獲獎
曾獲澳大利亞燃燒學會的David Warren獎(1996)、阿德雷德大學最佳研究生導師獎(1998)、由澳大利亞工程師協會和國際化學工程師協會頒發的Shedden Uhde獎章(2000)、國際燃燒學會年輕科學家獎(2001)，並於2003年入選為國際能源基金會會員。
1995年被聘任被聘任華中理工大學客座教授, 1996年獲國際燃燒協會的大衛.瓦壬獎, 1997年被聘任東南大學客座教授, 1998年獲阿德雷得大學的最佳研究生導師稱號, 2000年英國皇家工程師協會與澳化工協會聯合頒發的契登.幽德大獎. 2002年
主要研究領域
主要科研方向包括粉煤燃燒與發電，煤氣化，煤灰利用，以煤炭為基礎的多聯產綜合資源利用；新能源開發，可再生能源, 如生物質, 城市垃圾, 污水淤泥的氣化, 制油, 燃燒. 煤炭利用過程中污染物的生成與控制的研究和技術開發， 天然氣利用，天然氣轉換液體燃料的技術，工業催化劑的基礎研究和技術開發， 工業炸藥的運用與安全研究, 可持續發展以及能源政策與戰略的研究。
主要代表著作
1. Zhang, D.K., Laser-induced ignition of pulverised fuel particles, Combustion and Flame, 90: 134, 1992.
2. Zhang, D.K., Hills, P.C., Wall, T.F., and Tate, The ignition of coal particles and explosions in surrounding combustible gases during heating by laser irradiation, Fuel, 71: 1206, 1992.
3. Zhang, D.K., and Wall, T.F., An analysis of the ignition of coal dust clouds, Combustion and Flame, 92: 475, 1993.
4. Zhang, D.K., Bifurcation behaviour of a heterogeneous-homogeneous reaction system with a constant power source, Combustion and Flame, 96: 171, 1994.
5. Headon, K., and Zhang, D.K., Performance of zeolite supported catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide and oxidation of methane, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 36: 4595 - 4599, 1997.
6. Telfer, M.A., and Zhang, D.K., An investigation of sulphur retention and the effect of inorganic matter during pyrolysis of South Australian low-rank coals, Energy and Fuels, 12:6, 1135 - 1141, 1998.
7. Zhang, D.K., Jackson, P.J., and Vuthaluru, H.B., Low-rank coal and advanced technologies for power generation, an invited plenary paper at the 1997 Engineering Foundation Conference on Impact of Mineral Impurities in Solid Fuel Combustion (Ed. R.P Gupta, T.F. Wall, and L. Baxter), Page 45, Kluwer Academic Press, New York, 1999.
8. Zhang, D.K., and Sujanti, W., The effect of exchangable cations on low-temperature oxidation and self-heating of a Victorian brown coal, Fuels, 78:10, 1217 - 1224, 1999.
9. Zhang, D.K., and Poeze, A., Variation of sodium forms and char reactivity during gasification of a South Australian low-rank coal, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Vol 28, pp. 2337 - 2344, 2000.
10. Zhang, D.K., Energy options in sustainable development, an invited plenary paper, Proceedings, the 6th Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Combustion and Energy Utilisation, Kuala Lumpur, 20 - 22 May 2002
三、在研課題及項目
1. Integrated Fluidised-bed Conversion of Coal and Natural Gas to Syngas with Adjustable H2/CO Ratio
2. Technological options for poly-generation using Collie coal
3. Neutron Diffraction Spectrometry for Characterisation of Multi Metal Oxide Catalysts for Partial Oxidation of Propylene to Acrolein
4. Self-Heating and Spontaneous Combustion of Mt McRae Shale: The Effects of Shale Composition, Weathering, Moisture, and Spent anfo Residuals
5. Improvement in p.f. operations
6. Utilisation of solid waste and by-products of coal
7. Putrescible Material as Supplementary Feedstock to the Oil-from-Sludge Process
8. Development of a Novel Process for Natural Gas Reforming by Partial Oxidation
9. Partial Oxidation of Natural Gas for Synthesis Gas and Methanol Production
10. Mechanisms of Ammonium Nitrate Decomposition and Stability of Industrial Explosives in Reactive Mining Grounds
11. Elucidation of Mechanisms Relating to the Pseudo-Catalytic Behaviour of Ethane in Promoting the Oxidation of Nitric Oxide
12. Value-added utilisation of Collie coal and natural gas
13. Remediation of acid rock drainage of highly reactive mining ground and safety associated with ammonium nitrate based industry explosives
14. A novel technique for direct natural gas to methanol conversion by partial oxidation catalysed by NOx
