Prof. Xuanhe Zhao

Professor Zhao's research aims to understand the fundamental mechanics and physics of materials and phenomena emerging on the interface between engineering and biological systems and to design new materials and structures capable of extraordinary applications in diverse technologies.

Zhao’s current central research goal is:
(*) to understand and design soft materials with unprecedented properties -- including extremely tough, strong, resilient and stretchable; ultrasensitive to physical fields, chemicals and/or biomolecules; tunable, mutable and/or programmable; containing high concentration of water or other solvents; biocompatible, biodeg

(*) to explore extraordinary functions of new soft materials -- in various technologies including flexible, wearable and bio-integrated electronics, soft robotics and machines, energy harvesting and storage, antifouling, drug delivery, tissue engineering, microfluidics, water treatment.

In order to achieve this goal, Professor Zhao is advancing fundamental knowledge on interfaces between areas including: solid mechanics, soft materials and bioinspired design.