Oversea speaker

TechTalk – (RE)-Ba-Cu-O Single Grain Bulk Superconductors with Improved Superconducting and Mechanical Properties

Innovation Wing Two, TechTalk / By

Extensive research has been carried out over the last three decades, in general, and over last 10 years, in particular, to produce single-grain, high-performance RE-Ba-Cu-O [(RE)BCO bulk superconductors, where RE is a rare earth element or yttrium, for a variety of high field engineering applications. Sample assemblies of bulk (RE)BCO bulk superconductors reinforced under different configurations, remarkably, have enabled trapped fields of more than 17.5 T to be achieved, which is the current world record. More recently, hybrid (RE)BCO bulk superconductors containing Ag, composite and fibre-reinforcements are being developed specifically for both conventional, static devices and more challenging engineering applications where the presence of large electromagnetic stresses has been of concern for the operation of these ceramic-like materials. This seminar will describe the key developments in the processing and properties of high-performance, state-of-the-art (RE)BCO bulk superconductors with a view to develop practical applications over the next 5 years.

TechTalk – Mechanomaterials: Connecting Mechanics to Materials Innovations and Challenges

Innovation Wing Two, TechTalk / By

The classical subjects of solid mechanics, structural mechanics and mechanics of materials have played important roles in helping develop structural and functional materials, giving rise to recent advances in nanostructured materials, biomedical materials, mechanical metamaterials, soft actuators, flexible electronics, tunable mechanochromics, regenerative mechanomedicine, etc. While these classical subjects often focus on passive access to mechanical properties of materials in existing forms, a paradigm shift, referred to as mechanomaterials, is emerging toward proactive programming of materials’ properties and functionalities during the manufacturing process by leveraging the force–geometry–property relationships. Here, we provide a couple of examples that illustrate this emerging paradigm, which include overcoming some of the long-standing or recent challenges in the developments of fatigue-resistant metals, mechanics-guided shape morphing electronics, strong and switchable adhesives, epicardial patches for the treatment of heart attack and membrane-active nanomedicine.