As the rhythm of the cosmos turns and a new cycle begins, on behalf of the Yongjiang Laboratory (Y-Lab), I wish to extend our warmest New Year greetings and heartfelt blessings to all 672 Y-Labers dedicated to innovation, to our ecosystem partners around the globe who have consistently supported Y-Lab's development.
Over the past year, we have achieved good progress in electronic information materials and devices, high-end chemicals and new energy materials, structural and functional materials, and smart manufacturing.
• In smart materials, we developed, for the first time, a lead-free piezoelectric ceramic that combines a high piezoelectric coefficient with a high mechanical quality factor, empowering the green transformation of manufacturing through materials innovation.
• We established the entire workflow from ceramic powder synthesis to component fabrication, achieving independent manufacturing of components; the material survived a 10-meter drop test without fracturing and passed rigorous environmental validation.
• We built and steadily operated a leading domestic experimental platform for electronic-grade specialty polymer fine chemistry, and achieved a breakthrough in polyimide for liquid crystal alignment layers.
• We successfully fabricated 12-inch high-thermal-conductivity polycrystalline diamond wafers and completed preliminary validation for wafer-level chip thermal management packaging, which will effectively solve the challenge of high-efficiency chip heat dissipation.
• In heterogeneous integration, we pioneered an ultra-flat temporary bonding and precision thinning technique, successfully thinning 8-inch wafers down to 5–10 micrometers, which have been validated by downstream customers in applications such as ultra-thin silicon strain gauges and pyroelectric infrared detectors, providing novel solutions for advanced 3D chip packaging, heat dissipation, and MEMS devices.
• In catalysis technology, we transcended the limitations of conventional high-temperature, high-pressure conditions and developed a novel ammonia synthesis process under mild conditions, achieving industrial-grade ammonia concentration at around 200°C and 4MPa, and successfully completed a lab-scale system validation spanning from photovoltaic power generation and water electrolysis for hydrogen production to green ammonia synthesis.
• In the field of organoids, we developed a series of microscopic manipulation instruments for organoids, solving the bottleneck in the standardized mass production of organoids such as pancreatic islets and mammary glands, and won two Gold Awards at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva.
• In motor and drive systems, we developed a next-generation motor controller prototype weighing under 5 kg with a power density of 70 kW/kg, setting a new industry benchmark for key indicators and injecting fresh momentum into electric transportation and high-end equipment sectors.
• In batteries and energy storage, we completed sample preparation of 32700 all-tab sodium-ion cells, achieving stable high-capacity output with 12C charging and 80C discharging, validated across multiple scenarios, with key indicators leading internationally.
This year, we fortified our foundations and nurtured the ecosystem. The 8-inch micro-nano platform verification line officially went live, and a full-chain, shared, open platform for heterogeneous integration was established; the Materials Analysis and Testing Center's service network now spans 29 provinces and cities across the country, serving over 1,650 universities, research institutes, and enterprises. We inaugurated the "Starry Yongjiang" Sci-Tech Innovation Competition, released Y Seed support resources, launched a "Sci-Tech + Finance" pilot-scale incubation model. An integrated incubation ecosystem comprising "Incubator – Sci-Tech Academy – Venture Fund – Shared Factory" has begun to take shape, allowing more deep-tech "golden seeds" to thrive in this rain-forest of innovation.
This year, we continued to accumulate our most precious resource—talent. Renowned scholars such as Professors Ren Xiaobing and Fang Lei joined Y-Lab, together with a group of young scientists. The total number of Y-Labers has reached 672, with an average age of 31.
In 2026, Y-Lab will celebrate its fifth anniversary, marking the transition from its start-up phase into a period of accelerated growth. Looking ahead, we remain steadfast in our founding mission: powering innovation to build a better world. With gratitude for how far we have come and excitement for the road ahead, we look forward to shaping the future together with our partners across the globe.
Professor Ping Cui
Director of the Y-LAB
