Tao Wang | Properties and Performance | Research Excellence Award

Tao Wang is a dedicated postdoctoral researcher at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), specializing in precision machinery, biomimetic dry adhesives, and intelligent material systems for advanced engineering applications. He earned both his Bachelor of Engineering and Ph.D. in Precision Machinery and Precision Instrument from USTC, ranking among the top students and receiving numerous prestigious honors, including the National Scholarship (2022), multiple First-Class Scholarships, the “Cun Cao Xin” Special Scholarship, and Outstanding Graduate awards at both the provincial and university levels. His research focuses on high-performance, rapidly switchable adhesive systems inspired by biological mechanisms, with impactful contributions to space debris removal and sensation-free adhesion across varied surfaces. Notably, he developed magnetically triggered core-shell intelligent adhesives that overcome challenges such as the adhesion paradox and interface stress regulation, enabling millisecond-level switching, enhanced surface adaptability, and reliable repeatability. He has also advanced layered composite adhesives integrating CNT arrays and retractable micro-claw structures for robust multifunctional adhesion. Tao Wang has published 10 scientific documents, accumulating 28 citations from 24 citing documents, and holds an h-index of 3, reflecting the growing influence of his work. His publications include articles in leading journals such as Chemical Engineering Journal, Smart Materials and Structures, Composites Part A, and ChemistrySelect, alongside multiple patents on precision measurement devices and smart adhesive systems. In addition to research, he has excelled as a teaching assistant—earning the Outstanding Teaching Assistant award—and has demonstrated strong leadership through class roles, volunteer initiatives, and science outreach programs. With expertise in CAD modeling, finite-element simulation, micro-fabrication, advanced surface characterization, and additive manufacturing, Tao Wang continues to push the boundaries of intelligent adhesive technologies with promising applications in aerospace, robotics, and next-generation engineering systems.