Chunyu Zhang

Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beihang University

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Chunyu Zhang is a leading researcher in the field of advanced stimuli-responsive materials, with a primary focus on photoactuators and self-healing electronics. Their major contributions center on the design and fabrication of smart polymers that can be precisely controlled by external stimuli, particularly near-infrared (NIR) light. Zhang’s most cited work, a 2019 study on NIR photoactuators based on shape memory semicrystalline polymers, introduced a groundbreaking approach to creating light-fueled soft robots capable of performing complex mechanical tasks such as gripping, grasping, and walking. This paper has garnered 43 citations, underscoring its influence in the development of adaptive soft robotics for biomedical and aerospace applications. More recently, Zhang has pioneered hierarchical self-healing liquid metal architectures driven by electro-chemical synergy, achieving ultrasensitive strain sensing capabilities. This 2025 work, while still accumulating citations, represents a significant leap in creating durable, self-repairing electronic skins and wearable sensors. Zhang’s innovative integration of shape memory effects with light activation and self-healing properties positions them at the forefront of next-generation smart materials, offering transformative potential for soft robotics, flexible electronics, and human-machine interfaces.