Whitaker chair professor @MIT; scientist, educator, entrepreneur; #softmaterials #mechanics #health #sustainability; co-founder @SanaHeal @Sonologi @Magnendo.
Cambridge, MA
- Tweets 4,188
- Following 1,992
- Followers 24,414
- Likes 15,030
Pinned Tweet
1. Can hydrogels breathe?
In our new Nature paper, we show that only 2-4 wt% aerogels can enhance hydrogel air permeability by more than 10× through viscoelastic phase separation—while preserving water-rich, tissue-like properties.
nature.com/articles/s41586-0…
2
9
50
4,416
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
The 2026 Frontiers & Pioneers Symposium is coming to @Stanford, August 7–9. Three days of keynotes and fireside chats with Nobel laureates and innovation leaders.
Register: buff.ly/g1grvp1
Use code for 10% off: aasf2026-x-10off
1
1
4
1,207
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
In a @natBME paper, a team, including researchers in @MIT_CEE and @MITMechE, has developed a noninvasive pacemaker that stimulates the heart using ultrasound. The design could one day provide a surgery-free alternative to traditional cardiac implants.
news.mit.edu/2026/ultrasound…
6
23
4,350
1. Can hydrogels breathe?
In our new Nature paper, we show that only 2-4 wt% aerogels can enhance hydrogel air permeability by more than 10× through viscoelastic phase separation—while preserving water-rich, tissue-like properties.
nature.com/articles/s41586-0…
2
9
50
4,416
3. This air-rich/water-rich architecture also enables new functions that conventional hydrogels cannot easily achieve, including ultrasound-responsive hydrogel artificial muscles and soft actuators that can be remotely actuated in water.
1
3
568
4. Congratulations to @XiaoYunYan, @shucong_li_hhh, and all coauthors and collaborators for this exciting work. @MIT @MITMechE @MIT_IMES @MIT_CEE @MITEngineering @mit_nano
1
3
324
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
We are delighted to continue the new season of the #EML_Webinar Series with a webinar by @MiguelABessa from @BrownUniversity on 15 July 2026 via Zoom.
Title: Disentangling Uncertainty in AI for Engineering.
The discussion will be led by Prof. Kaushik Bhattacharya from @Caltech
1
3
6
609
Postdoctoral positions at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART). We are particularly interested in motivated candidates in hydrogels, cell therapy, and biomanufacturing.
lnkd.in/gUTv4J3s
21
5
110
2,753
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
Excited to share that our Editor-Invited Review, titled "Mechano-Diffusion of Particles in Hydrogels", is just published in Extreme Mechanics Letter. This is a joint work in collaboration with Prof. Jingjie Yeo @JingjieYeo at Cornell. Link: lnkd.in/gY6yFqtp
5
26
2,770
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
🕒 Time matters in elastomer fracture
🌡️ Stretch rate and temperature shape crack growth
⚡ Loading level sets bond tension and rupture kinetics
🧩 Entanglements modify the fracture response
🔁 Reframing vc–Gc: load as cause, crack speed as effect
📄 Read: doi.org/10.1016/j.eml.2024.1…
1
4
12
2,599
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
Congrats to @AIHealthMIT PI Elazer @EdelmanLab for receiving the 2026-2027 Killian Award, @MIT's highest faculty honor! "He is a clinician of the highest order...a teacher of greatest passion...and an engineer whose work has reached around the globe." news.mit.edu/2026/elazer-ede…
5
15
1,146
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
⏳ Less than 2 weeks to go! 🚀Join the #AIXSummit to explore how AI is reshaping our world. Don't miss our incredible lineup: 🎙️ Keynotes: @ylecun & @AndrewWLo 🛋️ Fireside Chat: @NobelPrize David MacMillan
Secure your spot today 👉aafuturefoundation.org/aix20… #AI
4
20
9,069
I will give a talk @Penn tomorrow (3/26). Welcome if you are around.
@MSEatPen is excited to welcome @ProfZhaoMIT, @MIT as our seminar guest.
Dr. Zhao will present his talk, "Merging Humans and Machines: Innovation and Translation."
Thursday, March 26, 2026 - 10:30 am Wu and Chen Auditorium - Levine Hall
ALT Dr. Xuanhe Zhao, MIT Professor and guest seminar speaker for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania
1
3
45
3,771
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
🌬️ Flow-induced reconfiguration, made simple
A new FE approach couples corotational plates with a simplified drag model.
⚡ Faster than full CFD–FE coupling
🧪 Validated on plates, disks & kirigami sheets
📄 Read: doi.org/10.1016/j.eml.2024.1…
#FSI #mechanics #EML
1
4
9
1,733
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
🌍 Do slip-weakening law shapes matter?
Even with the same fracture energy, the shape of the friction law changes rupture dynamics.
⚡ Different shapes → distinct slip-velocity peaks
🧱 Different responses to barriers
📄 Read: doi.org/10.1016/j.eml.2024.1…
#earthquake #fracture
1
1
2
712
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
Excited to share our new paper, “Trapping Polymer Entanglements via Prolonged Initiation,” now published in Macromolecules — and honored to be selected as an ACS Editor’s Choice article.
doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol…
4
7
42
4,588
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
💡 Photo-mechanical response of azobenzene-filled elastomers
UV light triggers trans–cis isomerization → macroscopic deformation or stiffening.
🧪 Experiments on azobenzene–silicone composites
📊 Data supports photo-viscoelastic modeling
📄 Read: doi.org/10.1016/j.eml.2024.1…
1
1
3
802
Xuanhe Zhao retweeted
Join the AASF AIX Summit East 2026 student poster info session THIS FRIDAY, Feb 6 at 7 PM ET. Learn how to submit your AI research poster & what to expect at the Summit.
Register now: buff.ly/cHVmHq2
1
1
3
704