Prof. LENG Jinsong of Harbin Institute of Technology delivers a PAIR seminar on shape memory polymer composites

Prof. LENG Jinsong, Dean of the School of Future Technology, Director of the Centre for Smart Materials and Structures (CSMS), Director of the International Center for Applied Mechanics at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China, and Deputy Director of the Academic Committee of HIT, delivered the PAIR Seminar titled “Shape Memory Polymer Composites: Programmability, 4D Printing and Applications” on 15 July 2024. The seminar attracted more than 90 participants in person and captured an online viewing audience of over 12,500 who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, and Weibo.

The seminar commenced with a welcome speech and speaker introduction by Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU. This was followed by Prof. Leng’s presentation. He first provided a brief background about shape memory polymers (SMP), pointing out that these smart materials can reversibly change between permanent and temporary shapes in response to changes in external stimuli such as temperature. Next, he gave an overview of the researchers from different scientific research institutions and universities around the world who specialise in SMP research, and the types of SMP materials that HIT researchers focus on. He said that SMP are hard to actuate and their recovery strength and speed are low, and so relevant solutions to these challenges are important for the development of SMP composites (SMPC). Prof. Leng then gave examples demonstrating how SMPC can be prepared through actuation methods involving different stimuli such as heat, electricity, magnetism, radio frequency, solution/water, light, etc. He mentioned that SMPC can be used to prepare various structures for aerospace, smart manufacturing, photoelectric applications, microelectromechanical systems applications, and smart clothing. After that, Prof. Leng introduced 4D printing, a novel additive manufacturing process for producing printed objects that can adaptively change their configurations/properties in response to external stimuli. He mentioned that 4D printing is important for producing a range of SMPC-based materials for biomedical applications. To conclude, Prof. Leng said that SMP research is a fast-growing emerging research field. He anticipated that shape memory smart structures incorporated with sensors, actuators, and controllers, would be widely used in aerospace, civil aviation, automotive, energy and daily life.

Following the presentation was a question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. CHENG Li, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Engineering and Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Prof. MAI Yiu-wing, Distinguished Chair Professor of Composites Science in the same department. The audience engaged in a fruitful discussion with the professors.

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