Research Projects
Our group develops engineering design tools for realizing new active materials and devices with tailored thermo-mechanical and functional properties.
We achieve this by developing innovative experimental instruments and methods for tracking the evolution of microstructural features together with macroscale response in various material systems during fabrication and actuation.
Understand material structure-function relations during processing and actuation
Our team is advancing the design of stimuli-responsive polymers by uncovering how synthesis and fabrication processes shape their microstructure and performance. Many soft responsive materials, like liquid crystal elastomers, require precise molecular ordering to function effectively, yet the connection between processing conditions and resulting microstructure is poorly understood. We use advanced methods such as time-resolved X-ray scattering and polarized microscopy to monitor structural evolution in real time. This work enables predictive design of soft actuators and sensors with improved performance, sustainability, and tunability for a range of applications.
Relevant publications:
Collective action of functional building blocks
We are interested in studying how independently actuated units in entangled material systems interact to produce collective, adaptive behaviors such as locomotion, self-healing, and shape change. Inspired by biological systems, this work explores how local actuation and mechanical interactions drive emergent functions, enabling the design of untethered soft robots and injectable materials that adapt to complex environments.
Relevant publications:
fast electrically switchable actuators
We are interested in leveraging new classes of materials for fast, electrically switchable actuation and micropatterning. While traditional actuators rely on slow thermal cycling, we are interested in coupling electric switching with mechanical strain to enable rapid responses. We aim to design and synthesize new functional chemistries for crosslinked devices via click reactions. These materials will undergo large, reversible strain under electric fields, unlocking new modes of soft actuation with potential in robotics, sensing, and adaptive devices.
Relevant publications: