With a growing global energy crisis and the proliferation of\nenvironmental pollution, it is increasingly urgent to develop new forms of\ngreen energy. In 2014, the University of Macau (UM) established the Institute\nof Applied Physics and Materials Engineering (IAPME), which is the only\ninstitute in Macao dedicated to exploring new forms of energy, electro-optical\nconversion, and advanced materials and technologies, with the aim of helping to\nresolve the global energy crisis.<\/p>
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A Young Research Team<\/b><\/p>
Since its establishment, the IAPME has garnered a group of\nyoung, innovative researchers from world-renowned universities and research\ninstitutions in the United States, Europe, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.\nAmong them, Chair Professor Tang Zikang, director of the IAPME, is an\ninternationally renowned leader in the field of nano-optoelectronic materials. Under\nhis leadership, IAPME has rapidly progressed in research capacity and\ninnovative power in just a few years, as evidenced by the research grants from\nthe National Natural Science Foundation of China, Macao Science and Technology\nDevelopment Fund, and the UM Research Fund. With more than 70 ongoing research projects\nand over 300 papers published in SCI-indexed journals, the institute\u2019s\ninternational academic in\ufb02uence is growing steadily.<\/p>
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Developing New Forms\nof Energy & New Materials<\/b><\/p>
According to Prof Tang, physics and chemistry are the foundation\nof what IAPME researchers do and materials are the vehicle for fulfilling their\nmission\u2014developing new materials, new techniques, and new functions through materials\nsimulation and design. With an application-oriented approach, the institute\nstrives to develop innovative academic programmes in applied physics and\nmaterials engineering with local characteristics in order to nurture\nprofessionals who can develop new technologies needed by Macao and the Greater\nBay Area. Currently, IAPME researchers focus on developing key materials and\ntechnologies for applications in the fields of solar energy, electrical energy\nstorage (batteries, hydrogen storage, fuel cells) and energy\nconservation(high-efficiency optoelectronics and solid state lighting devices).<\/p>
Prof Tang says: \u2018Materials engineering is a broad concept. We\ncan\u2019t cover everything. Our current focus is on developing new forms of energy\nand new materials such as optoelectronic and electro-optic materials, as well\nas new technologies. We hope to develop new forms of efficient, clean energy\nusing nanotechnology and explore the applications of optoelectronic and\nelectro-optic technologies. These research studies will hopefully bring about a\nchange in the existing academic programmes in new energy and promote the\ndevelopment of related industries in Macao. New energy has the\npotential to become a new pillar industry in Macao.\u2019<\/p>
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Perovskite Solar\nCells<\/b><\/p>
Developing new forms of green energy is one of the main research\ninterests of the IAPME. In fact, the perovskite solar cells developed by the\ninstitute have already attracted considerable international attention.<\/p>
Prof Tang explains that the solar cells currently available on\nthe market are mostly made of polysilicon, whose manufacturing process is\nexpensive, consumes much energy, and produces many pollutants. On the other hand,\nthe perovskite solar cells which are developed by the institute can be\nmass-produced through low-temperature printing at a low cost. Xing Guichuan, an\nassistant professor in the IAPME, who is mainly in charge of the development of\nperovskite solar cells, says that perovskite solar cells have not only\ndemonstrated excellent performance, but also have the optoelectronic properties\nof inorganic semiconductors and can be processed in solutions like organic\nmaterials. They can effectively convert solar energy into electrical power. According\nto the latest report, they can achieve a photoelectric conversion efficiency of\n23.7%, comparable to that of single crystal silicon (26.1%) and far higher than\nthat of dye-sensitised solar cells (11.9%) and organic solar cells (12.6%).\nMoreover, according to Prof Xing, perovskite materials are soft and light, so they\ncan be printed on backpacks or clothes to store solar energy through spray\npainting technology, which can greatly improve efficiency. He believes that in\nthe future perovskite materials will have more applications in the development\nof smart cities.<\/p>
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Next-generation LED\nTechnology<\/b><\/p>
In addition to perovskite solar cells, Prof Xing is also in charge\nof the development of perovskite nanocrystalline light-emitting diodes (LEDs),\nwhich are hailed as \u2018the next-generation LED technology\u2019. They are expected to bring\nlow-cost, environmentally-friendly and highly-efficient LED displays and light\nsources into everyday life.<\/p>
Indium, a raw material used to make gallium nitride LEDs, is\na scarce metal with very small global reserves. Some even argue that the\nearth might run out of indium in a few decades. This is why scientists are\nalready exploring alternative materials to replace indium. Prof Xing is one such\npioneer. If successful, his work will substantially improve the luminous efficiency\nof perovskite LEDs. \u2018About20 per cent of electrical power in the world is used\nfor lighting, so it is very important to develop efficient lighting technology\nto conserve energy,\u2019 he says. \u2018The process of making perovskite solution is\nsimple, less expensive, and highly consistent. Because of the high\nphotoelectric conversion efficiency of perovskite, which is over 20per cent,\nclose to the peak photoelectric conversion efficiency of other expensive\nsemiconductors, it has become a subject of widespread study worldwide. I believe\nthat the popularisation and commercialisation of this technology in the near\nfuture will help us achieve the goal of energy conservation.\u2019<\/p>
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Breaking Multiple\nWorld Records<\/b><\/p>
Another proud brainchild of IAPME researchers is an\ninnovative super hydrogel. This super hydrogel significantly outperforms\nregular hydrogel in water absorption, swelling ratio, electrical conductivity,\nand mechanical properties, and can be used in many fields to meet di\ufb00erent\nneeds. IAPME assistant professor Sun Guoxing explains that this new hydrogel\ncan absorb up to 13,600 times its own weight in water. In other words, one gram\nof this hydrogel can absorb over13,000 grams of water, which is three to four\ntimes the water-absorption ability of the most water-absorbent hydrogel ever\nrecorded. Because of its superior water absorption ability, it can be used to\nmake everyday products such as moisture absorbers, sanitary napkins, and\ndiapers; or buried in the soil to retain water for farmland or deserts.\nMoreover, it can absorb twice as much organic pigment as the current versions\nof hydrogel. So it can be used to absorb the pollutants in waste water in order\nto produce clean water.<\/p>
According to Prof Sun, this hydrogel uses inexpensive cement\nas the cross-linking agent and therefore costs far less than the commercial\nproducts currently available on the market. In terms of mechanical properties, it\nis softer, more resilient, elastic, and shock-absorbent than rubber, which\nmakes it an ideal material for cushions in many fields such as electronics,\nconstruction and machinery. In terms of electrical performance, its surface conductivity\nis five times greater than the highest surface conductivity ever recorded. It\ncan be used to make \ufb02exible electronic devices, such as \ufb02exible printed\ncircuits and capacitor diaphragms. Finally, hydrogels are highly compatible\nwith biological cells and can provide a perfect environment for cells to live\nand grow. Therefore they can be used to make next-generation medical tissues or\nartificial organs, with the dual advantage of superior mechanical performance\nand high biological compatibility. Three China patents are pending for this technology<\/p>
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Enhancing Macao\u2019s\nCompetitiveness Through Cutting-edge Technology<\/b><\/p>
IAPME boasts a group of physicists and chemists who specialise\nin di\ufb00erent fields. Together, they explore the frontiers of scientific research\nand promote the development of related disciplines in Macao. Prof Tang says\nthat through initiating research studies in materials engineering, not only can\nthe institute nurture science and technology professionals for Macao, but it\nwill also hopefully bring about new changes to the industrial structure of\nMacao. Another focus of IAPME researchers\u2019 e\ufb00orts is the development of\nmaterials and technologies for \ufb02at panel displays. They are specifically\nexploring ways to maximise the performance of semiconductor colloidal quantum\ndots (\u2018quantum dots\u2019 for short, one of the semiconductor nanocrystals) and turn\nelectricity into light in the most e\ufb00ective way.<\/p>
Wang Shuangpeng, an assistant professor in the institute who\nis in charge of related studies, says that because of the quantum confinement\ne\ufb00ect, the wavelength (colour)of quantum dots can be continuously adjusted from\nthe wavelength of near-infrared light to that of blue-violet light by adjusting\nthe particle size of quantum dots. The colour purity of quantum dots is extremely\nhigh, making the colour of the display closer to that of the real world seen\nthrough the human eye. In addition, quantum dots consume less luminous energy\nand therefore costless, making them a sensible mainstream choice for future\ndisplays. \u2018Science and technology are the primary productive forces. New\ndisplay technologies have the potential to spawn a new industry, or even help\nMacao to seize a new market and enhance its competitiveness,\u2019 says Prof Wang.<\/p>
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Revolutionary\nNanometre Photothermal Biomaterials<\/b><\/p>
The IAPME has also achieved an encouraging breakthrough in\nthe development of nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Prof Tang says\nthat quantum dots can convert light into heat energy, which can not only kill\ncancer tumours, but also induce innate immune memory in the body. This means\nthat once the cancer is cured through nano-photothermal therapy, it will never recur.\nIt is a revolutionary non-invasive way to activate the body\u2019s immune system to\ncure cancer.<\/p>
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The IAPME is now involved in interdisciplinary, collaborative\nresearch projects with the UM Faculty of Health Sciences and Institute of\nChinese Medical Sciences. Experiments on mice have produced excellent results.\nOnce successful, the cancer vaccines will produce enormous social benefits and\ncommercial value, as well as revolutionary repercussions in the field.<\/p>