EPIC Lab Electrostatic Printing of Integrated Circuits

PBA Engineering · West Palm Beach, Florida

We print intelligence into the physical world.

EPIC Lab develops ultrafast electrostatic manufacturing, flexible sensors, and resilient systems at the intersection of materials, electronics, and embodied intelligence.

Explore the research Start a collaboration

Zijian (Terry) Weng, Ph.D.Principal Investigator · Assistant Professor of Engineering

< 2 spatterning time
< 100 μmdemonstrated resolution
1issued U.S. patent
7+peer-reviewed articles

00 / Mission

Build faster. Sense better. Deploy where it matters.

Our research connects fundamental electrostatic phenomena with scalable manufacturing and field-relevant devices. The goal is not only a better pattern or sensor—it is a more direct path from material to useful system.

Mechanism firstPrototype earlyDesign for scaleMeasure real impact

01 / Research

Four connected research directions.

A common platform of electric fields, functional materials, and intelligent sensing—applied across electronics, health, robotics, and resilient environments.

01

Electrostatic printing

Binder-free patterning of functional powders through controlled corona discharge and electric fields.

  • AEP
  • Printed electronics
  • 2D / 3D structures
02

E-Skin & tactile intelligence

Flexible sensing architectures that translate pressure, strain, and touch into signals for intelligent systems.

  • Flexible sensors
  • Piezoresistive
  • Physical AI
03

Resilient health systems

Plasma-enabled approaches for respirator recovery, disinfection, and deployable environmental protection.

  • Public health
  • Sterilization
  • Robotics
04

Smart environments

Responsive materials and sensing systems for agriculture, humidity control, and resource-aware infrastructure.

  • Smart glazing
  • Greenhouses
  • Sustainability

02 / Translation

From electric field to deployed system.

EPIC Lab treats translation as part of the research question—linking process physics, device behavior, system integration, and manufacturability.

  1. 01Control

    Shape fields and particle transport.

  2. 02Pattern

    Assemble functional materials rapidly.

  3. 03Sense

    Convert physical interaction into data.

  4. 04Scale

    Engineer repeatable, useful systems.

Issued U.S. Patent · 2024Corona Discharge Directed 3D Structure Construction

U.S. Patent 12,145,316 · University of South Florida

03 / Selected work

Research with a route to use.

Selected projects spanning manufacturing, sensing, public health, agriculture, and robotics.

01
2025Manufacturing platform

Ultrafast binder-free automated electrostatic patterning

A corona discharge-enabled method that creates sub-100 μm functional patterns in approximately two seconds—without liquid binders, nozzle constraints, or ink-drying steps.

ACS Applied Materials & InterfacesFirst author
02
2024Agricultural resilience

Smart glazing for greenhouse humidity regulation

A humidity-responsive material concept for passive regulation of greenhouse conditions, targeting lower energy demand and operating burden.

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & EngineeringFirst author
03
2023Deployable health technology

Automated surface and air sterilization

A wireless robotic platform combining corona discharge, automation, and biosafety for efficient, broad-spectrum environmental sterilization.

Journal of Materials Chemistry CCo-first author
04
2021Flexible electronics

Binder-free multifunctional electronic skins

Corona-enabled printing for ultrafast, roll-to-roll compatible manufacturing of flexible, multifunctional sensing skins.

ACS Applied Materials & InterfacesCo-author

04 / Publications

Selected scholarly output.

Google Scholar ORCID

Ultrafast Binder-Free Corona Discharge-Enabled Automated Electrostatic Patterning (AEP) Technique

Z. Weng, M. Farfan, E. Williams, P. Giridharan, L. G. Schmid, D. Murphy, et al.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 17, 23249–23262

Guided Neural Stem Cell Differentiation by Dynamic Loading of 3D Printed Elastomeric Scaffolds

Y. Yang, A. Akdemir, R. Rashik, O. Khater, Z. Weng, et al.

Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials 165, 106940

Smart Glazing for Energy- and Cost-Efficient Greenhouse Humidity Regulation

Z. Weng, O. Khater, V. Paley, N. K. Kessenich, L. G. Schmid, M. U. Lam, et al.

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 12, 9247–9256

Automated Corona Discharge for Efficient and Broad-Spectrum Surface and Air Sterilization

S. Narayanan, Z. Weng (co-first authors), A. Tenjo, M. Farfan, P. Giridharan, et al.

Journal of Materials Chemistry C 11, 11834–11841

Corona-Enabled Electrostatic Printing for Ultra-Fast Manufacturing of Binder-Free Multifunctional E-Skins

L. Wang, R. Kou, Z. Shang, Z. Weng, C. Zhu, Y. Zhong

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13, 45966–45976

Disinfection and Electrostatic Recovery of N95 Respirators by Corona Discharge for Safe Reuse

S. S. K. S. Narayanan, X. Wang, J. Paul, V. Paley, Z. Weng, L. Ye, et al.

Environmental Science & Technology 55, 15351–15360

Spontaneous Formation of Sub-4 nm Nanocrystalline Alloy via Polymorphic Phase Transformation

Y. Zhong, C. Wang, J. Wang, H. Ma, S. Krishnamoorthy, V. Paley, Z. Weng, et al.

Materials Research Letters 8, 431–437
Doctoral dissertation · 2025Exploring Corona Discharge in Electrostatic Printing for Electronics and in Other Application

05 / Principal investigator

Zijian (Terry) Weng, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Engineering · Palm Beach Atlantic University

Dr. Weng is an interdisciplinary engineer and educator working at the intersection of plasma-enabled manufacturing, functional materials, flexible electronics, and intelligent sensing. His work connects mechanism-driven research with prototypes, process scale-up, and hands-on engineering education.

Ph.D.

Mechanical Engineering
University of South Florida, 2025

M.S.

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Case Western Reserve University, 2018

Teaching

Circuits · Controls · Microelectronics
CAD · Computation · Engineering Mathematics

PBA Profile ORCID LinkedIn

06 / Collaborate

Bring us a difficult sensing or manufacturing problem.

We welcome focused collaborations with companies, university teams, and mission-driven organizations. Early conversations can begin with a material, device, measurement, or scale-up challenge.

Discuss a project
01

Printable and flexible sensors

02

Tactile interfaces for robotics

03

Functional material patterning

04

Plasma-enabled processes

05

Prototype-to-process scale-up

06

Materials characterization

07 / Join EPIC

Learn by building what does not exist yet.

Motivated PBA undergraduates interested in research can reach out with a short note about their interests, relevant coursework, and the skills they hope to develop. Projects may involve fabrication, electronics, mechanical design, modeling, data analysis, or testing.

Curious studentsNo prior research experience required.
Project collaboratorsCapstone and independent-study ideas welcome.
Research partnersCross-disciplinary teams are encouraged.
Ask about student research

Contact / West Palm Beach

Let’s make the physical world more intelligent.

zijian_weng@pba.edu