A new silicon resin whose structure allows high temperature resistanceCredit: Harbin Institute of Technology
Committed to education and research on environmental protection and ecological safety, HIT’s HIT’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (SCCE) is among the first of its kind in China. Leveraging an almost 90-year history in applied chemistry, it has made major contributions to developing chemical engineering materials for many uses.
One SCCE team has developed silicon resins with excellent electromagnetic and mechanical performance. Able to withstand temperatures of 600 °C, the silicon matrix composites set a new record in heat resistance, ideal for aerospace applications. Other breakthroughs in novel aerospace materials include fabricating functional surface coatings for spacecraft, growing a large optical crystal yielding a strong laser output, and enabling eco-friendly, low-cost and scalable production of aerogel insulation materials.
In energy materials, SCCE’s invention of nickel foam technology marked a milestone for rechargeable batteries. Studies on oxide cathode materials helped produce high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Researchers have also developed inexpensive platinum-free novel electrocatalysts for use in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.
SCCE’s surface and interfacial chemists were the first to synthesize a novel super-hydrophobic buoyant material. Its capacity was demonstrated by the production of aquatic microrobots capable of walking and jumping on water.