(1)  Mechanical metamaterials with tunable thermal expansion

Most natural materials expand isotopically upon heating because the kinetic energy of molecules increases their range of motion in non-parabolic atomic potentials, thereby offering positive thermal expansion coefficients (CTEs), most of which are in the range from 1 to 300ppm/K. Advanced mechanical metamaterials with unusual thermal expansion properties represent an area of growing interest, due to their promising potential for use in a broad range of areas. Our goal is to develop the mechanical design strategy to achieve metamaterials with a broad range of CTE values with access to large thermally induced dimensional changes in structures, metamaterials complex thermal-induced shape change mode, and metamaterials with a nearly zero CTE that with a negligible thermal expansion even after a large temperature change. We are also focusing on their application in the fields of aerospace and flexible electronics.

(2) Advanced structures with shape-changing property

Smart material is defined as material that can sense and react to environmental conditions or external stimuli (e.g., mechanical, chemical, electrical, and magnetic signals). The 3D structure incorporated with smart materials can switch their shape in the desired manner under the external stimulus. This property promises its applications in the fields of micro-robots, deployable structures in aerospace, energy storage/harvesting devices, photonic sensing, and micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), et al. We are focusing on the design strategy, the formation method of 3D structures, and their potential applications.

(3) Flexible electronics and their corresponding deformation and pressure feedback system

Flexible electronics have great potential for applications such as medical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental monitoring. The crucial aspects of the advancement of flexible and stretchable devices include the development of novel mechanically durable materials, flexible and stretchable substrates, deformable electrodes and circuits, novel processing methods, and system integration. We are focusing on the metal and laser-induced graphene (LIG) based flexible electronics and stretchable sensors, as well as their corresponding deformation and pressure feedback system. Our works have been usede to feedback the real-time configuration of the airplane wing and the aerospace deployable composite structure, and been recoginzed by the industry sectors.