BING RESEARCH GROUP: MATERIALS INNOVATION &MANUFACTURING (MIM)
ENERGY STORAGE
We aim to transform electrochemical energy storage technologies through materials innovations. We are not interested in the incremental improvement of traditional storage materials; rather we are keen on disruptive technologies and the relevant fundamental science. The following summarizes our research achievements and current research interests in different categories.
BIOMATERIALS (Wood Nanocellulose)
The goal is the creation of an expanded fundamental knowledge base for biomaterials (especially nanocellulose) and processing that leverages nature and facilitates their incorporation in emerging technologies, including energy and environmental technologies, buildings, flexible electronics, clean water and beyond. The fundamental understanding of biomaterials will lead us to achieve extraordinary performance that is competitive with widely-used but non-sustainable materials. Our group recently demonstrated that transparent paper could replace plastics, strong and tough nanocellulose composite could replace steel, and transparent wood could replace glass.
Dr. Liangbing Hu is also the founding director of Center for Advanced Biomaterials Technologies (www.cabt.umd.edu), and a co-founder of Inventwood LLC (www.inventwood.com).
DISRUPTIVE MANUFACTURING
Nanomanufacturing is an important avenue to translate nanotechnology from the lab into a product for the practical world. Our group is interested in roll-to-roll manufacturing of nanomaterials for emerging nanotechnologies. We are particularly interested in solution-based printing processes. We are also interested in extreme conditions enabled disruptive manufacturing techniques.
