About

Yong Zhu is an Associate Department Head for Research and Faculty Advancement and serves as the Andrew A. Adams Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State University. His long-term goal is to advance nanoscience and nanotechnology by improving the understanding of nanoscale material behavior and exploring applications of nanomaterials. Dr. Zhu teaches courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, including Micro/Nano electromechanical Systems, Advanced Solid Mechanics, Solid Mechanics, and Strength of Mechanical Components. His research focuses on the development and analysis of nano/micro devices, contributing to major engineering frontiers that may lead to important discoveries in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Materials science
• Composite material
• Nanotechnology
• Engineering
• Environmental science
• Optoelectronics
• Embedded system
• Optics
• Business
• Engineering management
• Mechanical engineering
• Biological system
• Data science
• Physics
• Biomedical engineering
• Chemical engineering
• Electrical engineering
• Chemistry
• Remote sensing
• Medicine
• Systems engineering
• Acoustics
• Biology

Selected publications

• Advancing Wearable VOC Sensors: A Roadmap for Sustainable Agriculture and Real-Time Plant Health Monitoring

  Chem & Bio Engineering · 2025-06-02 · 9 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Plant diseases account for nearly one-third of annual global crop losses, making early and real-time detection essential for safeguarding agricultural productivity. Wearable technology has emerged as a promising real-time plant health monitoring approach that detects specific physiological and chemical changes associated with plant diseases or stresses. In this review, we highlight the role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as noninvasive biomarkers for tracking plant health and diagnosing diseases. We explore the materials, fabrication techniques, and recent applications of wearable VOC sensors for the real-time monitoring of plant diseases and stresses. Finally, we discuss the current challenges in wearable VOC sensor development and future directions to improve their design, fabrication, and practical implementation. This mini-review aims to guide the advancement of wearable sensing technologies for sustainable agriculture and enhanced crop protection.

  PublisherDOI

• Study on the Influence of Stress Distribution in Fault Structural Zones on Coal and Gas Outbursts

  Mining Metallurgy & Exploration · 2025-02-17 · 3 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Ultrasound-Compatible sEMG Electrode Enabling Simultaneous ARFI Acquisition

  2025-09-15

  article

  Conventional surface electromyography (sEMG) electrodes obstruct ultrasound transmission, preventing integration with advanced imaging modalities such as Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) imaging. To overcome this limitation, we present an ultrasound-compatible sEMG electrode fabricated from a silver nanowire–polydimethylsiloxane (AgNW– PDMS) composite. Electrode combines electrical conductivity with acoustic transparency, enabling co-localized acquisition of electrophysiological and mechanical muscle signals. Phantom and human experiments were performed using a Verasonics Vantage 256 system with a linear array transducer. Results demonstrate that the AgNW–PDMS electrode introduces an attenuation of about 33 % while retaining sufficient displacement for ARFI stiffness estimation. Simultaneous ARFI data were successfully collected from the extensor carpi radialis muscle in healthy participants without repositioning. To our best knowledge, this study provides the first demonstration of co-localized sEMG and ARFI acquisition enabled by acoustically transparent electrodes. While polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) introduces acoustic limitations due to attenuation and impedance mismatch, this work establishes a foundation for multimodal neuromuscular monitoring and motivates systematic material optimization.

  PublisherDOI

• Biodegradable Chitosan-Based Stretchable Electronics with Recyclable Silver Nanowires

  ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces · 2025-02-19 · 7 citations

  articleCorresponding

  The combination of biodegradability and biocompatibility makes chitosan a principal bioresourced material in biomedical engineering, wearable technology, and medical diagnostics, particularly for integration in human interfaces for soft electronic applications. However, this requires the introduction of soft electronic circuits with the capability of recycling the functional materials, while biodegrading the substrate. This paper presents the development and characterization of biodegradable soft circuits that are constructed using stretchable and flexible substrates from plasticized chitosan and conductive functional wiring from recyclable silver nanowires (AgNWs). The chitosan substrate demonstrates tunable mechanical properties with a maximum stretchability of ∼116%, in addition to desirable characteristics such as transparency, breathability, and controlled degradation. The plasticizing effect of glycerol reduces the rigidity associated with pure chitosan and imparts flexibility and stretchability to the AgNW-chitosan-glycerol (AgNW-Chi-Gly) composite. The AgNWs embedded in the Chi-Gly matrix are highly conductive, and their functionality in soft electronic devices such as strain sensors and electromyography (EMG) sensors is demonstrated. We show that the soft chitosan-based substrates can be subject to biodegradation at the end of their operational lifespan. The AgNWs can be recycled and reused, enhancing the overall sustainability of such soft electronic devices.

  PublisherDOI

• Ecofriendly Printing of Silver Nanowires with Cellulose Binder for Highly Robust Flexible Electronics

  Advanced Electronic Materials · 2025-04-24

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Scalable manufacturing of soft electronics with high performance and reliability represents one of the most demanding challenges for the application of soft electronics. Herein, an ecofriendly silver nanowire (AgNW) based ink with cellulose as the binder is reported. The ink properties, annealing condition, and electromechanical properties of the printed electronics are investigated. With a proper annealing process, the hot‐melt binder under high temperatures provides excellent adhesion between the NWs and the substrate, leading to robust electrical performance of the printed AgNWs under mechanical deformation, tape peeling, scratching, and chemical corrosion. The printed AgNWs are demonstrated as flexible temperature sensors due to their temperature‐dependent resistance behavior. The temperature sensors are used to sense touching, respiration, and body temperature. The mechanical robustness and chemical stability of the printed AgNW electronics, without the need of an encapsulation layer, makes them ideal for skin‐mounted electronics applications.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Deformation characteristics of rock mass under dislocation of deep-buried strike-slip fault and its influence by geostress

  Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering · 2025-06-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Fault dislocation leads to significant deformation in rock masses, resulting in the damage of deeply buried structures such as tunnels. This study aims to investigate the deformation characteristics of rock masses caused by fault dislocation and the influence of geostress under deep-buried conditions. Using the central Yunnan water diversion project as a case study, a physical model test of deep-buried strike-slip fault dislocation to examine the deformation characteristics of rock masses is first conducted. Subsequently, a nonlocal model for numerical simulation to analyze the impact of geostress on rock mass deformation is applied. The results are as follows: (1) Under fault dislocation, the main fracture develops within the fracture zone, and the fault undergoes shear movement along this main fracture. (2) Rock mass displacement decreases from the footwall to the hanging wall, with displacement distribution showing partitioning near the main fracture and exhibiting an S-shaped pattern. The equivalent strain localization band develops within the fracture zone, and the strain distribution curves exhibit a single-peak pattern. (3) Soil pressure decreases near the main fracture, increases on the footwall, and remains constant on the hanging wall. (4) The nonlocal model effectively reproduces the test results, showing that geostress affects the angle of the equivalent strain localization band and the peak strain. This research enhances the understanding of rock mass deformation under fault dislocation, provides a basis for analyzing the failure characteristics of deeply buried tunnels, and offers guidance for the construction design of cross-fault deep-buried tunnels.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Thermally Actuated Soft Robotics

  Advanced Materials · 2025-07-25 · 23 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Soft robots with exceptional adaptability and versatility have opened new possibilities for applications in complex and dynamic environments. Thermal actuation has emerged as a promising method among various actuation strategieis, offering distinct advantages such as programmability, light weight, low actuation voltage, and untethered operation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of soft thermal actuators, focusing on their heating mechanisms, material innovations, structural designs, and emerging applications. Heat generation mechanisms including Joule heating, electromagnetic induction, and electromagnetic radiation and heat transfer mechanisms such as fluid convection are discussed. Advances in materials are grouped into two areas: heating materials, primarily based on nanomaterials, and thermally responsive materials including hydrogels, liquid crystal elastomers, and shape-memory polymers. Structural designs, such as extension, bending, twisting, and 3D deformable configurations, are explored for enabling complex and precise movements. Applications of soft thermal actuators span environmental exploration, gripping and manipulation, biomedical devices for rehabilitation and surgery, and interactive systems for virtual/augmented reality and therapy. The review concludes with an outlook on challenges and future directions, emphasizing the need for further improvement in speed, energy efficiency, and intelligent soft robotic systems. By bridging fundamental principles with cutting-edge applications, this review aims to inspire further advancements in the field of thermally actuated soft robotics.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Characterization of screen-printed silver nanowire (AgNW)-based soft strain sensors

  Manufacturing Letters · 2025-08-01

  articleOpen access

  The exceptional electrical conductivity and flexibility of silver nanowires (AgNWs) have gained significant interest within the wearable sensor applications. The utilization of AgNWs conductive channels offers a potential economically viable strategy for the advancement of flexible and stretchable electronics, which possess unique attributes as strain sensors. The width of these conductive channels has a crucial role in determining the distribution of AgNWs, which in turn has the ability to affect the performance of sensors. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of open channel width on the dispersion of printed AgNWs and its subsequent impacts on the electrical characteristics of strain sensors. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is selected as the material for molds and substrates owing to its inherent stretchability, making it a popular choice for the fabrication of flexible and/or stretchable sensors. Laser cutting technique was employed to produce the screen-printing mold with a range of channel widths. Then strain sensors were fabricated by printing AgNW suspensions through the mold, and analyzed their resulting electrical properties. This study encompassed the measurement of gauge parameters in order to evaluate sensitivity, the analysis of linearity and hysteresis to assess response consistency. Finally, based on the sensitivity required for sensing the gesture motion on the hand, we select strain sensors with appropriate widths of AgNWs to attach to the hand in order to detect finger or hand gestures to show its potential application as wearable electronics.

  PublisherDOI

• Additively manufactured stimuli responsive smart materials and structures

  Elsevier eBooks · 2025-01-01

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Characterizing random complex biological media by quantifying ultrasound multiple scattering

  UNC Libraries · 2025-05-02

  articleOpen access

  Introduction: In this in silico, in vitro, and in vivo study, we propose metrics for the characterization of highly scattering media using backscattered acoustic waves in the MHz range, for application to the characterization of biological media. Methods: Multi-element array transducers are used to record the ultrasonic Inter element Response Matrix (IRM) of scattering phantoms and of lung tissue in rodent models of pulmonary fibrosis. The distribution of singular values of the IRM in the frequency domain is then studied to quantify the multiple scattering contribution. Numerical models of scattering media, as well as gelatin-glass bead and polydimethylsiloxane phantoms with different scatterer densities, are used as a first step to demonstrate the proof of concept. Results: The results show that changes in microstructure of a complex random medium affect parameters associated with the distribution of singular values. Two metrics are proposed: E ( X ) , which is the expected value of the singular value distribution, and λ max , the maximum value of the probability density function of the singular value distribution, i.e., the most represented singular value. After validation of the methods in silico and in phantoms, we show that these metrics are relevant to evaluate pulmonary fibrosis in an in vivo rodent study on six control rats and eighteen rats with varying degrees of severity of pulmonary fibrosis. In rats, a moderate correlation was found between the severity of pulmonary fibrosis and metrics E ( X ) and λ max . Discussion: These results suggest that such parameters could be used as metrics to estimate the amount of multiple scattering in highly heterogeneous media, and that these parameters could contribute to the evaluation of structural changes in lung microstructure.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Collaborative Research: Investigation of Deformation Mechanisms Governing the Tensile Ductility of Twinned Metal Nanowires

  NSF · $210k · 2014–2018

• PFI-TT: Wearable Strain Sensors for Real-Time Joint Angle Tracking in Sports

  NSF · $266k · 2021–2024

• Mechanical and Piezoelectric Characterization of ZnO Nanowires for Energy Harvesting Applications

  NSF · $106k · 2009–2011

• Collaborative Research: Investigating the Strain-Rate and Time-Dependent Plasticity of Metal Nanowires

  NSF · $304k · 2019–2024

• Experimental Investigation of Fundamental Mechanical Behavior of Silicon Nanowires

  NSF · $329k · 2013–2017

Frequent coauthors

• Xiaogang Hu

  Pennsylvania State University

  41 shared

• He Huang

  Chongqing Technology and Business University

  41 shared

• Shanshan Yao

  40 shared

• Yubai Pan

  34 shared

• Yuxuan Liu

  Huazhong University of Science and Technology

  30 shared

• Luis Vargas

  North Central State College

  30 shared

• Guangming Cheng

  North Carolina State University

  28 shared

• Huajian Gao

  Institute of High Performance Computing

  27 shared

Labs

• Yong Zhu LabPI

Education

• PhD, Mechanical Engineering

  Northwestern University

  2005

• MS, Mechanical Engineering

  Northwestern University

  2001

• BS, Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering

  University of Science and Technology of China

  1999

Awards & honors

• Andrew A. Adams Distinguished Professor