On August 26, the National Natural Science Foundation of China announced the review results for proposals submitted during the 2026 centralized application period. The project “Study on the Crystal–Amorphous Synergistic Anti-Fatigue Mechanism of Semicrystalline Polymer PET Optical Films” , submitted by Dr. Chen Jungen, a postdoctoral researcher at the Engineering Center, was successfully approved under the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Category C) . The project approval number is 52603037 , with approved funding of RMB 300,000 .
The project addresses the urgent demand of the foldable-display industry for PET optical films with ultra-high bending durability and focuses on the fatigue failure mechanism of semicrystalline PET under cyclic bending conditions. Using in situ characterization techniques such as synchrotron-radiation WAXS/SAXS and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, the project will systematically investigate the synergistic evolution of the crystalline phase, rigid amorphous fraction (RAF), and mobile amorphous fraction (MAF) under elastic deformation and asymmetric stress fields, and quantitatively decouple the contributions of each phase structure to the elastic modulus and fatigue life.
Building on this work, the project will further integrate machine learning methods to establish a quantitative “process–three-phase structure–property” correlation model, thereby revealing in depth the intrinsic relationship between microstructural evolution and macroscopic mechanical properties in PET optical films. The results are expected to provide theoretical support for structural design, process optimization, and performance enhancement of next-generation PET optical films with ultra-high-cycle fatigue resistance.
Chen Jungen is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China. His research focuses on the forming and processing of optical films and AI-enabled intelligent production lines. He has published seven SCI-indexed papers and won a silver medal in the National Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. The approval of this project represents new progress in his continuing research on structural regulation, fatigue mechanisms, and intelligent R&D of high-performance PET optical films. It also further demonstrates the Engineering Center’s research foundation at the intersection of fundamental studies on advanced functional polymer films and intelligent manufacturing.
National Natural Science Foundation of China projects are among the most important research programs in China’s natural sciences, characterized by broad disciplinary coverage, high recognition, and intense competition. The Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center for Advanced Functional Polymer Films attaches great importance to research project applications and the cultivation of young scientific talent. It actively fosters a strong environment for scientific innovation and continues to promote interdisciplinary integration among fundamental research on polymer film materials, advanced characterization technologies, and artificial intelligence methods.
Looking ahead, the Engineering Center will continue to strengthen its research teams and innovation platforms. Focusing on key scientific questions and industrial needs in the field of advanced functional polymer films, it will deepen collaborative innovation between fundamental research and engineering applications, continuously enhance its scientific and technological innovation capabilities, and strive to achieve more high-level research outcomes.
