Innovative research across disciplines
Zhejiang University is one of China’s top research universities, with 18 of its academic disciplines – including chemistry, computer science and engineering – ranked within the top 1 per cent* of higher education institutions anywhere in the world.
Source: Academic Impact Ranking, Essential Science Indicators (ESI).
Among the many and varied research-driven discoveries and innovations that Zhejiang can lay claim to, a number stand out.
The World's Lightest Material
‘Carbon aerogel’ is the lightest material in the world, with a density one-sixth that of air and possessing extraordinary structural toughness. It was invented by a research team at ZJU, led by Professor Chao Gao from the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering.
Long-life LEDs
In 2014, a multidisciplinary team at Zhejiang University discovered how to extend the operational lifespan of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), to that of 100,000 hours over and above normal usage levels. Research underpinning the high-performance, next-generation LEDs received widespread media coverage, including within the scientific journal Nature, and others.
Microsatellites
Multidisciplinary innovations in aerospace, electronics, machinery, and control science at ZJU have contributed to the development of Chinese microsatellites and nanosatellites, which have been successfully deployed in China’s next-generation space flight missions.
