ISD UG and PhD Students Published Research Paper on Advanced Science as First Authors

Haosong ZHONG (Year 4 undergraduate student) and Xupeng LU (year 1 PhD student) from the Division of Integrative Systems and Design (ISD) have recently published a research paper titled “Seeing Through Muddy Water: Laser-Induced Graphene for Portable Tomography Imaging” on Advanced Science as the first authors under the supervision of Prof. Mitch LI of ISD.

Advanced Science is a premium interdisciplinary open access journal covering cutting-edge research in materials science, physics, chemistry, medical and life sciences, and engineering. It publishes high-quality research as a leading open access journal in various scientific fields.

The study explores the potential of graphene in imaging by utilizing laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes for detection in turbid water through an Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) application. A fiber laser marking machine with a wavelength of 1064 nm is used for fabricating the LIG electrode array, and later is placed in a beaker of water for testing. The portable four-terminal EIT prototype enables easy identification of items with varying conductivity levels under muddy water via wireless (Bluetooth) communication.

The discovery not only demonstrates that LIG fabricated by a 1064 nm fiber laser could serve as EIT electrode material but also proposes a new, cost-effective method for long-term underwater monitoring due to its high corrosion resistance. The device produces satisfactory image quality and resolution at a low cost, and the technology causes less environmental degradation compared to existing methods, which is an ideal nanomaterial that could integrate into underwater robotics or marine automation devices.