significant contribution was the development of a "green" method to dissolve cellulose. Unlike traditional methods that use high heat and toxic chemicals (the Viscose process), Zhang discovered that a pre-cooled aqueous solution of LiOH/urea or NaOH/urea could rapidly dissolve cellulose at low temperatures (around -12 °C). This discovery is considered a milestone in polymer science because it allows for the creation of biodegradable films and fibers without environmental pollution.

In 2006, Zhang wrote book Natural polymer modified materials and applications.

In 2007, Zhang wrote book Natural Polymer Science and Materials.

In 2011, she was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, becoming the first woman from Wuhan University to receive this honor.

Zhang served on the editorial boards of Cellulose, the Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy, and Acta Polymerica Sinica.