Hub Chief Investigators Shuhua Peng, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Zhaojun Han, School of Chemical Engineering at UNSW, have received the Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowships for 2022.

Dr Shuhua Peng has received $765,828 to develop new technology to effectively toughen conductive thin films, including metals and conductive polymers, with significantly improved mechanical robustness for next-generation stretchable electronics. This new technique will tackle the major limitation of stretchable electronics propensity to abrupt electrical failure caused by plastic deformation and long channel cracks in conductive thin films of low yield strain and ductility. By overcoming the bottleneck issue of low stretchability and ductility of existing conductive thin film materials, it will be possible to significantly expand the design space of flexible and stretchable electronic devices.

Dr Zhaojun Han  has received $947,616 to develop multi-functional 2D vertical heterostructures for sustainable energy applications. A key challenge in fabricating 2D vertical heterostructures is the re-stacking of layered materials. This project will utilise edge-rich vertical graphene to unleash the full potential of 2D vertical heterostructures by combining the advantages of individual building blocks while mitigating the associated shortcomings. Expected outcomes will include improved electrochemical performance of materials and an integrated energy system utilising these multi-functional materials to produce green hydrogen at low cost and high efficiency.

The Future Fellowships are awarded to outstanding mid-career researchers and reflect the Australian Government’s commitment to excellence in research by supporting mid-career researchers to undertake high-quality research in areas of national significance.

UNSW was awarded the most significant portion of ARC Future Fellowships of all Australian universities in 2022, which underlines a broad research strength in fields and career stages.

Congratulations Shuhua and Zhaojun!

Read more at the UNSW Newsroom.