Introduction and Enlightenment on the Development of World New Materials Technology

(This article was originally published in the second issue of "Window of Haisheng" in 2022, by Zhang Jingli, an alloy factory)

The new material industry is the cornerstone and precursor of the future development of high-tech industries. The development of cutting-edge technologies such as advanced information, intelligent manufacturing, healthcare, new energy, and aerospace cannot be separated from the continuous breakthroughs in new material technology. The new materials industry is a crucial field of high-tech competition. The Sino US trade frictions that broke out in 2018 and the Japan South Korea trade frictions that broke out in 2019 all involve "bottleneck" technologies such as key raw materials and nanoprocessing.

The development of new material technology is of great significance for promoting high-quality economic development and ensuring national security in China. Since 2019, the world's technological powers have continuously attached great importance to the development of the new materials industry, and have made the research and development of new materials technology a key factor in promoting the development of disruptive technologies such as advanced information, new energy, and healthcare. Driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence and material genomics, new material research and innovation are accelerating and becoming more efficient. The research on cutting-edge new materials such as advanced information materials, new energy materials, biomaterials, and energy-saving and environmental protection materials has made continuous progress, comprehensively promoting the accelerated transformation of related industries. The author utilizes online information and through the publication of the "2020 World Frontier Technology Development Report" by the Development Research Center of the State Council, compiles important trends in the future development of new material technology and industry in the world, briefly introduces the breakthroughs in new materials and technologies in various countries, especially advanced countries, as well as the inspirations these new materials and technologies give us in our future life, science and technology.

1、 Important Trends in the Development of New Materials Technology and Industry in the World

At present, as the global "Internet plus" and "Artificial Intelligence+", as well as the hydrogen economy and low-carbon economy and other models, the integration of new materials with high-tech leaders such as information, energy, biology and environmental protection is accelerating to promote new economic growth. Among them, cutting-edge new materials such as graphene village materials, intelligent biomimetic materials, and high-performance composite materials are developing rapidly, continuously providing new paths for industrial technology upgrading and economic structure optimization. in recent years.

With the accelerated pace of industrial technology upgrading in China, the demand for new materials in the market has maintained a rapid growth trend. According to the forward-looking industry research institute, the size of the new material market in China and the United Kingdom reached 45 trillion yuan in 2019, and will reach 7 trillion yuan by 2021. It is expected that the size will exceed 8 trillion yuan by 2022, and the compound annual growth rate from 2011 to 2022 will reach 15% (see Figure 1-1).

Figure 1-1 Scale of China's New Materials Industry from 2011 to 2021 (Unit: trillion RMB)

In the past five years, the global competition in technology has become increasingly fierce. The new materials industry, as the foundation for the development of high-tech industries such as advanced information, new energy, and healthcare, has increasingly received high attention from world technological powers. Driven by technological policy support and strong market demand, new material technologies are constantly making new breakthroughs, and the new material industry is accelerating its push towards emerging industries.

Since 2019, the development of new material technology and industry has shown the following trend: (1) the strategic position of new materials has become more prominent, and relevant science and technology policies continue to increase; （2） The supporting and leading role of new materials in the high-tech field has been significantly enhanced; （3） Advanced information materials are constantly emerging, and high-performance and low energy consumption have become the development trend. (4) The rapid development of new energy material technology is driving the accelerated transformation of related industries. (5) The research and development of new materials is accelerating, and machine learning, big data technology, and other technologies have brought a paradigm revolution to the research and development of new materials.

2： Introduction to investment and progress in research and development of various new materials

In recent years, countries around the world have actively promoted research on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum information, biomedicine, energy conservation and environmental protection, and new energy, aiming at accelerating the pace of scientific and technological innovation to solve the increasingly serious problems of aging population, environmental degradation, and slow economic growth. As a prerequisite and foundation for the development of various cutting-edge technologies, new material technology is increasingly receiving widespread attention from countries around the world. The strategic position of new materials in national scientific and technological competition is further highlighted. In 2019, the United States, Japan, South Korea and other technological powers introduced science and technology strategies or plans to continue to prioritize new materials as one of their research and development priorities to support the development of emerging industries.

1. The United States has invested in cutting-edge new material research and development, with a focus on supporting technological innovation in small enterprises,

In February 2019, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released its third ten-year survey on materials research, titled 'Frontiers of Materials Research: A Ten-year Survey'. This survey mainly evaluates the progress and achievements in the field of materials research over the past 10 years, identifies the opportunities, challenges, and new directions faced by the development of materials research from 2020 to 2030, and proposes suggestions to address these challenges. The report points out that competition between developed and developing countries in fields such as intelligent manufacturing and material science will intensify in the next 10 years.

With the development of the digital and information age, the United States is facing more severe global challenges. The impact of material research on emerging technologies, national needs and scientific progress in the United States will be more important.

In September 2019, the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the United States provided $40 million for the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, involving graphene devices, additive manufacturing, nanoparticle processing and characterization, biomaterials and other fields. Among them, Graphene Waves received $100000 to develop a new quantum Hall resistance standard based on epitaxial graphene; Intact Solutions received $100000 to conduct a direct performance evaluation of additive manufacturing processes; Parman Tech Co., Ltd. won $100000 and will develop nano particle laser sorting technology; Xallent Company received $100000 to develop a nanomachine that utilizes radio frequency identification of defects and measures the thickness of thin film materials; Applied NanoFluorescence Company won $400000 to develop a multimode spectrometer for characterization of nanoparticles; Nikira Labs Company won $300000 to develop a compact Raman fiber probe for living tissue research.

2. Advanced information materials are constantly emerging, and high-performance and low energy consumption have become the development trend

Entering the 21st century, the information industry has become one of the important pillar industries of the world's technological powerhouse, and its development level has decisive significance for a country's economic growth, military security, and information security, and its importance is self-evident. With the rapid development of information technology such as 5G, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, quantum information, big data and the Internet of Things, various emerging industries are emerging, and human society is ushering in a new round of great changes. In this context, the development of information materials and related devices has entered the fast lane. In 2019, developed countries and regions such as the United States and Europe accelerated the research and application of new information materials. Low dimensional materials, quantum materials, and intelligent materials continuously disrupted the form of devices, continuously promoting the development of information technology towards high-performance and low energy consumption.

2.1: Research and development of information materials provides possibilities for breakthroughs in information technology such as artificial intelligence and big data

In May 2019, researchers at Stanford University in the United States developed a non volatile and addressable synaptic memory called "lon Floating Gate Memory" (IFG) by combining polymer based redox transistors with conductive long gate memory (CBMD). The working principle of this synaptic memory is similar to that of a battery. It simulates the learning process of human brain neurons by increasing or decreasing the power flow between two terminals, and allows for parallel programming. By diluting the conductive polymer in the insulation channel, researchers can reduce the reading current of prominent weights to below 10 nanoamperes. Researchers have constructed a 3 × The artificial synapse array of 3 was validated, and the results showed that its performance exceeded expectations, with energy efficiency one order of magnitude higher than existing computing technology, and it can support read and write frequencies exceeding 1 MHz:

2.2: New progress has been made in spin electronic devices, which is expected to greatly improve computational efficiency

In March 2019, the Cavan Oil Laboratory at the University of Cambridge in the UK collaborated with Germany. The international team composed of research institutions from Czech and other countries has made new progress in the field of organic semiconductors, bringing hope for faster and more energy-efficient computers. Spintronic devices in organic semiconductors have the advantage of low energy consumption, but their short electron spin transfer distance limits their commercial applications. The international team artificially increased the number of electrons in organic materials and used spin pump technology to inject pure spin current into the material, successfully increasing the electron spin transfer distance to 1 micrometer. This technology can be used to develop a new generation of computers.

In May 2019, researchers at New York University in the United States developed a Voltage Controlled Topological Spin Switch (VTOPSS) that can switch between two Boolean logic states with only an electric field and no current. This technology is more competitive compared to existing electron spin technology and complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology, and can greatly reduce the energy consumption and heat of logic devices. The test results show that compared with full spin logic devices and charge spin logic devices, the energy consumption of VTOPSS is reduced by 10-70 times. Researchers say that the processing speed of VTOPSS, a heterostructure device, is slightly slower than that of silicon transistors, but it integrates logic and non volatile memory, increasing the possibility of functionality and circuit design.

2.3: Accelerated research and development of new semiconductor materials, further expanding application scope

In February 2019, scientists from the University of Washington, the University of Tennessee, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Hong Kong cooperated to develop an artificial quantum platform that can accurately capture and manipulate hundreds of excitons by stacking and distorting two single-layer two-dimensional semiconductor materials - molybdenum selenide and tungsten selenide. By changing the angles of two two-dimensional materials, scientists can also precisely control the captured excitons. This research achievement lays the foundation for the development of a new experimental platform that can accurately monitor excitons, and is expected to promote the development of new quantum technologies.

In July 2019, scientists at Cardiff University in the UK successfully developed a novel Avalanche Photo Diode (APD) composed of compound semiconductors using Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) method. The new APD has the characteristics of high sensitivity and fast data transmission speed, and can be used for high-speed data communication and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems for autonomous vehicles. Scientists have stated that the new APD can operate in weak signal and low-temperature environments, and is compatible with the optoelectronic platforms of most communication suppliers. It is expected to be widely applied in fields such as LiDAR, 3D laser surveying, autonomous driving, and earthquake prediction in the future.

3 . Japan and South Korea continue to pay attention to the development of the new material industry and are committed to creating technological innovation advantages.

In April 2019, the Research and Development Strategy Center (CRDS) under the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) proposed a strategic proposal for "next-generation biomaterial engineering", aimed at creating adaptive biomaterials that can adapt to multiple biological environments and effectively control interactions between materials and organisms.

In its strategic recommendations, CRDS analyzed the challenges faced by research and development and proposed countermeasures: firstly, to understand the biological phenomena generated by the interaction between materials and organisms; secondly, to develop new technologies and instruments for quantitative evaluation and measurement that can be applied to different biological environments; thirdly, to design and create biological adaptive materials; The fourth is to establish an evaluation platform for the practical application of biomaterials.

In August 2019, the Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP) released the report "Ten Emerging Technologies in the Material Field in 2019", which selected ten emerging material technologies from specific application fields such as environment, biology, energy and electronics, with feasibility, market potential and technological innovation as indicators. They are biodegradable films, materials that can replace sensory devices, 3D printing artificial organ, high efficiency and large solid electrolyte, fast charging batteries in the transportation industry, ultra lightweight transportation devices, nuclear fusion materials that adapt to extreme environments, flexible displays, chemical materials that automatically control the life cycle, and fabrics that combine wearable devices. This report focuses on analyzing the socio-economic significance, implementation barriers, and innovative solutions of the emerging material technologies mentioned above.

3： Impact and Enlightenment on China

The development trend of global new materials shows that in 2019, global new materials started a leap forward development from basic support to cutting-edge subversion, showing the development characteristics of a new era. Some cutting-edge new materials with subversive significance for the future, such as graphene, quantum dots, metamaterial, bionic intelligent materials, superconducting materials, flexible materials, and photocatalysis materials are accelerating development, and new materials with special excellent performance are constantly being developed and applied, The industrialization process is also accelerating. The United States, Japan, South Korea and other technological powers have formulated corresponding development plans and expected goals to seize the commanding heights of the new round of industrial revolution, and implemented corresponding strategies to promote the leapfrog development of cutting-edge new materials.

The new generation of information industry based on high-purity silicon materials and chip technology has been developing rapidly for decades, especially in recent years, breakthrough progress has been made in the cutting-edge new material technology of conformability. For example, chip manufacturing has developed to the level of 7 nanometers, greatly promoting the leapfrog development of information technology. In 2019, the iconic achievements of information technology development were mainly reflected in the development of 5G technology and blockchain technology. 5G technology can significantly improve network speed and profoundly affect modern industries such as energy, healthcare, automobiles, and manufacturing. Revolutionary development can be achieved through the application of 5G technology, such as autonomous driving, drone logistics, smart grids, smart factories, and virtual reality. Blockchain technology is a new computer application technology based on modern networks that achieves distributed data storage and encryption algorithms, which may trigger disruptive changes in future economic development.

The United States, Japan and other scientific and technological powers are stepping up the research and application of new information materials. Typical new information materials include quantum materials, two-dimensional materials and metamaterial. The application of these materials will subvert the future information technology and device morphology, such as quantum computer, micro/nano chips, super memories, new image sensors, etc. will be affected by new information materials. The development of information materials in China is synchronized with the global trend, mainly focusing on breakthroughs in chip technology, and has achieved a large number of high-level research results. In the future, China should improve its independent innovation capability and core industrial technology level, break through the bottleneck of high-end chip manufacturing technology, and also accelerate the development of new information materials to promote the leapfrog development of advanced information technology.

The development of cutting-edge new materials in China is basically in sync with the world, especially in recent years, China has continuously increased efforts in research and development investment, human and resource allocation, innovation, and institutional reform. However, compared to advanced countries, there is still a certain gap in China's cutting-edge new materials in terms of independent innovation, new product development and application, research paradigm transformation, and high-end industrialization. In this regard, China should have a more comprehensive understanding and grasp of the global development trend of new materials, and can focus on achieving landmark breakthroughs in the following areas.

One is to strengthen basic research on the cutting-edge nature of material technology, highlight its cutting-edge and disruptive nature, and strengthen research on cutting-edge basic theories at a high starting point and level. China should choose the structural characteristics at the molecular and atomic levels of materials as the entry point, starting from macro, meso, and micro levels, and ensuring the efficient operation of new material research and application from both software and hardware aspects. By studying the interrelationships between material composition, organizational structure, manufacturing technology, material properties, and material applications, various high-performance and multifunctional new materials should be developed. For example, metamaterial is a kind of artificial composite material that presents extraordinary physical properties that natural materials do not have by designing and combining the geometric structure and size at the atomic level. The state plays an important role in leading, supporting, and coordinating cutting-edge basic research. It should determine departmental responsibilities, promote comprehensive cooperation across departments and cities, ensure standardized, orderly, and efficient operation of research, and achieve high-quality, high-level, and highly timely research results.

The second is to strengthen the construction of an innovation system. China should further optimize the research and development mechanism and industrialization development environment of cutting-edge new materials, fully carry out the top-level design of new material research and development, cultivate and create a group of internationally advanced research institutions and high-tech enterprises, combine advantages such as talent, resources, and research and development foundation, and strive to achieve breakthroughs in a number of cutting-edge emerging technologies: improve the industry university research mechanism, and support policies and funds, Accelerate the transformation and industrialization of new material research achievements: Strengthen the construction of talent teams and the cultivation of high-level and elite talents, establish and improve innovation driven infrastructure, such as open research institution cooperation platforms, research and development data sharing platforms, and research personnel exchange and interaction platforms.

The third is to improve the ability of independent innovation, promote the transformation of research paradigms, and promote the rapid development and application of computer technology. It has promoted revolutionary changes in the research paradigm of new materials. In 2019, the "fourth normal form" of new materials research developed rapidly - the "fourth normal form" of new materials research is the embodiment of the revolutionary changes in the current global materials research methods, and is a new paradigm with great development prospects. China has formed a good foundation for development in this field, but in the design of digital simulation schemes, We need to continue to improve our capabilities and level in controllable programming and practical verification of newly developed varieties. China should further promote and apply the "fourth normal form" of new material research, making it an important model of new material research and development in China.