From October 14 to 16, Professor Dongyang Li from the University of Alberta, Canada, visited the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SICCAS), and delivered an academic lecture entitled "Geno-mimetic Materials Engineering: An 'Electron Metallurgy' Framework for Materials Design and Surface/Interface Regulation Based on Electron Work Function." The lecture was chaired by Professor Liang Wang from the Division of Intelligent Ceramic Materials. Researchers and graduate students from SICCAS attended the academic exchange.

In his presentation, Professor Li highlighted that as materials technology continues to advance, it has become increasingly vital to rely on fundamental physical principles for material design and performance regulation. The properties and various surface/interface characteristics of materials are fundamentally determined by their electronic behavior. Starting from the fundamental physical concept of the electron work function (EWF), he systematically elaborated on its bridging role between the microscopic electronic states and macroscopic properties of materials, acting as a key parameter that carries "gene-like" information. The lecture detailed the strong correlations between EWF and the mechanical properties, surface states, interfacial bonding strength, as well as wear and corrosion resistance of metals and ceramics. He particularly introduced the novel EWF-based material design approach pioneered by his team—Geno-mimetic Materials Engineering and the "Electron Metallurgy" framework. This innovative framework provides fresh perspectives and powerful tools for understanding and predicting material behavior at the electronic level, guiding composition optimization and interface design, and thereby overcoming the traditional trade-off between strength and toughness in materials design. It holds significant theoretical guidance and practical application value for advancing the research and development of advanced structural and functional materials.