Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fei Song, Yu-Zhong Wang, Ze-Lian Zhang, Xiu Dong, Yu-Yao Zhao, Xiu-Li Wang
Summary: This article presents a method for developing flexible and elastic CNC composite films with visible structural colors and stretching-induced color change, resembling the skin of a chameleon, through co-assembly and polymerization strategy. The film can be designed as a smart skin for camouflage by adjusting the stretching.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tian Li, Quyang Liu, Haobo Qi, Wei Zhai
Summary: This research proposes a conceptual combination of bioinspired microstructure design and a programmable prestrain approach for 4D printing of nanoceramics. By replicating the bioinspired concentric cylinder structure and applying prestrain, the researchers successfully developed flexible nanoceramic composites with superior mechanical performance and anisotropic thermal management capability. Conductive nanoceramic composites with unique sensing capability were also prepared. This breakthrough in 4D printing of ceramics opens up possibilities for high-performance shape morphing materials in extreme conditions.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hao Li, Xueheng Dai, Xiaoyan Han, Jianfeng Wang
Summary: Through optimizing the size and alignment of inorganic platelets and improving the interfacial interaction with polymers, intensive studies on bioinspired multilayer composites have led to the development of a new strategy of polymer chain orientation to enhance mechanical properties. By enhancing the stiffness and alignment of multiple polymer chains, a large enhancement in mechanical properties, including Young's modulus, tensile strength, and toughness, is achieved in bioinspired multilayer films consisting of oriented sodium carboxymethyl cellulose chains and alumina platelets. The increased chain orientation induces a failure mode transition in the multilayered films, leading to improved stress transfer and a highly effective increase in modulus, strength, and toughness.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Tommaso Magrini, Derek Kiebala, Dominique Grimm, Anna Nelson, Stephen Schrettl, Florian Bouville, Christoph Weder, Andre R. Studart
Summary: This research has developed a novel composite material combining optical transparency, high fracture toughness, and damage-reporting capabilities through fluorescence color changes to signal damage. The study demonstrates that optical imaging techniques can be used for localized detection of damage in composite materials before fracture occurs.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yahao Liu, Jian Zheng, Xiao Zhang, Yongqiang Du, Guibo Yu, Ke Li, Yunfei Jia, Yu Zhang
Summary: The novel mussel-inspired modified graphene oxide/polyurethane composites exhibit outstanding self-healing efficiency, water-insensitivity, and mechanical strength, showing great potential for applications in high-performance solid propellants, protective coatings, electronic skins, and other water-insensitive devices.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Zhiming Zhang, Genlian Fan, Zhanqiu Tan, Haitao Zhao, Yanjin Xu, Dingbang Xiong, Zhiqiang Li
Summary: The bioinspired multiscale Al2O3-rGO/Al laminated composite, prepared by adding hierarchically aligned Al2O3 and rGO nanosheets into Al matrix, shows a synergistic strengthening effect and additional strengthening mechanism attributed to enhanced load transfer due to good bonding at Al2O3/rGO/Al interface. It presents a new strategy for developing advanced composites with simultaneous enhancement of the modulus-strength-ductility.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mert Vural, Tarek Mazeed, Dong Li, Oguzhan Colak, Reginald F. Hamilton, Huajian Gao, Melik C. Demirel
Summary: Inspired by natural composites, researchers have successfully assembled genetically engineered polymeric proteins with inorganic sheets to create materials with mechanical compliance and ultra-toughness. The mechanical properties of these composites can be optimized by adjusting protein molecular weight and repetition. These exceptional materials exceed the current state-of-the-art stretchability for layered composites by over three times, demonstrating the promise of engineering materials with reconfigurable physical properties.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Jin Zhang, Min Liu, Garth Pearce, Yuyan Yu, Zhao Sha, Yang Zhou, Anthony C. Y. Yuen, Congyuan Tao, Cyrille Boyer, Feng Huang, Mohammad Islam, Chun H. Wang
Summary: Liquid metal droplets effectively transform elastomers into multifunctional composites with strain hardening and excellent durability, maintaining high electrical conductivity. However, the hybridization with carbon nanofibers affects the distribution of liquid metal droplets in the matrix, leading to enhanced mechanical properties.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruwei Chen, Hao Tang, Yuhang Dai, Wei Zong, Wei Zhang, Guanjie He, Xiaohui Wang
Summary: MXene-hemicellulose films with high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength are suitable for high-performance electrode materials such as supercapacitors and humidity sensors.
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Congmei Lin, Yushi Wen, Liyuan Wei, Ruqin Liu, Xiaoqing Tu, Shiliang Huang, Cui Zhang, Wen Qian, Liangfei Bai, Liang Chen, Feiyan Gong, Ling Ding, Jianhu Zhang, Zhijian Yang
Summary: Precise dimension control during the thermal cycle is challenging for polymer bonded energetic composites. A general strategy of coating negative thermal expansion (NTE) nanoparticles with dopamine has been developed to achieve homogeneous dispersion and improved interaction in the composites. The resulting composites exhibit suppressed thermal expansion, enhanced thermal stability, and improved mechanical properties.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sha Yin, Weihua Guo, Huitian Wang, Yao Huang, Ruiheng Yang, Zihan Hu, Dianhao Chen, Jun Xu, Robert O. Ritchie
Summary: The research team developed a dual-phase mechanical metamaterial composite inspired by precipitation hardening mechanisms observed in biological materials and engineering alloys, which can simultaneously enhance strength and toughness. By adding reinforcement phase grains and fully utilizing energy dissipation from phase-boundary slip, a dual-phase metamaterial with superior energy absorption capability was designed, showing great potential for various future applications.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qingqing He, Yushun Zeng, Laiming Jiang, Ziyu Wang, Gengxi Lu, Haochen Kang, Pei Li, Brandon Bethers, Shengwei Feng, Lizhi Sun, Peter Sun, Chen Gong, Jie Jin, Yue Hou, Runjian Jiang, Wenwu Xu, Eugene Olevsky, Yang Yang
Summary: In this study, a strategy to grow recyclable and healable piezoelectric Rochelle salt crystals in 3D-printed cuttlebone-inspired structures is reported, forming a new composite for reinforcement smart monitoring devices. The composite shows remarkable mechanical and piezoelectric performance, and the growth mechanisms, recyclability, sensitivity, and repairability of the 3D-printed Rochelle salt cuttlebone composite are studied. The versatility of the composite is explored for applications in smart sensor armor for football players and fall alarm knee pads, providing new ideas for next-generation smart monitoring electronics in various fields.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ling Wang, Minkai Xia, Dong Wang, Jun Yan, Xuewu Huang, Junchen Luo, Huai-Guo Xue, Jie-feng Gao
Summary: A highly conductive and fluorine-free superhydrophobic CEC was fabricated using a novel ion reduction and simultaneous molecule phase separation method, showing high conductivity and superhydrophobicity with excellent performance in strain sensing applications.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Hongbo Fu, Hong Xu, Ying Liu, Jingyao Sun, Jian Zhuang, Xiaolong Gao, Tony McNally, Daming Wu, Yao Huang, Chaoying Wan
Summary: In this study, an innovative design combining continuous compression molding and curing through a flexible roller was explored to fabricate highly electrically conductive elastomer composites. By aligning short carbon fibers (SCF) along the rolling direction in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix, the conductive SCF network in PDMS was effectively condensed. This method provides a facile way for continuous fabrication of conductive elastomeric composites, with potential for continuous fabrication of thermosetting composites.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Abbas Ghanbari, Shayan Seyedin, Mohammadreza Nofar, Amir Ameli
Summary: This research focuses on lightweight products for the transportation industry, introducing recycled carbon fibers and elastomers to polypropylene matrix to improve strength and toughness. The addition of 20 wt% recycled carbon fibers led to significant enhancements in heat distortion temperature, tensile strength, and stiffness. Fractography analysis revealed that the presence of fibers predominantly governs the impact resistance characteristics of the composites.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alec McCarthy, Navatha Shree Sharma, Phil A. Holubeck, Demi Brown, Rajesh Shah, Daniel McGoldrick, Johnson V. John, S. M. Shatil Shahriar, Jingwei Xie
Summary: Drawing inspiration from biological systems, researchers have developed a biomaterial interface that can reversibly interlock using electrostatic flocking. This technology has potential applications in tissue engineering and biomedical devices, as it improves cell survivability and enhances compression and shearing resistance. By introducing extracellular matrix reinforcement, the interlocking interface can serve as a binder for modular tissue engineering, a scaffold for tissue interfaces, or a friction-based coupler.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Aaron P. Decker, Yajuan Su, Biswajit Mishra, Atul Verma, Tamara Lushnikova, Jingwei Xie, Guangshun Wang
Summary: This study investigates the effects of peptide stability on antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity and finds that peptide antimicrobial activity is critical for in vivo efficacy. Using a nanofiber/microneedle delivery device can protect peptides from degradation and provide a new approach for direct use of natural peptides or their cocktails for antimicrobial treatment.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yadong Xu, Yajuan Su, Xianchen Xu, Brian Arends, Ganggang Zhao, Daniel N. Ackerman, Henry Huang, St. Patrick Reid, Joshua L. Santarpia, Chansong Kim, Zehua Chen, Sana Mahmoud, Yun Ling, Alexander Brown, Qian Chen, Guoliang Huang, Jingwei Xie, Zheng Yan
Summary: We report a phase separation-based synthesis of porous liquid metal-elastomer composites with high leakage resistance and antimicrobial property, along with large stretchability, tissue-like compliance, high and stable electrical conductivity over deformation, high breathability, and magnetic resonance imaging compatibility. The enabled skin-interfaced bioe-lectronics can monitor cardiac electrical and mechanical activities and offer electrical stimulations in a mechanically imperceptible and electrically stable manner even during motions.
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Shunze Cao, Renheng Bo, Yihui Zhang
Summary: The advancement in material science and fabrication techniques has led to the booming of tissue engineering in recent years, covering tissue culture, repair, regeneration, and the rest. The regenerations of central/peripheral nerve and soft connective tissues, using polymeric scaffolds, have attracted intense research attention due to their indispensable roles in life-sustaining activities. This article outlines commonly used natural and synthetic polymeric materials for tissue scaffolds, discusses polymer-based hybrids, manufacturing approaches, and recent achievements and provides conclusions and outlooks for future research.
ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Zhanyu Wang, Renheng Bo, Haoran Bai, Shunze Cao, Shuheng Wang, Jiahui Chang, Yu Lan, Ying Li, Yihui Zhang
Summary: The study found that durian peel has a solid-liquid dual-phase structure, which can be used to design flexible impact-resistant composites by combining 3D lattices and shear thickening fluids. The resulting composites have low moduli under static conditions and excellent energy absorption upon dynamic impact. They hold promising potential for the development of next-generation flexible protection systems in wearable electronics and robotic systems.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yifei Luo, Mohammad Reza Abidian, Jong-Hyun Ahn, Deji Akinwande, Anne M. Andrews, Markus Antonietti, Zhenan Bao, Magnus Berggren, Christopher A. Berkey, Christopher John Bettinger, Jun Chen, Peng Chen, Wenlong Cheng, Xu Cheng, Seon-Jin Choi, Alex Chortos, Canan Dagdeviren, Reinhold H. Dauskardt, Chong-an Di, Michael D. Dickey, Xiangfeng Duan, Antonio Facchetti, Zhiyong Fan, Yin Fang, Jianyou Feng, Xue Feng, Huajian Gao, Wei Gao, Xiwen Gong, Chuan Fei Guo, Xiaojun Guo, Martin C. Hartel, Zihan He, John S. Ho, Youfan Hu, Qiyao Huang, Yu Huang, Fengwei Huo, Muhammad M. Hussain, Ali Javey, Unyong Jeong, Chen Jiang, Xingyu Jiang, Jiheong Kang, Daniil Karnaushenko, Ali Khademhosseini, Dae-Hyeong Kim, Il-Doo Kim, Dmitry Kireev, Lingxuan Kong, Chengkuo Lee, Nae-Eung Lee, Pooi See Lee, Tae-Woo Lee, Fengyu Li, Jinxing Li, Cuiyuan Liang, Chwee Teck Lim, Yuanjing Lin, Darren J. Lipomi, Jia Liu, Kai Liu, Nan Liu, Ren Liu, Yuxin Liu, Yuxuan Liu, Zhiyuan Liu, Zhuangjian Liu, Xian Jun Loh, Nanshu Lu, Zhisheng Lv, Shlomo Magdassi, George G. Malliaras, Naoji Matsuhisa, Arokia Nathan, Simiao Niu, Jieming Pan, Changhyun Pang, Qibing Pei, Huisheng Peng, Dianpeng Qi, Huaying Ren, John A. Rogers, Aaron Rowe, Oliver G. Schmidt, Tsuyoshi Sekitani, Dae-Gyo Seo, Guozhen Shen, Xing Sheng, Qiongfeng Shi, Takao Someya, Yanlin Song, Eleni Stavrinidou, Meng Su, Xuemei Sun, Kuniharu Takei, Xiao-Ming Tao, Benjamin C. K. Tee, Aaron Voon-Yew Thean, Tran Quang Trung, Changjin Wan, Huiliang Wang, Joseph Wang, Ming Wang, Sihong Wang, Ting Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Paul S. Weiss, Hanqi Wen, Sheng Xu, Tailin Xu, Hongping Yan, Xuzhou Yan, Hui Yang, Le Yang, Shuaijian Yang, Lan Yin, Cunjiang Yu, Guihua Yu, Jing Yu, Shu-Hong Yu, Xinge Yu, Evgeny Zamburg, Haixia Zhang, Xiangyu Zhang, Xiaosheng Zhang, Xueji Zhang, Yihui Zhang, Yu Zhang, Siyuan Zhao, Xuanhe Zhao, Yuanjin Zheng, Yu-Qing Zheng, Zijian Zheng, Tao Zhou, Bowen Zhu, Ming Zhu, Rong Zhu, Yangzhi Zhu, Yong Zhu, Guijin Zou, Xiaodong Chen
Summary: Humans are increasingly relying on flexible sensors to address challenges and improve quality of life in the digital and big data era. However, the market adoption of flexible sensors is still limited despite advancements in research. In this paper, we identify the bottlenecks hindering the maturation of flexible sensors and propose potential solutions to expedite their deployment and commercialization.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Qing Liu, Zhangming Shen, Zhi Liu, Yumeng Shuai, Zengyao Lv, Tianqi Jin, Xu Cheng, Yihui Zhang
Summary: Three-dimensional (3D) cage-shaped mesostructures are widely used in 3D flexible electronics due to their unique cellular geometry and mechanical responses. This study investigates the snap-through behavior of cage-shaped mesostructures and demonstrates its potential for designing reconfigurable electronics. The findings provide new insights and guidelines for the design of 3D reconfigurable devices.
ACTA MECHANICA SOLIDA SINICA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yun Ling, Ganggang Zhao, Yajuan Su, Qian Wu, Yadong Xu, Zehua Chen, Brian Arends, Ogheneobarome Emeje, Guoliang Huang, Jingwei Xie, Zheng Yan
Summary: This study reports the design, fabrication, and biomedical application of porous mesh bioelectronics that exhibit skin-inspired nonlinear mechanics and other desired features. By combining porous serpentine meshes of polyimide (PI) with ultrasoft, sticky, and antibacterial polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), the porous hybrid meshes not only retain skin-like nonlinear mechanical properties but also enable the integration of both soft and hard bioelectronic components. This study exemplifies the integration of electrophysiological sensors and commercial accelerometers on multifunctional porous meshes for monitoring heart electrical and mechanical functions.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xu Cheng, Zhichao Fan, Shenglian Yao, Tianqi Jin, Zengyao Lv, Yu Lan, Renheng Bo, Yitong Chen, Fan Zhang, Zhangming Shen, Huanhuan Wan, Yonggang Huang, Yihui Zhang
Summary: We present a rational microlattice design that enables the transformation of 2D films into programmable 3D curved mesosurfaces through mechanically guided assembly. Shape programming is achieved through analytical modeling and a machine learning-based computational approach, determining the heterogeneous 2D microlattice patterns necessary for target 3D curved surfaces. We demonstrate the versatility of this method with various geometries and applications, such as a conformable cardiac electronic device, a stingray-like dual mode actuator, and a 3D electronic cell scaffold.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tongxiang Tang, Zhonghui Shen, Jian Wang, Shiqi Xu, Jiaxi Jiang, Jiahui Chang, Mengfan Guo, Youjun Fan, Yao Xiao, Zhihao Dong, Houbing Huang, Xiaoyan Li, Yihui Zhang, Danyang Wang, Long-Qing Chen, Ke Wang, Shujun Zhang, Ce-Wen Nan, Yang Shen
Summary: This study reports a highly stretchable/compressible piezoelectric composite composed of a ferroelectric ceramic skeleton, elastomer matrix, and relaxor ferroelectric-based hybrid at the ceramic/matrix interface as dielectric transition layers, demonstrating a giant piezoelectric coefficient, high electromechanical coupling factor, and superior flexibility. These polymer composites with ultrahigh piezoelectric properties are expected to drive emerging applications in flexible smart electronics.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
Xu Cheng, Shiwei Xu, Tianqi Jin, Zhangming Shen, Yihui Zhang
Summary: Three-dimensional buckled ribbon mesostructures have significant implications in engineering fields for their novel functionalities and optimized mechanical properties. This study investigates the bifurcation and mode transition of buckled ribbons through theoretical modeling, computational simulations, and experimental observations. By establishing a theoretical model, phase diagrams for different deformation paths and modes are determined. The multi-step bifurcation is mainly attributed to Euler buckling and multiple wave instabilities. The findings are applied to design a tri-stable mesostructure for reconfigurable 3D antennas with finely tunable frequency and radiation pattern.
MECHANICS RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Automation & Control Systems
Wenbo Pang, Shiwei Xu, Liya Liu, Renheng Bo, Yihui Zhang
Summary: This review provides an overview of the design, manufacturing, and mechanisms of thin-film-shaped flexible actuators (TFFAs), highlighting their applications in various fields such as biomedicine, environmental exploration, haptic interfaces, and reconfigurable electronics. The article also discusses the grand challenges and open opportunities in this exciting direction.
ADVANCED INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS
(2023)