City University of Hong Kong

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Hong Kong Baptist University

Zeyu Li

Zuankai Wang

Shuhuai Yao

Beng Soon Ong

Kangning Ren

Hongkai Wu

Wanbo Li

Han Sun

Chiu Wing Chan

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

Growing community of inventors

Hong Kong, China

Zeyu Li