Rundong Zhang

Papers

Total Citations

396

H-Index

About

Rundong Zhang is a leading researcher in soft robotics and active metamaterials, with a focus on harnessing magnetic fields to create programmable, shape-shifting materials. His work centers on the design and fabrication of magnetic-responsive composites—soft matrices embedded with hard-magnetic particles—that enable fast, reversible, and untethered actuation. A key contribution is his development of a symmetry-breaking actuation mechanism, which overcomes the limitation of single-mode deformation in soft active materials, allowing for more complex and versatile movements. This work, published in 2019, has garnered over 204 citations. Zhang also pioneered magnetic multimaterial printing, a technique that achieves multimodal shape transformation with tunable mechanical properties and shiftable behaviors. This 2020 paper, with over 192 citations, demonstrates how magnetic soft materials can be precisely programmed for applications ranging from soft robotics and biomedical devices to adaptive metamaterials. By enabling controllable dynamic motions and reconfigurable structures, Zhang’s research has significantly advanced the field, offering a robust platform for next-generation smart materials and devices.