The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Hong Kong Baptist University

City University of Hong Kong

Wanbo Li

Kangning Ren

Hongkai Wu

Zuankai Wang

Dik-Lung Ma

Shuhuai Yao

Beng Soon Ong

Sheng Lin

Zeyu Li

Chiu Wing Chan

Han Sun

Chong Hu

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical morphologies widely exist in natural and biomimetic materials, which impart preferential functions including liquid and mass transport, energy conversion, and signal transmission for various applications. While notable progress has been made in the design and manufacturing of various hierarchical materials, the state-of-the-art approaches suffer from limited materials selection, high costs, as well as low processing throughput. Herein, by harnessing the configurable elastic crack engineering-controlled formation and configuration of cracks in elastic materials, an effect normally avoided in various industrial processes, the present invention provides a facile and powerful technique to enable the faithful transfer of arbitrary hierarchical structures with broad material compatibility and structural and functional integrity. The present invention provides a cost-effective, large-scale production method of a variety of flexible, inexpensive, and transparent 3D hierarchical and biomimetic materials.

Crack engineering as a new route for the construction of arbitrary hierarchical architectures

A method for fabricating flexible microfluidic chips with plastic membranes. In particular, the present invention provides a single-step method for microchannel fabrication of microfluidic chips in a fast and cost-efficient manner.

One-step strategy for ultra-fast and low cost mass production of plastic membrane microfluidic chips

Growing community of inventors

Hong Kong, China

Wanbo Li