Research
Our research focuses on hybrid hard/soft materials and systems, which can create lots of interesting pehnomena and novel applications. Specifically, we study hybrid hard/soft materials and systems in three approaches
- We develop devices and systems that utilize the advantages of both hard and soft materials, which cannot be achieved through conventional means.
- We develop materials with unique properties that can only be realized through the combination of distinct properties of hard and soft materials.
- We study fundamental mechanics of hybrid hard/soft systems that can advance our understanding of such systems and guide the design and optimization of devices and materials.
Stretchable Electronics
Stretchable electronics combine the electronic performance of conventional wafer-based semiconductor devices and mechanical properties of a rubber band, and thus can have very broad applications that are impossible for hard, planar integrated circuits that exist today. Examples range from surgical and diagnostic implements that integrate with the human body to provide advanced therapeutic capabilities, to structural health monitors and inspection systems for civil engineering. In this research thrust, we develop materials and devices for stretchable electronics, we also study fundamental mechanics to further our understanding of the underlying physics and to guide design and opimization.
Wrinkling of Thin Films on Soft Substrates
By engineering the strain mismatch between adhered stiff thin films and soft substrates, nonlinear wrinkling (buckling) of thin films can create well-controlled wavy surface features. This capability can lead to lots of interesting applications, such as stretchable electronics, precision metrology, smart adhesion and friction, controllable wetting, optical gratings, and sensing and actuating devices. We are interested in novel surface engineering by utilizing nonlinear wrinkling mechanics. We also explore novel materials for such phenomena, such as carbon nanotubes and silicon nanowires. Underlying mechanics and physics are also studied through analytical or numerical means.
Mechanics of Nanomaterials
Due to their attractive mechanical, electrical and optical properties, nanomaterials have attracted a lot of research interest. We are especially interested in the mechanics of nanomaterials, including nanotubes, nanowires, and graphenes. The non-specific van der Waals interaction, which is considered very weak forces in macroscale, can play dominating roles in the mechanical behavior of nanomaterials. We study the mechanical deformation of nanomaterials caused by this van der Waals interaction, which could have important implications on the application of nanomaterials in materials, electronics and optics.
