A distinguished faculty member at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has been conferred the first International Science and Technology Cooperation Award by the Jiangsu Provincial Government for his outstanding research on high-performance alloys and contributions to the technological development of Jiangsu Province.

 

Professor Liu Chain-tsuan, University Distinguished Professor, a renowned scientist in the area of advanced structural materials, is a Member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). He worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA for more than 30 years, and he holds a total of 29 US patents for the development of advanced structural materials.

 

The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award, a new item in the 2012 Jiangsu Science and Technology Awards, honours foreign scientists who promote technology advancement, exchange and development of professionals, and the enhancement of industrial development in Jiangsu.

 

Professor Liu is the only scholar from Hong Kong among the four award recipients. The others are from Canada, Singapore, and Thailand.

 

“Jiangsu Province plays an important role in China’s technological development, particularly in the advancement of high-performance metals,” Professor Liu said.

 

In 2010, he helped establish the Jiangsu Advanced Material Research Institute, Danyang, Jiangsu, and he served as Chairman of its Academic Committee, offering advice on research and the institute’s development directions. In addition, he worked closely with scholars at Nanjing University of Science and Technology, jointly publishing several SCI scientific papers.

 

“As a native of Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, I am very honoured to receive the award in my home province. I hope this recognition will be beneficial to raise fund for CityU’s research projects and to boost the technological advancement of alloys,” Professor Liu commented.

 

Professor Liu received funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology last year to conduct research on high-performance alloys. “We have successfully improved the ductility and strength of Ti-6-4 titanium alloy. It is the most commonly-used titanium alloy, and has the characteristics of being light and high tensile strength, ductility and resistance to high temperature and corrosion. We need to improve the performance of materials so that we can meet the needs of the aerospace industry and facilitate the progress of the ‘Big Aircraft Project’ in China.”

 

A key state project on the mainland is to develop China’s capability to build large cargo aircraft and passenger planes through domestic research and development and international collaboration.

 

Professor Liu added that titanium alloy can also be used for biomedical purposes. The artificial joints or stands made by titanium alloy have a higher compatibility with human body, and may help reduce rejection by human cells.