Meet the Grantee: Professor Youhong Tang
Self-reporting Mechanochromic Fibre Reinforced Composites Enabled by AIEgens
Dr. Youhong Tang from Flinders University, Australia, participated in manifold activities at the Chair of his host, Prof. Dr. Holger Ruckdäschel (Department of Polymer Engineering) during his Short Term Grant at UBT. He was particularly impressed by the Master students and their involvement in industry-oriented projects, and finds that the connection with industry is less developed in Australia.
Professor Tang and his Host Professor Ruckdäschel
If you had to explain the research project of your Short Term Grant to the person you metin the elevator, how would you describe it?
Youhong Tang: My short term grant is to develop self-reporting composites enabling autonomous damage detection for improved safety and reliability of critical structural components. With the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens (AIEgens) introduced, the mechanical damage of the thermoset epoxies and their fiber reinforced composites that trigger rapid generation of a local fluorescence signal, can be conveniently visualized under a certain excitation light with excellent sensitivity and high contrast.
What does international research mobility in today's world mean to you?
YT: International research mobility is very important to my research. Collaboration and mobility are a key part of the business of research. International mobility ensures a circulation of skills and ideas around the world, and ‘brain circulation’ in the global research system sees researchers follow the best research and the best resources.
My own research is significantly benefited from collaboration and international research mobility. Many of my publications are involved with international research groups and many grants support the international research mobility.
What was your personal experience during your stay?
YT: I stayed in Bayreuth for 10 days and I had the chance to visit the city of Bayreuth. Bayreuth is not very big, getting around is easy. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Bavaria. Charming palaces, historical parks, the Eremitage with its interesting grottos and water games, the Festspielhaus with its one of a kind accustic, as well as a choice of museums. At the weekend, I also had the opportunity to visit Nürnberg, which is known for its glorious medieval architecture.
Have you noticed any differences or similarities between UBT and your home university?
YT: I was lucky to be hosted by Prof Holger Ruckdäschel from Department of Polymer Engineering, UBT. I had lots of interactions with Prof Ruckdäschel group through
1. Lab visiting of Department of Polymer Engineering
2. Participated in the presentations delivered by Sruthi Sunder
3. Outreach activities of Professor Ruckdäschel's research group
4. Lunch time presentations for 5 days at the Department of Polymer Engineering
5. Discussion with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Ruckdäschel and the group managers Christian Brütting, Martin Demleitner and Tim Scherzer
6. Participated in PhD candidates’ rehearsals
Prof Ruckdäschel group has many industrial projects and the Master degree students show high quality in understanding and doing the industry-oriented projects.
My group in Australia does not involve many industrial projects and students also get excellent training in various areas but industrial connection maybe not strong enough.
The Grantee
Dr Youhong Tang is a Matthew Flinders Professor of Engineering and was an Australian Research Council-Discovery Early Career Researcher at Flinders University, Australia. He was the Deputy Director of International Laboratory for Health Technologies and ACSRF-Joint Research Centre on Personal Health Technologies. Currently, he is a Research Leader at the Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology (ERA rank 5 in Nanotechnology and Materials Engineering). He is a Project Management Professional since 2008 and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK in 2018, a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Australia in 2021, a Certificated Materials Professional, Australia in 2021 and a Fellow of International Association of Advanced Materials in 2024.
Youhong obtained his PhD degree in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2007 and moved to Flinders University in 2012 from the University of Sydney. He is a material science and engineering researcher with research interests mainly focused on (1) Structure-processing-property relationship of polymeric (nano)materials and (2) Biomaterials, biosensors and their devices with AIE feature.