Professor Yiu-Wing Mai is distinguished for seminal work on fracture mechanics and materials science of advanced engineering materials. He joined the University of Sydney in 1976. Through his many publications in the past four decades, Mai has made outstanding and lasting contributions to scientific and engineering knowledge in several research areas, including:
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a unified crack-wake bridging model for strengthening and toughening of coarse-grained ceramics, cementitious materials and stitched/z-pinned composite laminates, which revolutionises the microstructure design of these materials;
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new fracture mechanics models for evaluation of fibre/matrix interface properties from single fibre pull-out, push-in and fragmentation tests leading to the design of high toughness composites; (c) a theoretical framework for the essential work of fracture method to measure toughness of ductile materials, especially polymer thin films and papers/newsprints;
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development of superhard (>40 GPa) nanocomposites coatings on forming tools for green manufacturing through control of deposition processing parameters, microstructures and residual stresses; and
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nonlinear fracture mechanics of electromagnetic materials involving the development of theoretical models and their applications to fracture characterization in the presence of magneto-electro-thermo-mechanical coupling and dissipative effects.
In recent years, Mai has focused his research efforts on polymer nanocomposites in which nano-sized particles (<100 nm) are incorporated into polymer matrices. He is making important continuing contributions on the
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basic understanding of the deformation, failure and toughening mechanisms of polymer nanocomposites;
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new syntheses and fabrication methods of multi-scale hierarchical reinforcements; and
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multifunctional applications such as fire retardancy, permeability, optical transparency, electrical and thermal conductivities, and cathodes/anodes in Li-ion batteries.
Mai's research results have also influenced engineering practice with global impact. Some examples are the developments of asbestos-free cements using cellulose fibres (James Hardie Coy Pty Ltd), superhard machining tools coated with nanocomposites (General Motors, China), testing protocol for essential work of fracture (ESIS-TC4), and improved composites manufacturing processes, such as pultrusion, thermoforming and stitching/z-pinning (Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures).
Mai received the RILEM Award and Robert L'Hermite Medal (1981), AFG Achievement Award (2000), and Takeo Yokobori Gold Medal (2013) among others. He was elected FRS (2008), FREng (2011), FAA (2001) and FTSE (1992). He was made AM (2010) for service to engineering and was conferred an honorary DSc (2013) by Hong Kong University in recognition of his contributions to scientific research and society. He was awarded the AA Griffith Medal and Prize by the UK Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) for outstanding contributions to fracture mechanics and advanced engineering materials in 2016. He was also awarded the AGM Michell Medal by Engineers Australia in 2016. IN 2017 he was awarded the ICCM21 Scala Award and World Fellowship of the International Committee on Composites Materials, and in December was elected a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE)..
