Prof. Wang Zuankai develops acid-resistant artificial mucus for improving gastric wound healing in animals

A team of researchers and clinicians led by Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), Dean of Graduate School, Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering and Chair Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME), has developed an acid-resistant hydrogel called “ultrastable mucus-inspired hydrogel” (UMIH).  This research has recently been published in Cell Press journal Cell Reports Physical Science, with Dr YANG Xiao, Postdoctoral Fellow of ME, as the first author, along with corresponding author, Dr CHAU Yeung Yeung, Research Associate of ME. “UMIH has potential for treating gastroesophageal reflux, gastric ulcers, and post-surgical wound protection and can be combined with endoscopic delivery for minimally invasive therapy,” says first co-author LI Bei of Sichuan University. “In both rat and pig models, it not only sticks firmly but also helps wounds heal faster and better.” Prof. WANG envisions, “UMIH represents a major step forward in biomaterials for gastrointestinal repair. Its strong adhesion, durability, and scalable manufacturing process position it as a promising platform for clinical translation.” In lab tests under acidic conditions (pH2), UMIH showed 15x stronger adhesive abilities compared to aluminum phosphate gel (APG), a clinically approved mucosal protectant and antacid that is used to manage gastric ulcers and acid reflux. And whereas APG degraded completely after 3 days, UMIH still maintained 50% of its structural integrity after 7 days in acidic conditions. UMIH was not associated with any toxicity issues in lab-grown gastrointestinal cells. It also inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. aureus bacteria, indicating that it has antimicrobial potential.  Dr YANG remarks, “UMIH achieves an adhesion strength 15 times higher than that of clinically approved materials in acidic conditions. It remains stable for 7 days and shows excellent biocompatibility and significant tissue repair capability.” In pig and rat models of esophageal injury, UMIH adhered tightly to wounds and improved healing compared to control animals and animals treated with APG. UMIH was associated with less tissue damage, reduced inflammation, and it promoted the growth of new blood vessels, which is essential for healing.  This research was supported by funding from the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, the Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen, and the Shenzhen Medical Research Fund.  

Warmest welcome to our new research students joining ME!

We are delighted to welcome 50 newly admitted research students to the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at PolyU for the new academic semester. On the morning of 1 September 2025, an orientation session was held for the incoming research students, led by our Department Head, Prof. SU Zhongqing. Research studies at ME aim not only to train students to become professionals in their field but also to broaden their perspectives in discovering new knowledge that benefits society. He introduced the department’s six key research areas: Advanced Materials and Processing, Aerospace Engineering, Clean Energy and Energy Storage, Robotics, Control, Automation & AI, Sound and Vibration, and Thermofluids and Combustion. These areas are strategically aligned with addressing the challenges our society and the world will face in the coming decades. Prof. TANG Hui, Chairman of Departmental Research Committee (DRC) and Associate Head (Research), extended a warm welcome to the students. He encouraged them to reach out to him or their supervisors if they encounter any problems.  Prof. Tang expressed his hope that all students will enjoy their studies in ME and have a fruitful academic journey. Prof. LI Mengying, Research Student Liaison Officer, is responsible for coordinating among all research students in the department. Together with Prof. ZHANG Xiao and Prof. ZHANG Baoping, who serve as Seminar Coordinators, they are arranging for guest speakers to expose students to the latest research and technological advancements. Students were excited to learn about the dynamic learning activities available, including the ME Seminar Series, Research Sharing Talks, and the ME Research Presentation Contest. Ms Lily TAM, DRC Secretary and Administrative Support Group Leader, provided a comprehensive overview of the study programme structure, examination and grading systems, studentships and fellowships, as well as funding and other support mechanisms. Finally, Ir Dr NG Chun, Curtis, Technical Support Group Leader, led a lab tour showcasing PolyU ME's state-of-the-art research facilities. These included the Acoustics Lab (DE001), Aeronautical Laboratory (DE005), Materials and Mechanics Technology Lab (FJ003), and Thermal Science Lab (FJ004), where innovative research activities and advanced equipment were demonstrated. The students responded with great enthusiasm and positive feedback. We are confident that they will enjoy a supportive, knowledge-rich, and interactive learning experience throughout their studies.  

ME Student Clinches Champion at PolyU International Future Challenge (Jinjiang Region) - Student Track

Congratulations to Mr Liu Yunpu, an undergraduate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME), supervised by Prof. Zhang Dan under PolyU Undergraduate Research and Innovation Scheme (URIS), for achieving outstanding performance at the PolyU x Xiangfu International Future Challenge (Jinjiang Region) - Student Track finals held on 28 August in Jinjiang. Among 10 outstanding teams, Mr Liu's project entitled "Research, Development and Industrialization of the Intelligent Rehabilitation Robots for Knee Joint Injury" secured Champion with a RMB 15,000 cash prize. He will advance to the Grand Final in Shenzhen this December, competing against leading teams from other regions. The Jinjiang Region invites start-ups and innovators to focus on key industry sectors, including textile and apparel technology, future food, microelectronics, tourism management, healthcare, and the application of AI in these areas, and propose innovative solutions to address the challenges of current society and the market. Apart from the open track, which welcomes established companies, funded startups, and growing enterprises from across the globe. Jinjiang Division has specially created a student track registration channel, which is exclusively open to current students worldwide. Aiming to create an atmosphere of innovation and entrepreneurship and stimulate the enthusiasm of young students. The PolyU International Future Challenge (IFC)—the University’s flagship innovation and entrepreneurship competition—adopts a unique "1+N" framework, with Hong Kong, China as the main hub and additional rounds in six Chinese Mainland cities (Huizhou, Wenzhou, Qianhai, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Jinjiang). Open to global innovators, the competition partners with leading enterprises and PolyU Mainland Translational Research Institutes to offer participants mentorship, corporate visits, business consultations, and overseas opportunities.  

ME PhD Students Win Silver Award in GBA STEAM Excellence Award

Congratulations to two ME PhD students won the Silver Award in the "New Materials and New Energy" category under the 7th Greater Bay Area STEAM Excellence Award 2025 (HKSAR) (Postgraduate category) for their project entitled “Bubbles dynamics dominate the performance of water electrolyzer at high currents compared to the electrochemical active surface area (ECSA)”. The PolyU team, composed of WU Lizhen and WANG Qing from the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering, and XU Yifan from the CityU School of Energy and Environment. Their work mainly focuses on exploring the design of electrodes for high-rate water electrolysis, improving their bubble dynamics and fully releasing their capabilities through electrode engineering. The Greater Bay Area STEAM Excellence Award (HKSAR) has been organized by Hong Kong New Emerging Technology Education Association (HKNETEA) since 2019 with the objective to enhance students’ creativity and innovation, and recognise young STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) talents for their efforts, while recognizing the dedication of schools and teachers for their outstanding work and commitment to STEAM education.​ /* Apply default table styles */ /* Apply mobile-specific styles */ @media (min-width: 600px) { .medal{ width:55% } }  

ME PhD Students Awarded Prestigious Young Professionals Grant at Inter-Noise 2025

Congratulations to two of our PhD students, Miss Qiao Xiaoru and Mr Wang Chuyang, on being awarded the highly competitive Young Professionals Grant (YP Grant). They attended the 54th International Congress & Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (INTER-NOISE 2025) in São Paulo, Brazil, from August 24 to 27, 2025. Their participation was led by Prof. Cheng Li, a member of the congress's International Advisory Committee for the Asia-Pacific region, and Prof. Choy Yat Sze of PolyU's Department of Mechanical Engineering. Miss Qiao, supervised by Professor Choy Yat Sze, and Mr Wang, supervised by Professor Chu Kar Hang, were selected from a global pool of applicants based on the exceptional quality of their research. The YP Grant, awarded by the International Institute of Noise Control Engineering (I-INCE), aims to support and encourage students and young engineers to attend the premier event in noise control engineering. The grant provides recipients with unique opportunities, including a dedicated Mentoring Workshop where awardees can hold informal discussions with world-renowned experts and receive guidance on professional skills such as networking, communication, and career development. Miss Qiao’s awarded application featured her research on “Acoustic investigation on a sustainable and ventilated barrier for environmental noise absorption. ”Mr Wang was selected for his work on “A Planar Moving Microphone Array for Sound Source Localization.” The I-INCE judging panel highly rated the innovation and potential of both research ideas, leading to their successful selection. As the largest annual international gathering for experts in noise control engineering, INTER-NOISE 2025 featured an extensive technical programme of papers and posters, an exhibition of the latest products and instrumentation, and unparalleled opportunities for networking. This grant provides Miss Qiao and Mr Wang an exceptional platform to present their work, engage with the global acoustics community, and further their professional development.

ME PhD Team Wins Excellence Award at 2025 Net Zero Tech International Contest

A team of four postgraduate students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has won the Excellence Award at the 2025 Net Zero Tech International Contest. The team was recognized for their outstanding performance in the finals, held at National Taiwan University. Selected as one of only 20 finalist teams from a pool of 230 registrations across 11 countries, the PolyU team presented their project, "Development of a smart mini-grid system for renewable energy storage and utilization." The project's core innovation is its use of vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) technology, which offers a high energy capacity, long cycle life, and the unique ability to decouple power and energy ratings. Under the supervision of Prof. AN Liang, the team—comprising leader Miss Huo Xiaoyu and members Miss Bai Yuran, Mr Long Xin, and Mr Fu Enkang—developed a functional smart mini-grid that integrates their VRFB with a 5 kW solar panel. The system's feasibility was rigorously validated through a staged development process, beginning with a 50 W prototype and scaling up to a fully functional 5 kW/20 kWh stack. The project aims to improve energy efficiency, create economic value, and reduce environmental impact. Beyond its technical merits, it supports the broader adoption of renewable energy and contributes to the global transition toward a low-carbon economy. Jointly organized by National Taiwan University and the TECO Technology Foundation, the Net Zero Tech International Competition is dedicated to cultivating talent in net-zero emission technologies. The contest provides a global stage for young scholars to propose innovative and practical solutions in green energy and sustainable innovation.

ME Postdoc Wins Top Awards at PolyU International Future Challenge (Nanjing Section)

Congratulations to Dr Wang Lin, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME), supervised by Prof. Zhang Dan, for winning two prestigious awards at the PolyU x Suzhou Kowloon Hospital International Future Challenge (Nanjing Region) finals held on 14 August in Nanjing. Among 15 outstanding teams, Dr Wang secured the Kowloon Innovation Cup (Championship) with a RMB 100,000 cash prize and the First Prize with RMB 60,000. Sponsored by The Wharf (Holdings) Limited and supported by the Nanjing Municipal People's Government. The Competition focuses on seven core domains: Healthcare, Medical Devices, Biotechnology Rehabilitation Technology, Internet of Things, Intelligent Robotics Engineering Technology, Low Altitude Economy as well as AI applications in these domains. Winning teams gain access to PolyU’s Mainland Translational Research Institutes (MTRIs), the PolyVentures startup ecosystem, and opportunities to join Nanjing’s high-quality incubators. The top four teams will advance to the Grand Final in Shenzhen this December, competing against leading teams from other regions. The PolyU International Future Challenge (IFC)—the University’s flagship innovation and entrepreneurship competition—adopts a unique "1+N" framework, with Hong Kong, China as the main hub and additional rounds in six Chinese Mainland cities (Huizhou, Wenzhou, Qianhai, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Jinjiang). Open to global innovators, the competition partners with leading enterprises and PolyU MTRIs to offer participants mentorship, corporate visits, business consultations, and overseas opportunities.  

Prof. Cheng Song Leads Groundbreaking Collaboration with Boeing and COMAC

Prof. CHENG Song from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at PolyU has received an industrial support from Boeing and COMAC to launch a groundbreaking 4.5 million HKD project, aiming at developing sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with blending ratios greater than 50% with conventional jet fuels. SAFs are produced from renewable resources and have the potential to reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel. SAF is widely recognized as one of the most promising solutions for decarbonizing the aviation sector, enabling airlines to significantly lower their carbon footprint while maintaining high safety and performance standards. The development and adoption of high-blend SAFs are critical steps toward achieving the aviation industry’s net-zero emissions goals. This project seeks to address this urgent need. By focusing on high-blend and even unblended SAF, the project will push the boundaries of current fuel standards and pave the way for a new era of cleaner, more sustainable air travel. In addition to laboratory research, engine testing, the project will also explore the supply chain, infrastructure, and policy frameworks necessary to support widespread adoption of high-blend SAFs.  

ME PhD Students Clinch Outstanding Results at 3rd PolyU Research Student Conference

Congratulations to four PhD students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) for their impressive results at the 3rd PolyU Research Student Conference (PRSC 2025) held on 2 to 4 July 2025. We are very proud of the outstanding performances of our PolyU ME PhD students. They demonstrated exceptional academic presentation and research communication skills, effectively explaining their research and its significance to non-specialist audiences. PRSC aims to promote innovative and high-quality research. It is the flagship research student conference, providing Research Postgraduate (RPg) students and students from the College of Undergraduate Researchers and Innovators (CURI) at PolyU with the opportunity to present their research work and findings. The conference also facilitates networking among students from different disciplines, fostering a collaborative and supportive research community at PolyU. Awardee Award Presentation Title Supervisor  XIA Qing Best Paper Second Runner-up Sustainable nitrate production via radical-driven electrochemical nitrogen oxidation Prof. ZHANG Xiao LI Wenzhi Best Presentation Award Elucidating the degradation mechanism of direct ammonia fuel cells Prof. AN Liang LI Weisong, ZHAI Yanjie Best Presentation Runner-up  A biomimic electrochemical CO2 capture and release system Prof. ZHANG Xiao LANG Yanfeng Best Poster Runner-up  Reconstruction of Ultrasonic Wavefields in the Space–Wavenumber Domain under Inadequate Spatial Sampling for Structural Damage Detection  Prof. SU Zhongqing  

Prof. Wang Zuankai’s groundbreaking research in energy and thermal-fluid sciences honoured with two international awards

Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), Dean of Graduate School, Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering and Chair Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering, has recently received two internationally acclaimed research awards in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to nano-energy and interfacial engineering. These include the Nano Energy Award and the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena (µFIP) Prominent Research Award. These accolades underscore Prof. WANG’s significant contributions to advancing sustainable technologies through nature-inspired design and cross-disciplinary innovation, reinforcing his global leadership in thermal-fluid sciences. Acknowledging the collective effort behind these achievements, Prof. WANG encouraged his team and young researchers, “Not afraid of tackling uncharted problems with curiosity and rigour. Recognition serves as a reminder that even incremental progress, when driven by purpose, can create a ripple effect, ultimately leading to transformative impact.” Nano Energy Award: revolutionising energy harvesting Established in 2012, the Nano Energy Award is one of the most prestigious honours in the field of nanoenergy, presented biennially at the International Conference on Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (NENS). Prof. WANG was recognised for his pioneering advancements in nature-inspired interfacial engineering for energy harvesting. Prof. WANG’s groundbreaking innovations, particularly in droplet-based electricity generators, have fundamentally reoriented the research trajectory of scalable energy harvesting. By integrating multiple energy conversion processes through interfacial engineering, his innovative designs offer sustainable solutions for harnessing energy from water, sunlight, and heat. His signature approach combines classical scientific principles with nature-inspired mechanics, enabling novel solutions to critical challenges in energy systems. These breakthroughs have catalysed a new generation of interfacial engineering-driven systems that transcend conventional efficiency boundaries. µFIP Prominent Research Award: inspiring critical applications Separately, Prof. WANG was honoured with the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena (µFIP) Prominent Research Award at the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena held at the University of California, Santa Barbara, between June 16-18, 2025. This award recognises his influential contributions to thermal-fluidics, particularly his development of nature-inspired surfaces that dynamically modulate interfacial and transport processes, such as wetting, adhesion, and thermal-fluid transport. These innovations have enabled wide-range applications in energy harvesting, thermal management, and flexible electronics. Prof. WANG expressed his gratitude for these honours and said, “Research that spans disciplines holds the power to resonate globally, offering innovative insights to address the complex challenges shared by humanity. These recognitions reaffirm the significance of fusing fundamental material innovations with real-world engineering pragmatism. Breakthroughs often emerge at the intersection of disciplines, and this continues to inspire me to bridge laboratory discoveries with practical solutions for a sustainable future.”