The 12th International Conference on Advanced Fibers and Polymer Materials (ICAFPM 2025), themed “Better Fiber, Better World,” was held in Shanghai from October 31 to November 3. Nearly 3,000 experts and scholars from 21 countries and regions attended the opening ceremony, underscoring the conference’s strong international influence. The event was chaired by Professor Zhu Meifang, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Director of the State Key Laboratory for Modification of Advanced Fiber Materials.
（The conference site）
In his opening remarks, Liu Chenggong emphasized that Donghua University (DHU) continues to enhance its technological innovation system while deepening international academic exchange and cooperation. He expressed confidence that the conference would further pool the collective wisdom of academia and industry, foster collaborative innovation, and strengthen talent cultivation, jointly advancing the frontier of fiber science.
（Liu Chenggong Delivered a Speech）
A highlight of the opening ceremony was the announcement of the 5th Qian Baojun Fiber Award. Professor Jiang Shicheng, Distinguished Advisor Professor at DHU, received the Distinguished Achievement Award. The Young Scholar Award was presented to Professor Pierre-Alexis Mouthuy of the University of Oxford and Professor Liu Zunfeng of Nankai University. Professor Cheng Zhengdi, recipient of the 4th Distinguished Achievement Award, delivered a laureate lecture at the event. In addition, annual honors of the journal Advanced Fiber Materials—including the High-Impact Paper Award, Best Reviewer Award, and Best Promotional Award—were also conferred. Award recipients and participating experts engaged in in-depth discussions on emerging trends and cutting-edge research in advanced fibers and polymer materials.
（The Awarding Ceremony of the Fifth Qian Baojun Fiber Award）
Alongside the main conference, a series of concurrent activities were held, including the 2025 International Advisory Committee Seminar for the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials and the College of Materials Science and Engineering, the International Assessment Meeting for Materials Discipline Development, the Preparatory Meeting for the International Society of Advanced Fiber Materials, and the 2025 Advanced Fibers and Polymer Materials Exhibition.
The conference was jointly organized by the State Key Laboratory for Advanced Fiber Materials, the College of Materials Science and Engineering at DHU, the Polymer Division of the Chinese Chemical Society, and the Fiber Materials Modification and Composite Technology Division of the Chinese Materials Research Society. The program featured one main forum and 12 parallel sessions, with a total of 525 academic presentations covering topics such as high-performance fibers and products, biomedical and eco-friendly fiber materials, smart fibers and wearable technologies, and “Qianzhihui: Women in Materials Innovation.”