On July 15, the natural resources ministry’s research vessel Deep Sea No. 1 departed from the National Deep Sea Center with the Jiaolong manned submersible for a scientific expedition. Professor Cui Hongzi’s team from the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Ocean University of China developed specialized deep-sea materials to support this national mission and bid farewell to the expedition team.
Professor Cui Hongzi's Team Aboard Deep Sea No. 1 Research Vessel.
The team’s advanced materials for deep-sea equipment provided critical technical support for the expedition. Custom-developed components included wear/corrosion-resistant high-strength titanium alloy seat brackets for Jiaolong, deep-sea corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy manipulator valve seats and smart thermal-insulating soft supports with superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic properties for the cockpit. These innovations significantly extended the service life and reliability of key components during deep-sea operations while enhancing cockpit comfort. Additionally, with support from the National Deep Sea Center, over 20 new corrosion/wear-resistant materials developed by the team underwent long-term real-sea testing aboard Deep Sea No. 1, providing data for upgrading deep-sea equipment materials and technologies.
Professor Cui Hongzi Discussing with Zhao Shengya, Pilot of Jiaolong Manned Submersible.
With 30+ years of expertise in extreme-environment corrosion/wear-resistant materials and surface enhancement technologies, Professor Cui’s team has resolved multiple bottleneck challenges in marine equipment. Moving forward, they will deepen collaboration with the National Deep Sea Center through integrated material design → equipment R&D → real-sea validation efforts, contributing to China’s autonomous, secure deep-sea equipment material technology system.
Text/Photo: Zhang Hongwei
