News & Stories

A widely used disinfectant worldwide, chloroxylenol, has been associated with eco-toxicological threats in water environments due to its relatively high chemical stability and massive consumption. Researchers at the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have discovered a promising alternative known as 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone (2,6-DCQ), which works more effectively in combating certain common bacteria, fungi and viruses, and can be rapidly degraded and detoxified in receiving waters. This groundbreaking study is led by Prof. ZHANG Xiangru from HKUST’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who has been studying disinfection byproducts (DBPs) for many years. During the pandemic outbreak, Prof. Zhang noticed that chloroxylenol is structurally similar to some halo-phenolic DBPs previously discovered by his team, which have been shown to rapidly degrade by solar photolysis.

A research team from the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed an innovative magnetic actuation platform that enables the one-step formation of sperm-like “micro-robots”, demonstrating excellent motility and efficient performance in precise drug delivery. By addressing the limitations of traditional microfluidic devices in processing sophisticated 3D structures, the research team has significantly streamlined the production procedure of these micro-robots, paving the way for more promising applications of this technology in the biomedical field. 

A collaborative research team led by Prof. Junwei Liu, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and Prof Jinfeng Jia and Prof Yaoyi Li from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), has identified the world’s first multiple Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in a single vortex of the superconducting topological crystalline insulator SnTe and exploited crystal symmetry to control the coupling between the MZMs. This discovery offers a new pathway to realizing fault-tolerant quantum computers, which is published in Nature*.

Researchers at the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed an eco-friendly refrigeration device with record-breaking cooling performance in the world, setting to transform industries reliant on cooling and reduce global energy use. With a boost in efficiency of over 48%, the new elastocaloric cooling technology opens a promising avenue for accelerating the commercialization of this disruptive technology and addressing the environmental challenges associated with traditional cooling systems.

A research team led by the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed full-color fiber light-emitting diodes utilizing perovskite quantum wires (PeQWs), paving the way for innovative wearable lighting and display devices. Fiber light-emitting diodes (Fi-LEDs) stand out as a key component in the realm of flexible LEDs because of their compatibility with textile fabrication and excellent spatial luminance uniformity. Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have emerged as promising light-emitting materials for next-generation LEDs due to their superior optoelectronic properties. Despite the potential, the fabrication of MHP-based Fi-LEDs has faced challenges such as gravity- and surface tension-induced nonuniform coating, low-quality crystallization, and complex electrode deposition processes, which all culminate in uneven and inefficient light emission.

A research team led by the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has constructed an unprecedented chiral-structured interface in perovskite solar cells, which enhances the reliability and power conversion efficiency of this fast-advancing solar technology and accelerates its commercialization.

A research team at the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has recently developed a novel artificial compound eye system that is not only more cost-effective, but demonstrates a sensitivity at least twice that of existing market products in small areas. The system promises to revolutionize robotic vision, enhance robots' abilities in navigation, perception and decision-making, while promoting commercial application and further development in human-robot collaboration. 

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies, which convert light into electricity, are increasingly applied worldwide to generate renewable energy. Researchers at the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a molecular treatment that significantly enhances the efficiency and durability of perovskite solar cells. Their breakthrough will potentially accelerate the large-scale production of this clean energy. A key to the solution was their successful identification of critical parameters that determine the performance and lifespan of halide perovskites, a next-generation photovoltaic material which has emerged as one of the most promising materials in PV devices for its unique crystal structure. The findings have been published in Science.