Published by: Xu Yifan and Geng Wenxiao Edited by: Cheng Yu

WUST Online News (Correspondents: Xu Yifan and Geng Wenxiao) Recently, Professor Huo Kaifu and his team from Faculty of Materials participated in the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva. They won a gold medal with the project "Scalable synthesis of ant-nest-like bulk porous silicon for high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes", marking WUST as the primary award-winning institution.

The 49th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva showcased over 1,000 inventions from 45 countries and regions, sphering a wide range of industries including mechanics, medical technology, electronics, software, and energy.

This invention from the WUST represents a multidisciplinary fusion of innovations in material science and engineering, metallurgical engineering, and energy storage science and engineering. It utilizes a unique reaction process with low-cost metallurgical silicon as the raw material to realize the controlled production of porous silicon anode materials with micro-nanostructures. This project has been granted over 20 invention patents in China and the U.S. and has achieved a transformative success of RMB150 million. At present, a 100-ton bulk porous silicon demonstration production line has been established, which will significantly support the development of high-specific energy lithium-ion batteries and bring significant economic and societal value. This award reflects the WUST's proactive efforts in promoting the commercialization of scientific achievements, expanding channels for technology transfer, and enhancing the visibility of the WUST's technological innovations.

Founded in 1973, the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions is the world's longest running, largest, and most influential international exhibition of inventions. It is jointly organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Swiss Federal Council, the Government of the State of Geneva, and the City of Geneva.