News

Prof. Zijian Zheng and Dr Qiyao Huang publish article in Joule

Prof Zijian Zheng and Dr Qiyao Huang recently summarised the key performance metrics of flexible batteries (FBs), and proposed a figure of merit (FOM) for FBs in a paper published in Joule. The FOM is a single metric that not only allows for easy reporting and comparison of the performance of FBs but also provides a direct linkage between lab-based testing and industrial development. This work is published as “A Figure of Merit for Flexible Batteries” in Joule (2020) 4, 1–3, July 15. Joule is one of the leading and most respected journals in energy and materials related research with a high impact factor of 27.059. FBs will be in great demand for future flexible and wearable electronics in health care, consumable products, soft robotics, and internet-of-things. The key challenges are finding ways to develop these highly flexible batteries while keeping their high energy density. While energy density has been a well-defined metric of batteries for decades, it is still difficult to benchmark flexibility among the tremendous amount of findings reported by many different research groups. In most reports, the bending radius is used as the metric to evaluate the flexibility; a smaller bending radius indicates higher flexibility of the battery. However, such an evaluation is somehow misleading because cell failure during flexing is determined by the strain, which not only depends on the bending radius but also the cell thickness. Unfortunately, the size and thickness of test cells usually vary significantly among different reports, and a simple comparison between bending radii becomes less meaningful. On the other hand, there is little discussion in the literature on the industrial requirements of FBs and how to meet them for different flexible and wearable applications. Owing to the disconnect between academic research and industrial requirements, and the vast difference in materials preparation and cell structures in the different studies, it is even more challenging to project the suitability of the lab-made cells to real applications. Flexible battery enables the seamless implementation of power supply to flexible and wearable electronics. It not only enhances the energy capacity by fully utilizing the available space but also revolutionizes the form factors of future device design. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to critically evaluate the performance of flexible batteries and advocate a figure of merit for flexible batteries, with the aim of providing a benchmark among the state-of-the-arts and projecting the suitability of the laboratory study to industrial requirements.

Prejudging for Intimate & Activewear Fashion Show 2021

ITC recently held a prejudging event for the PolyU Intimate & Activewear Fashion Show 2021, which showcased the creative and talented designs of ITC graduating students in Intimate Apparel and Activewear. This group of students has worked hard to overcome the adverse impacts of both the social unrest and COVID-19 on their studies. Special thanks to Dr Kristina Shin for her dedication in guiding and continuing to support these students to ensure the great success of the event. For details of the event, please click here.

New Associate Dean of FAST: Dr Joanne Yip

ITC is pleased to announce that the newly appointed Associate Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles (FAST) effective November 2020 is our very own ITC Associate Professor - Dr Joanne Yip. Dr Yip is an alumna of PolyU, with a BSc (Hons) in Textile Technology (first class Honors) and a PhD from ITC. Prior to joining PolyU, she worked at Rice University in the US as a visiting researcher to conduct instrumental experiments. She has published more than 100 referee and conference papers in textile and materials science journals. She has also worked in the intimate apparel industry and is therefore particular familiar with material knowledge, quality requirements and production techniques used in the market. Her current research interests include functional garments for scoliosis, new materials and technology, surface treatments on textiles, and moulding or seamless techniques used in intimate apparel and activewear.

Prof. Hong Hu secures NSFC/RGC Joint Research Funds

Prof. Hong Hu recently secured research funds from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)/Research Grants Council (RGC) Joint Research Scheme (JRS) based on a proposal titled “Micro Optimal Design Strategy for High Performance Three-dimensional Negative Poisson’s Ratio (NPR) Lattice Structures”. The NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme aims to promote collaboration between researchers/research teams in Hong Kong and Mainland China that would mutually complement the existing strengths of both parties, and supports research proposals jointly submitted by Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong researchers. The success rate of securing this highly competitive funding source is only about 15%. In collaboration with Professor Jian Xiong of the Centre for Composite Materials and Structures (CCMS) at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), the proposed project aims to develop a special class of 3D negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) carbon fiber reinforced composite (CFRP) with a lattice structure (Fig. 1) that can simultaneously bear high loads and absorb energy. The project also aims to systematically study the mechanical performance of this structure under static and dynamic loading conditions. This study will advance and guide the design, fabrication, and application of 3D NPR lattice structures for engineering applications. The duration of the project is 4 years starting from 01/01/2021 and ending 31/12/2024.

Call for applications | Summer Internship Programme 2020/21 (Deadline: 22 Jan)

ITC summer internship programme is now open for applications. BA year 2, year 3 and year 4 students are welcome to join but the priority will be given to year 3 students. By taking the internship programme, you can fulfill both WIE requirements and one elective subject. Please click here for the JDs, application method, timeline, workshops,  and other details. You are highly recommended to study the programme brief before submitting your application. Application deadline: 22 Jan 2021 at 18:00 (HK time)

Let There Be Light | Sun Young Choi

The American conceptual artist and philosopher, Adrian Piper, stated that there is a distinct correlation between the 2000s and the ‘60s. There was interest in Eastern philosophy in the 1960s and new-age healthcare is a concept similar to meditation now; from the sexual revolution of the 1960s to feminism now; from the countercultural communities of the 1960s to the leftist, communitarian politics now, and from the organic food/back-to-the-land movements of the 1960s to the environmental movement today, all of those 1960s’ trends were influenced by psychedelics. Psychedelic art refers to the counterculture art movement in the late 1960s that involved paintings, designs, and posters that were rendered in provocative and delirious images similar to the visual hallucinations that appear when our senses, which perceive objects through light, are maximized by LSD and other psychotropics. The primary representational principle of psychedelic art lies in the pursuit and repetition of distorted or geometric shapes and the use of brilliant colours rather than ultraprecise microscopic depiction. If psychedelics were the spiritual basis of the 1960s, what is its basis in the modern-day world? Video images dominate this era more than at any other time. The “Age of the Image,” a BBC documentary, emphasized the power of images by dubbing the current era as such. Psychedelia, which dominated the spirit of the 1960s, pursued the illusion of images that evoked a dizzy and even nauseating sense through the combination of complex shapes and colours. I have designed clothes that derive their motifs from the moire fringe and the pronounced effect and focus on light as the origin that manifests the colours and shapes. A total of fifteen outfits were designed to remind modern-day digital natives not of the negative aspects of images, but of the beauty and innate meaning of light as the origin that creates images by expressing the longing for the fundamental and spiritual beauty that is symbolized by light. Since ancient times, light has served as a figurative essence that symbolizes the divinity of the absolute being. In Christianity, too, light is the most important essence, as it connects heaven and earth, the sacred and the secular. In the Old Testament, light is related to life, happiness, law, and wisdom, and in the New Testament, it also symbolizes transcendental sacredness. The early Greek fathers of the Orthodox Church thought that as beauty itself, God mediated between us and the ideal world through the symbol of physical or spiritual light. They believed that light occurred on earth from the discharge of light as such, that the divine beauty of heaven could be re-enacted through the splendour of colour and the physical luxury that symbolized light, and souls could be elevated through such re-enactment. In The Origin of the Work of Art, Martin Heidegger said, “Beauty is the way in which truth occurs as unconcealment.” Similarly, I hope the light of revelatory truth that the invisible God as the transcendental being presents to us will reveal something of itself through this collection. Dr Sunyoung Choi is pleased to introduce you to her online exhibition, “Let There Be Light”. The presentations composed of two videos; one of the films presents the concept of the exhibition and the other one is commentary. Learn more

ITC welcomes Dr Shuang Zhou

Dr Shuang Zhou is the newest appointed Research Assistant Professor at ITC.  Dr Zhou received her PhD at the University of Manchester in 2019 and then proceeded to join ITC this year. Her research interests lie primarily in the fields of digital and social media marketing, integrated marketing communications, and cross-cultural marketing. She is particularly interested in influencer marketing and the use of artificial intelligence and augmented and virtual realities in marketing. Dr Zhou has presented her work at several international academic conferences and worked as a teaching assistant for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in fashion marketing and retail at the University of Manchester.

Video Available NOW Dean's Distinguished Industry Lecture Series | Management of Fashion Business under the "New Normal"

The first lecture of the Dean’s Distinguished Industry Lecture Series was given on 23 November by a well respected ally and supporter of ITC, Ms Shirley Chan, BBS, JP, Vice Chairman of YGM Trading Ltd.; Chairlady of the Advisory Committee on Textile and Clothing Industries of PolyU; and PolyU Council member. Her session, "Management of Fashion Business under the New Normal” attracted an attendance of nearly 150 staff, students and alumni. In response to the social distance restrictions, the talk was organised in a hybrid live format in the ITC 4D Theatre and streamed on Zoom and the ITC Youtube channel.    In his opening remarks, Prof. Jintu Fan, Chair Professor and Head of ITC said, " We are so fortunate to have Ms Shirley Chan as our first speaker of the Dean’s Distinguished Industry Lecture Series to share her invaluable insights with PolyU staff, students and alumni, enabling us to broaden our horizons and keep abreast of the latest developments in the industry." The pandemic has brought about many challenges in all aspects of life. Daily and social activities have been suspended and cities are shut down. Ms Chan suggested that several phenomena have emerged in the "new normal", including e-learning, virtual exhibitions, virtual fashion shows and digital workplaces. "In the fashion industry, sales dropped dramatically and retail stores closed all over the world from January to July 2020. The highest decline was in March. There have been no signs of things picking up because there are no tourists and locals are working from home, and therefore dressing down.” said Ms Chan. Nevertheless, Ms Chan reminds us that challenges can also present new opportunities at the same time. "On the bright side, e-commerce sales have increased significantly…In Hong Kong, projected online sales increased by 13.4% in 2020. In China, online sales increased by 22% in the first quarter of 2020, and 34% in the second quarter." To support the continued growth of e-commerce, various portals and apps have been developed. New concepts such as video shopping is now popular in China. Ms Chan however feels that brick and mortar stores can evolve: “Still, physical stores play a role but need to be re-invented. The fashion journey remains a multiple channel that consists of online and offline platforms. Thus, online-to-offline (O2O) shopping, customer relationship management (CRM), big data, and artificial intelligence (AI) have become more crucial in the fashion industry.” All these trends help to nurture sales leads, enhance personalization, and increase efficiency of business processes and engagement. Companies are striving to stay ahead of their competitors and better market their products in the industry. In 2019, the GDP of the China Greater Bay Area was USD 1.6 trillion. McKinsey & Company predicts that by 2023, the top GDP growth will be found in the China Greater Bay Area. Ms Chan suggested that Hong Kong can take advantage of the growth: “This is the opportunity from the Belt and Road for us. Hong Kong can strengthen its “super-connector” role in textile and clothing by facilitating sustainable trade and development, providing cumulative knowledge in different aspects, acting as a distributing hub by exporting apparel products produced from the Belt and Road countries, and setting up factories in the Belt and Road countries.” Ms Chan advised the attendees to "Look beyond Hong Kong. Grasp the opportunities." Ms Chan concluded that Hong Kong has long been a major hub for global fashion. "We have the cumulative knowledge, a variety of favourable policies and funds introduced by the government, well-established education institutions, as well as fashion incubation in Mainland China." She reminded the students and alumni to venture beyond Hong Kong for more exciting opportunities.

Dr Di Fan in Vogue Business again

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is expected to eliminate a range of tariffs on imports and include provisions on intellectual property, telecommunications, financial services, e-commerce and professional services among 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Dr Di Fan, Assistant Professor of ITC, was interviewed by Vogue Business on the implications for the fashion and textile industries. Dr Fan stated that, “The lowering of non-tariff barriers, such as custom clearance, is expected to reduce the time products spend in transit, making garments from RCEP members competitive from a time-to-market perspective too." "The shorter days of supply can bring tremendous advantages to the fashion firms in the region. If a fast fashion brand needs 14 days to put a design on the shelf, a saving of four days in custom clearance can boost the speed to the market by around 30 per cent.” He added. China is the largest textiles exporter, the reduced tariff will increase the price competitiveness of Chinese textile products in the region, alleviating the raise of labor cost pressure for Chinese textile producers. "The agreement will also accelerate the shift of lower value production from China to ASEAN countries, which aligns with Chinese government efforts to pivot to higher value-added manufacturing sectors. It will also allow the country to boost domestic consumption through leveraging overseas production capacity." Dr Fan explained. For the full story, please visit https://www.voguebusiness.com/companies/what-rcep-means-for-fashion

Prof. Fan @ International Textile and Apparel Association Leadership Meeting

Prof JT Fan, Head and Chair Professor of ITC, was invited to attend the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) Leadership Meeting on 16 November 2020. This is a leadership sharing meeting for all the department heads and leaders of fashion and textiles programmes affiliated to ITAA. About the International Textile and Apparel Association   The International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) is a professional, educational association composed of scholars, educators, and students in the textile, apparel, and merchandising disciplines in higher education. It promotes the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge and is a primary resource for its members in strengthening leadership and service to society.