In order to activate students’ interests in scientific research and encourage them to carry out interdisciplinary exchange, as well as to improve their capacities to do research and enhance their innovation consciousness, Zhejiang University Academy Committee, Publicity Department, Department of Student Affairs, Undergraduate Student Union and Graduate Student Union jointly held a selection event known as the “Qi-Zhen Cup” Zhejiang University Top 10 Students’ New Academic Achievements in 2014.
DPSE responded positively to this academic activity. After careful evaluation and consideration, the research conducted by Haiyan Sun, a PhD student in Nanopolymer Group, was recommended to university. After the selection by judging panel and Internet vote, Sun’s research, which was in reference to multifunctional ultra-flyweight synergistically assembled carbon aerogels, was awarded nomination for the “Qi-Zhen Cup” Zhejiang University Top 10 Students’ New Academic Achievements in 2014.
The multifunctional all carbon ultra-flyweight aerogels (UFAs) were fabricated by freeze-drying the aqueous solutions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and giant graphene oxide (GGO) sheets. For the foams prepared from neat grapheme, they could achieve a density of 0.16 mg/cm3, which is the lowest density of solid materials having ever been reported. Besides, the macroscopic-assembled UFAs also showed temperature-invariant super recyclable compressibility. After the fatigue test of 1000 cycles, the UFAs still kept their original thickness and remained intact in shape. They also used SEM to “in situ observe the microscopic structural evolution of the UFAs during the compression-release period” and demonstrated that the isotropic assembly of CNTs and graphene contributed largely to the 3D structural integrity of the UFAs under large deformations. Moreover, it was reported that the UFAs possessed “super-high absorption capacities and ultrafast absorption rate for organic solvents and oils”. The highest value of the ratio of the final weight after full absorption to the initial weight of the UFAs could be up to 913 and was one to two orders of magnitude higher than those of commercial oil absorbents. More information can be found in the scientific article entitled “Multifunctional, Ultra-Flyweight, Synergistically Assembled Carbon Aerogels”. Since this work was published on Advanced Materials, it has attracted wide attention in academic circles as well as more than 100 mass media. The article was highlighted by Nature (2013, 494, 404), meanwhile this excellent work was awarded Australian Kangaroo World Innovation Award and selected by academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering as China Top 10 news of advance in science and technology in 2013. The UFAs also set a Guinness World Record for being the lightest solid material in the world.
Herein we congratulate Sun on her achievements! We also hope that the students in DPSE will follow her example and devote themselves to research, thus make more contributions to our department.
(By Kotel)
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