On the afternoon of March 1, 2024, the postdoctoral exit defense meeting for Zhou Jun was held in the conference room of the Sanshui Base of Foshan OCEANO Ceramics Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "OCEANO").

The meeting was attended by the following individuals: Deputy Director Huang Liqiong of the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of Sanshui District, Foshan City; Section Chief Zeng Guanggen, Deputy Section Chief Hu Ying, and Liu Zuochao from the same bureau; Professors Ling Zhiyuan, Ye Jiandong, and Rao Pinggen from South China University of Technology; Senior Engineer Li Jiaduo from Guangdong Foshan Ceramic Research Institute Holding Group Co., Ltd.; Meng Zhenming, Vice President of OCEANO and Dean of the Central Research Institute of D&O Home Furnishing; and Ke Shanjun, Senior Engineer (First-Class), and Zhang Ti, Senior Engineer, both Managers of the Central Research Institute.

At the defense meeting, Dr. Zhou Jun first presented his research on the "Preparation and Application of Water-Based Ceramic Inkjet Printing Inks." He explained that the core of ceramic inkjet printing lies in the printhead, printer, and ink, with ink innovation being a key driver for the entire system's advancement. To address the shortcomings of solvent-based inks, such as "glaze-ink separation" and low pattern clarity, Dr. Zhou developed water-based dispersants from safe, low-cost materials like acrylic acid. He synthesized these dispersants with specific functional groups and polyether side chains, then investigated their effectiveness in grinding and dispersing common ceramic colorants. By adding other necessary additives, he successfully prepared a series of water-based inks. These inks demonstrate superior glaze bonding and clarity at a lower cost compared to their solvent-based counterparts, indicating extremely broad application prospects.

Following the report, the experts acknowledged the value of Dr. Zhou Jun's research and offered valuable suggestions for its future development and industrialization. They also encouraged him to continue his work, urging a swift transition from research to practical application to accelerate the adoption of water-based ceramic inks and drive innovation across the ceramic industry.

The on-site panel of five experts unanimously approved Dr. Zhou Jun's post-doctoral exit, based on his project report and defense performance. They concluded that his research was well-aligned with industry needs, demonstrated systematic and in-depth investigation with substantial effort, and would positively contribute to the green development of ceramic inks. His achievements during the post-doctoral period—managing one research project, publishing three academic papers (one indexed in SCI), and filing one invention patent—attest to his outstanding R&D capabilities. Having completed all required tasks on schedule, Dr. Zhou received a unanimous vote for successful completion of his program.

Shandong Sinocera Create-tide New Materials High-tech Co., Ltd. has long been a provider of customized solutions for the ceramic industry, integrating independent R&D, production, and sales. It owns two premium brands, "BOTAO Ink" and the "QUANITECH" series for pigments and glazes, which are highly recognized within the industry. Since its founding in 1998, over two decades of dedicated work have earned the company numerous honors. The superior performance and color development of "QUANITECH" products compared to domestic alternatives have laid a solid foundation for the research and production of "BOTAO Ink."

Since 2004, the company has systematically built a comprehensive R&D system, beginning with the establishment of the "Foshan Sanshui Create-tide Color Glaze Engineering Technology R&D Center" and a joint Building Ceramics Engineering Technology Center with Wuhan University of Technology. A significant milestone was reached in 2013 with the approval of the "Foshan Digital Ink-Jet Ceramic Ink Engineering Technology R&D Center" by the Foshan Science and Technology Bureau—currently the only municipal-level ink engineering technology center of its kind in China. That same year, the company forged a long-term strategic partnership with Xaar Company, a global leader in industrial ink-jet printing technology from the UK. This was followed in 2016 by the provincial-level certification of the "Guangdong Digital Ink-Jet Ceramic Ink Engineering Technology Research Center." National high-tech enterprise recognition was granted in 2017, and the company's technology center was certified at the Foshan municipal level in 2020.

The company places a strong emphasis on R&D, collaborating on projects and technical exchanges with numerous scientific institutions, including South China University of Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, and Wuhan University of Technology. This has enabled the creation of an innovative technology platform that integrates industry, academia, and research. The company's laboratory is equipped with high-end preparation, testing, and analytical instruments, such as Netzsch sand mills, Malvern laser particle size analyzers, Brookfield rheometers, Sita dynamic surface tension meters, Netzsch differential thermal analyzers and thermal expansion meters, Bruker infrared spectrometers, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometers. Supporting its market presence, the company has established over twenty offices in major domestic and international ceramic production areas. A capable and efficient technical service team provides support to more than 500 customers worldwide. Driven by technology and a core focus on independent R&D, the company actively promotes its international development strategy. It is committed to transforming its product advantages into tangible benefits for its ceramic customers, making extraordinary contributions to the building ceramics industry. The following section details the company's recent invention patents and scientific achievements：