Laboratory Introduction

The Smart Material Processing (SMP) Lab focuses on the characteristics and application technologies of smart materials that have received great attention in various fields. The use and processing of smart materials have been limited to 2D structures, which made it difficult to develop complex and diverse applications. Our lab not only develops smart material processing techniques, such as 3D/4D printing, but also researches on how to create novel applications and improve performance of existing technologies, by utilizing 3D/4D printed smart material structures. In addition, we develop smart application technologies including complex and diverse designs, inspired by plants and animals in nature, using 3D/4D printing technique.

Research Areas

• Smart materials (Stimuli-responsive materials, Biomaterials, Shape-memory polymers etc.)
• Advanced manufacturing (3D/4D printing and hybrid manufacturing systems)
• Bio-inspired designs and devices
• Development of innovative applications in interdisciplinary research

Research Activities

• Development of 4D printed photoactive soft camouflage skin (or display) inspired by the chromatophore of cephalopod
• 4D printed microneedles, inspired by the unique design of bee stinger, with strong tissue adhesion
• Development of Digital Light Processing (DLP)-based multi-material 3D printing technology that enables rapid material exchange (~10 seconds) and sophisticated processing (~5 um)
• Demonstration of soft robotic manipulation and locomotion with 4D-printed soft robots using electroactive hydrogel
• Examination of characteristics of temperature-responsive hydrogel and development of applications using 4D printed temperature-responsive hydrogel structures