Talk on soft materials by Prof. Shengtong Sun and Prof. Ji Liu

On October 20, 2025, Prof. Shengtong Sun from Donghua University and Prof. Ji Liu from Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) were invited to visit and deliver academic talks on the cutting-edge research of intelligent flexible protective materials and bioelectronic interfaces based on functional hydrogels, respectively. The event attracted a large audience of faculty members and students. The lecture hall was filled to capacity, with many students standing at the back, creating an enthusiastic and engaging atmosphere.

Prof. Sun’s talk focused on intelligent flexible protective materials. Inspired by biological systems, smart polymeric soft materials exhibit unique flexibility and hold broad application prospects in human–machine interfaces, soft robotics, and biomedical devices. However, their flexibility also makes them prone to mechanical damage such as fracture, tearing, fatigue, and impact, which may lead to irreversible structural failure. To address this issue, Prof. Sun proposed a dynamic phase-separation strategy, through which a series of smart materials with multiple adaptive protective properties—including strain hardening, impact hardening, thermal hardening, and delamination hardening—were developed. His talk emphasized an in situ phase-separation approach that significantly enhances the mechanical resilience and service performance of intelligent flexible protective materials under diverse operating conditions.

Prof. Liu presented his team’s recent advances in bioelectronic interfaces based on functional hydrogels. Because hydrogels closely resemble biological tissues in both structure and composition, they are considered ideal materials for constructing interfaces between biological systems and electronic devices. However, in humid physiological environments, hydrogels often exhibit low adhesion to various substrates, especially to wet biological tissues. To overcome this challenge, Prof. Liu and his team developed a series of functional hydrogels capable of forming stable and efficient electronic–tissue interfaces, offering strong support for the development of emerging bioelectronics and personalized medicine. Their hydrogel-based biosensing platforms enable real-time monitoring of hormones and other biomolecules.

The seminar concluded with a lively discussion, where both professors engaged actively with the audience. Prof. Sun’s research reminded participants that, in the pursuit of high-performance materials, it is crucial to consider potential mechanical damage in real-world applications. His dynamic phase-separation approach provides a new pathway for designing self-adaptive protective materials. Prof. Liu’s research, on the other hand, highlighted the importance of environmental compatibility in bioelectronic interface design. By optimizing the interfacial adaptability and stability of hydrogels, his team improved the performance and reliability of bioelectronic devices, opening new directions for interdisciplinary studies in bioelectronics and tissue engineering.

This academic event inspired both faculty and students, broadening their scientific horizons and fostering innovative thinking. Through close interaction with leading scholars, participants gained deeper insights into frontier research on soft materials and biointerfaces, strengthening their enthusiasm for scientific exploration and collaboration.

（Drafted by Xianjia Yan，reviewed by Yibin）