Cover Gallary

Below is a chronological list of my publications in refereed journals. For recent highlights, please visit my profile at . For citation statistics, see my or profile.


    2025

  1. S. Gupta, Z. Dai, K. Khare*. Liquid Bridges on Lubricated Surfaces: A Counterintuitive Interplay of Liquid Pressure and Thin-Film Dynamics. arXiv (in submission)

  2. S. Gupta, B. Bhatt, Z. Dai*, K. Khare*. Dynamics of Thin Lubricant Films upon Liquid Contact on Slippery Surfaces. arXiv

  3. B. Wang, C. Yu, Y. Jiang, C. Tian, J. Tian, S. Li, Z. Fang, M. Li, W. Wu, Z. Dai, T. Taniguchi, Q. Chen, X. Wei*. Dielectric Strength Weakening of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets under Mechanical Stress. Nature Communications (in revision)

  4. H. Qian†, J Wang*†, Z. Dai†, Y. Guo, K. Liu, X. Li, M. Hu, Y. Yu, J. Wang, Y. Lai, K. Ren, J. Ji*. Pressure-driven micro-injection (PMI) of porous coated balloon for ultrafast endoluminal drug delivery across biological barriers. Science Advances (2025)

  5. Z. Dai*. Jump of an AFM probe towards an elastic substrate in a liquid environment. Journal of Fluid Mechanics (in press)

  6. H. Li and Z. Dai*. Peeling from elastomeric layers: Does material compressibility matter? International Journal of Mechanical Sciences (2025) Short answer to the question just posed: YES in theory but likely NO in practice.

  7. W. Zheng and Z. Dai*. Universal pull-off force for separating a rigid sphere from a membrane. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 201, 106163 (2025)

  8. W. Wang, S. Chen, J. Cao, X. Wei and Z. Dai*. Round and pleated blisters: Interface delamination in thin film deposition. International Journal of Smart and Nano Materials (2025) Invited paper in a special issue on Advances in Smart Interfacial Science and Engineering

  9. E. Chen and Z. Dai*. Elastic sheets on Winkler foundations: Indentation stiffness and nonlinearities. International Journal of Solids and Structures 315, 113346 (2025)

  10. X. Wang†, E. Chen†, Q. Wu†, X. Yuan, T. Zhang, S. Zhu*, Z. Dai*, Y. Gao*. Probing the elastic coupling at van der Waals interfaces of two-dimensional materials. Physical Review B 111, 125418 (2025)

  11. C. Yu, W. Zeng, B. Wang, X. Cui, Z. Gao, J. Yin, L. Liu, X. Wei, Y. Wei, and Z. Dai*. Stiffer is stickier: Adhesion in elastic nanofilms. Nano Letters 25, 5, 1876–1882 (2025) Featured on Journal Cover, 高分子科技

  12. W. Wang, Z. Wei, Y. Li, J. You, X. Li, J. He, H. Mao, J. Jin*, L. Sun*, and Z. Dai*. Multifunctional complementary field-effect transistors based on MoS2/SWNTs network heterostructures. Applied Physics Letters 126, 023501 (2025) Selected as featured article

  13. Z. Zou, Z. Li, Y. Zhou, G. Zhou, W. Xu, M. Huang, W. Wu, H. Zhang, Z. Dai, X. Li*. A Real-Time Imaging Sensing System to Visualize Elastomer Surface Profile Evolution for Dynamic Tactile Recognition. Advanced Functional Materials 35, 2416731 (2025)

  14. H. Li and Z. Dai*. Adhesion of elastic microbeams on thin deformable substrates. Engineering Fracture Mechanics 313, 110634 (2025)

  15. J. Li, G. Zhang, L. Wang and Z. Dai*. Indentation of a plate on a thin transversely isotropic elastic layer. Acta Mechanica Solida Sinica 38, 331-340 (2025) Invited paper in the special issue: Experimental Mechanics at the Micro/Nanoscale


    16. 2024

  16. C. Yu and Z. Dai*. Premature jump-to-contact with elastic surfaces. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 193, 105919 (2024)

  17. H. Li, C. Yu, and Z. Dai*. Regimes in the axisymmetric stiction of thin elastic plates. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 284, 109740 (2024)

  18. W. Li, L. Kong, M. Xu, J. Gao, L. Luo, Y. Li, K. Wang, Y. Zhou, L. Li, W. Yuan, X. Zhang, R. Zhao, M. Chen, Y. Yan, X. Luo, Z. Dai, L. Zheng*, X. Wang*, W. Huang*. Microsecond-Scale Transient Thermal Sensing Enabled by Flexible Mo1-xWxS2 Alloys. Research 7, 0452 (2024)

  19. C. Yu, J. Cao, S. Zhu, Z. Dai*. Preparation and Modeling of Graphene Bubbles to Obtain Strain-Induced Pseudomagnetic Fields. Materials 17(12), 2889 (2024) Invited paper in the special issue: Nanodevices in 2D Materials

  20. L. Yang*, S. Yue, Y. Tao, S. Qiao, H. Li, Z. Dai, B. Song, Y. Chen, J. Du*, D. Li, P. Gao. Suppressed thermal transport in silicon nanoribbons by inhomogeneous strain. Nature 629, 1021–1026 (2024)

  21. Z. Dai*. Analytical solutions for circular elastic membranes under pressure. Journal of Applied Mechanics 91(8): 081002 (2024)

  22. B. Wang, J. Li, Z. Fang, Y. Jiang, S. Li, F. Zhan, Z. Dai, Q. Chen*, X. Wei*. Large and pressure-dependent c-axis piezoresistivity of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite near zero pressure. Nano Letters (2024) Featured on the journal Cover

  23. W. Dong, Z. Dai*, L. Liu*, Zhong Zhang. Toward clean 2D materials and devices: Recent progress in transfer and cleaning methods. Advanced Materials 36, 2303014 (2024) Invited review

  24. Z. Zou, Z. Li, G. Zhou, W. Xu, Y. Zhou, W. Wu, Z. Chen, Z. Dai, X. Li*. Vision-based Tactile Sensing System for Surface Deformation Detection of elastomer using laser-light plane technology. Advanced Intelligent Systems 6, 2300535 (2024) Featured on the journal Cover


    25. 2023

  25. C. Yu and Z. Dai*. Characterizing the wetting behavior of 2D materials: A review. Journal of Material Informatics 3, 20 (2023) Invited review

  26. E. Chen and Z. Dai*. Axisymmetric peeling of thin elastic films: A perturbation solution. Journal of Applied Mechanics 90(10), 101011 (2023)

  27. S. Liu, J. He, Y. Rao, Z. Dai, H. Ye, J. C. Tanir, Y. Li, N. Lu. Conformability of flexible sheets on spherical surfaces. Science Advances 9, eadf2709 (2023)

  28. Y. Rao, E. Kim, Z. Dai, J. He, Y. Li, N. Lu. Size-dependent shape characteristics of 2D crystal blisters. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 175, 105286 (2023) Emerging Topics in Mechanics: On the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Professor Yonggang Huang

  29. Z. Fang, Z. Dai*, B. Wang, Z. Tian, C. Yu, Q. Chen, X. Wei*. Pull-to-peel of two-dimensional materials for the simultaneous determination of elasticity and adhesion. Nano Letters 23, 2, 742–749 (2023) Featured on the journal Cover


    30. 2022

  30. Z. Dai, Y. Rao, N. Lu*. Two-dimensional crystals on adhesive substrates subjected to uniform transverse pressure. International Journal of Solids and Structures 257, 111829 (2022) Special Issue in the honour Dr Stelios Kyriakides

  31. Z. Dai and D. Vella*. Droplets on Lubricant Infused Surfaces: The slow dynamics of skirt formation. Physical Review Fluids 7, 054003 (2022)

  32. T. Yang, X. Jiang, Y. Huang. Q. Tian, L. Zhang, Z. Dai, H. Zhu*. Mechanical sensors based on two-dimensional materials: sensing mechanisms, structural designs and wearable applications. iScience 25, 103728 (2022)

  33. W. Wang, X. Ma, Z. Dai, S. Zhang, Y. Hou, G. Wang, Q. Li, L. Liu*, Y. Wei*, Z. Zhang*. Mechanical Behavior of Blisters Spontaneously Formed by Multilayer 2D Materials. Advanced Materials Interfaces 2101939 (2022) Featured on the journal Cover


    34. 2021

  34. Y. Hou†, Z. Dai†, S. Zhang†, S. Feng, G. Wang, L. Liu*, Z. Xu*, Q. Li*, Z. Zhang*. Elastocapillary cleaning of twisted bilayer graphene interfaces. Nature Communications 12, 5069 (2021)

  35. F. Shuang, Z. Dai, K. Aifantis*. Strengthening Metals by Graphene Inclusions: Transition from Interface Hardening to Precipitate Hardening. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13, 26610 (2021)

  36. Y. Rao†, S. Qiao†, Z. Dai, N. Lu*. Elastic Wetting: Substrate-Supported Droplets Confined by Ultrathin Elastic Membranes. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 151, 104399 (2021)

  37. Z. Dai*, N. Lu*. Poking and bulging of suspended thin sheets: slippage, instabilities, and metrology. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 149, 104320 (2021)

  38. D. Sanchez, Z. Dai, N. Lu*. 2D Material Bubbles: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications. Trends in Chemistry 3, 204 (2021) Invited review

  39. G. Wang, Z. Zhang, Y. Wang, E. Gao, X. Jia, Z. Dai, C. Weng, L. Liu*, Y. Zhang, Z. Zhang*. Out-of-Plane Deformations Determined Mechanics of Vanadium Disulfide (VS2) Sheets. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13, 3040 (2021)

  40. J. Shi, W. Zeng, Z. Dai, L. Wang, Q. Wang, S. Lin, Y. Xiong, S. Yang, S. Shang, W. Chen, L. Zhao, X. Ding, X. Tao*, Yang Chai*. Piezo-catalytic foam for highly efficient degradation of aqueous organics. Small Science 1, 2000011 (2021)


    41. 2020

  41. Z. Dai, N. Lu, K. Liechti, R. Huang*. Mechanics at the Interfaces of 2D Materials: Challenges and Opportunities. Current Opinions in Solid State & Materials Science 24, 100837 (2020) Special Issue: 2D Materials

  42. Z. Dai, D. Sanchez, C. J. Brennan, N. Lu*. Radial Buckle Delamination Around Two-Dimensional Material Tents. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 137, 103843 (2020)

  43. Y. Hou, X. Ren, J. Fan, G. Wang, Z. Dai, C. Jin, Y. Zhu, S. Zhang, L. Liu*, Z. Zhang*. Preparation of Twisted Bilayer Graphene via Wetting Transfer Method. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12, 40958 (2020)

  44. C. Weng, T. Xing, H. Jin, G. Wang, Z. Dai, Z. Zeng, Y. Pei, L. Liu*, Z. Zhang*. Mechanically robust ANF/MXene composite films with tunable electromagnetic interference shielding performance. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 135, 105927 (2020)

  45. H. Jang, Z. Dai, K. Ha, S. K. Ameri, N. Lu*. Stretchability of Chemical Vapor Deposited Graphene Supported by Submicron-Thick Polymeric Substrates. 2D Materials 7, 014003 (2020)


    46. 2019

  46. G. Wang†, Z. Dai†, J. Xiao†, S. Feng, C. Weng, L. Liu*, Z. Xu*, R. Huang*, Z. Zhang*. Bending of multilayer van der Waals materials. Physical Review Letters 123, 116101 (2019) Highlighted as an Editors' Suggestion, featured on the journal Cover and by news media MRS News ESI highly cited paper

  47. Z. Dai†, G. Wang†, Z. Zheng, Y. Wang, S. Zhang, X. Qi, P. Tan, L. Liu*, Z. Xu, Q. Li, Z. Cheng*, Z. Zhang*. Mechanical Responses of Boron-doped Monolayer Graphene. Carbon 147, 594 (2019)

  48. Z. Dai, L. Liu*, Z. Zhang*. Strain Engineering of Two-Dimensional Materials: Issues and Opportunities at the Interface. Advanced Materials 31, 1805417 (2019) Selected as the journal Frontispiece ESI highly cited paper

  49. C. Weng, G. Wang, Z. Dai, Y. Pei, L. Liu*, Z. Zhang*. Buckled AgNW/MXene Hybrid Hierarchical Sponges for High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding. Nanoscale 11, 22804 (2019)

  50. J. Shi, S. Lv, L. Wang, Z. Dai, S. Yang, L. Zhao, H. Tian, M. Du, H. Li*, Y. Fang*. Crack Control in Biotemplated Gold Films for Wide-range, Highly Sensitive Strain Sensing. Advanced Materials Interfaces 6, 1901223 (2019)

  51. H. Jeong, L. Wang, T. Ha, R. Mitbander, X. Yang, Z. Dai, L. Shen, N. Sun, N. Lu*. Modular and Reconfigurable Wireless E-Tattoos for Personalized Sensing. Advanced Materials Technologies 1900117 (2019)

  52. X. Yang, Y. Huang, Z. Dai, J. Barber, P. Wang, N. Lu*. “Cut-and-Paste” Method for the Rapid Prototyping of Soft Electronics. Science China Technological Sciences 62, 199 (2019)

  53. C. Weng, Z. Dai, G. Wang, L. Liu*, Z. Zhang*. Elastomer-Free, Stretchable and Conformable Silver Nanowire Conductors Enabled by 3D Buckled Microstructures. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 11, 6541 (2019)

  54. L. Zhao, J. Zhao*, C. Zhang, Y. Liu, J. Shi, Z. Dai, Y. Guo, B. Li, H. Zhang, X. Feng, J. Zhang, Z. Zhang*. Hierarchical Surface Patterns Tuned by Shape Memory Polymers. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 11, 1563 (2019)


    55. 2018

  55. Z. Dai, Y. Hou, D. A. Sanchez, G. Wang, C. J. Brennan, L. Liu*, N. Lu*. Interface-Governed Deformation of Nanobubbles and Nanotents Formed by Two-Dimensional Materials. Physical Review Letters 121, 266101 (2018) Highlighted as an Editors' Suggestion, featured on the journal Cover

  56. D. Sanchez†, Z. Dai†, P. Wang, A. Cantu-Chavez, C. J. Brennan, R. Huang*, N. Lu*. Mechanics of Liquid-Filled Nanobubbles Trapped by Two-Dimensional Crystals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115, 7884 (2018)

  57. Y. Chen, Z. Dai, C. Weng, G. Wang, Y. Hou, X. Liu, X. Cong, P. Tan, L. Liu*, Z. Zhang*. Engineering the Interface in Mechanically Responsive Graphene-Based Films. RSC Advances 8, 36257 (2018)

  58. J. Shi, L. Wang, Z. Dai, L. Zhao, M. Du, H. Li*, Y. Fang*. Multiscale Hierarchical Design of a Flexible Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor with High Sensitivity and Wide Linearity Range. Small 14, 1800819 (2018)

  59. Y. Wang, Y. Qiu, S. K. Ameri, H. Jang, Z. Dai, Y. Huang*, N. Lu*. Low-cost, μm-thick, tape-free electronic tattoo sensors with minimized motion and sweat artifacts. npj Flexible Electronics 2, 6 (2018)

  60. W. Li, L. Zhao, Z. Dai, H. Jin*, F. Duan, Z. Zeng, Z. Zhang*. A temperature-activated nanocomposite metamaterial absorber with a wide tunability. Nano Research 11, 3931 (2018)

  61. M. Choi†, J. Yang†, D. Kim†, Z. Dai, J. Kim, H. Seung, V. Kale, N. Lu, T. Hyeon*, D. Kim*. Extremely vivid transparent light-emitting diodes based on quantum dots. Advanced Materials 30, 1703279 (2018) Highlighted by Advanced Science News


    62. 2017

  62. G. Wang†, Z. Dai†, Y. Wang, P. Tan, L. Liu*, Z. Xu*, Y. Wei, R. Huang, Z. Zhang*. Measuring Interlayer Shear Stress in Bilayer Graphene. Physical Review Letters 119, 036101 (2017) Highlighted as an Editors' Suggestion, also featured by news media including APS Physics Focus, Physicsworld, PhysOrg, Chinese Academy of Science, and Nanotechweb (see Altmetric) ESI highly cited paper

  63. G. Wang, X. Li, Y. Wang, Z. Zheng, Z. Dai, X. Qi, L. Liu*, Z. Cheng, Z. Xu, P. Tan*, Z. Zhang*. Interlayer Coupling Behaviors of Boron Doped Multilayer Graphene. Journal of Physical Chemistry 121, 26034 (2017)

  64. J. Shi, J. Hu, Z. Dai, W. Zhao, P. Liu, L. Zhao, Y. Guo, T. Yang, L. Zou, K. Jiang, H. Li*, Y. Fang*. Graphene Welded Carbon Nanotube Crossbars for Biaxial Strain Sensors. Carbon 123, 786 (2017)

  65. Y. Hou, Y. Zhu, X. Liu, Z. Dai, L. Liu, H. Wu*, Z. Zhang*. Elastic-plastic properties of graphene engineered by oxygen functional groups. Journal of Physics D Applied Physics 50, 385305 (2017)

  66. G. Wang, E. Gao, Z. Dai, L. Liu*, Z. Xu*, Z. Zhang*. Degradation and recovery of graphene/polymer interfaces under cyclic mechanical loading. Composites Science and Technology 149, 220 (2017)

  67. Y. Li, K. Jiang, J. Feng, J. Liu, R. Huang, Z. Chen, J. Yang, Z. Dai, Y. Chen, N. Wang, W. Zhang, W. Zheng*, G. Yang*, X. Jiang*. Construction of Small‐Diameter Vascular Graft by Shape-Memory and Self-Rolling Bacterial Cellulose Membrane. Advanced Healthcare Materials 6, 1601343 (2017)

  68. Q. Wu, Z. Dai, Y. Su*, A. A. Volinsky*, L. Liu, Z. Zhang. Cyclic microbridge testing of graphene oxide membrane. Carbon 116, 479 (2017)


    69. Before 2016

  69. Z. Dai, G. Wang, L. Liu*, Y. Hou, Y. Wei*, Z. Zhang*. Mechanical Behavior and Properties of Hydrogen bonded Graphene/Polymer Nano-Interfaces. Composites Science and Technology 136, 1 (2016)

  70. Z. Dai, C. Weng, L. Liu*, X. Zhao, J. Kuang, Y. Hou, J. Shi, Y. Wei, J. Lou*, Z. Zhang*. Multifunctional Polymer-Based Graphene Foams with Buckled Structure and Negative Poisson’s Ratio. Scientific Reports 6, 32989 (2016)

  71. Z. Dai, Y. Wang, L. Liu*, X. Liu, P. Tan, Z. Xu*, J. Kuang, Q. Liu, J. Lou, Z. Zhang*. Hierarchical Graphene Based Films with Dynamic Self-stiffening for Biomimetic Artificial Muscle. Advanced Functional Materials 26, 7003 (2016)

  72. Z. Dai, L. Liu*, J. Kuang, Y. Wei, H. Zhu*, Z. Zhang*. Three-dimensional Sponges with Super Mechanical Stability: Harnessing True Elasticity of Individual Carbon Nanotubes in Macroscopic Architectures. Scientific Reports 6, 18930 (2016)

  73. G. Wang, Z. Dai, L. Liu*, H. Hu, Q. Dai*, Z. Zhang*. Tuning the Interfacial Mechanical Behaviors of Monolayer Graphene/PMMA Nanocomposites. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 8, 22554 (2016)

  74. W. Feng, W. Zhou, Z. Dai, A. Yasina, H. Yang*. Tough Polypseudorotaxane Supramolecular Hydrogel with Dual-responsive Shape Memory Property. Journal of Materials Chemistry B 4, 1924 (2016) Featured on the journal Cover

  75. J. Shi, X. Li*, H. Cheng, Z. Liu, L. Zhao, T. Yang, Z. Dai, Z. Cheng, L. Yang, E. Shi, M. Du, Z. Zhang, A. Cao, H. Zhu*, Y. Fang*. Graphene Reinforced Carbon Nanotube Networks for Wearable Strain Sensors. Advanced Functional Materials 26, 2078 (2016) Featured on the journal Cover ESI highly cited paper

  76. J. Kuang, Z. Dai, L. Liu*, Z. Yang, M. Jin, Z. Zhang*. Synergistic effects from graphene and carbon nanotubes endow ordered hierarchical structure foams with a combination of compressibility, super-elasticity and stability and potential application as pressure sensors. Nanoscale 7, 9252 (2015)

  77. G. Wang, L. Liu*, Z. Dai, Q. Liu, H. Miao, Z. Zhang*. Biaxial Compressive Behavior of Embedded Monolayer Graphene inside Flexible Poly (methyl methacrylate) Matrix. Carbon 86, 69 (2015)

  78. Q. Liu, L. Liu*, K. Xie, Y. Meng, H. Wu, G. Wang, Z. Dai, Z. Wei, Z. Zhang*. Synergistic effect of ar-GO/PANI nanocomposite electrode based air working ionic actuator with a large actuation stroke and long-term durability. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 3, 8380 (2015)

  79. J. Shang, Y. Chen, Y. Zhou, L. Liu*, G. Wang, X. Li, J. Kuang, Q. Liu, Z. Dai, H. Miao, L. Zhi*, Z. Zhang*. Effect of Folded and Crumpled Morphologies of Graphene Oxide Platelets on the Mechanical Performances of Polymer Nanocomposites. Polymer 68, 131 (2015)

  80. Q. Liu, L. Liu*, J. Kuang, Z. Dai, J. Han, Z. Zhang*. Nanostructured carbon materials based electrothermal air pump actuators. Nanoscale 6, 6932 (2014)

  81. Z. Dai, Y. Gao, L. Liu*, P. Pötschke, J. Yang, Z. Zhang*. Creep-resistant behavior of MWCNT-polycarbonate melt spun nanocomposite fibers at elevated temperature. Polymer 54, 3723 (2013)


    82. Other writings

  82. Y. Li, G. Wang, Z. Dai, Y. Hou, H. Miao, L. Liu*, Z. Zhang*. Measurement of Young’s Modulus of 2D Materials Through in situ Through-Hole Bubble Tests. Journal of Experimental Mechanics (in Chinese) DOI: 10.7520/1001-4888-19-037 (2019)

  83. J. Xiao, G. Wang, Z. Dai, H. Miao, L. Liu*, Z. Zhang*. Nanoindentation of Multilayer Two-dimensional Materials: An Experimental Study. Journal of Experimental Mechanics (in Chinese) DOI: 10.7520/1001-4888-18-061 (2018)

  84. H. Jeong, T. Ha, I. Kuang, L. Shen, Z. Dai, N. Sun, N. Lu*. NFC-Enabled, Tattoo-Like Stretchable Biosensor Manufactured by “Cut-and-Paste” Method. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society DOI: 10.1109/EMBC.2017.8037756 (2017)