近年来主持国家科技支撑计划项目、973子课题，装发部预研基金子课题、企业单位横向课题共二十余项。所在团队研发成功的标准型、高强型、高强中模型、高强高模型系列牌号的高性能聚丙烯腈基碳纤维制备技术已成为我国碳纤维研发与产业化核心技术。已通过省部级鉴定成果两项，获2019年纺织工业联合会科技进步一等奖，以第一或通讯作者在《Macromolecules》、《ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces》《Composites Part A》等国内外期刊发表论文50余篇，授权专利30余项。编写《聚丙烯腈基碳纤维》专著，全国碳纤维标准化技术委员会委员。
奖励与荣誉
2002年，入选北京市科技新星
2023年，北京化工大学“最受学生喜爱的十佳教师”
近期发表的部分论文
1、Ruihao Dong, Haonan Xie, Weiyu Cao*, Surface modification of carbon fiber by vinyl functionalized silane to enhance the interfacial adhesion with rubber via co-vulcanization, Surfaces and Interfaces, Surfaces and Interfaces, 2023, 43, 103591
2. Junhui Liu, Zhennan Zhao, Quanwei Li, Lei Hua, Haisong Zhao, Chengcheng Yu, Weiyu Cao*, Zhongjie Ren*, Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters Based on a Special Tetrahedral Silane Core, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2023, 15, 51474−51482
3. Feifei Pan, Xuan Jiang, Shichao Sun, Weiyu Cao*, Mengfan Wang*, Design and Construction for the Interface between Carbon Fiber and Epoxy Via Vinyl Alkoxysilane Modification, Composites Part A, 2022 (162) 107148
4. Shichao Sun, Weiyu Cao*, Evolution of microstructure within carbon fiber during pre-carbonization revealed by mean field theory, Composites Communications, 2022 (34) 101272
5. Shichao Sun*, Zheng Wang , Chen Su , Feifei Pan Weiyu Cao*, In-situ electrothermal method for high-performance carbon fiber, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2022, 10, 13849−13856
6. Lujie Huo, Weiyu Cao*, The dual effects of non-solvent on the sol-gel transition of polyacrylonitrile solutions: the promotion in thermodynamics and hindrance in kinetics, Polymer Testing, 2022 (115), 107685
7. Ruihao Dong，Jianglu Wu, Ting You, Weiyu Cao*, Formation and Evolution of sp2 Hybrid Conjugate Structure of Polyacrylonitrile Precursor during Stabilization, Materials, 2022, 15, 30
8. Wei Liu, Mengfan Wang*, Weiyu Cao*, In-situ tracing for the crystalline structure of Polyacrylonitrile/Cellulose-nanocrystals complex during thermal stabilization, Macromolecules, 2020, 53, 10155−10162
9. Yingpiao Fu, Hongxin Li, Weiyu Cao*, Enhancing the Interfacial Properties of High-modulus Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites Via Electrochemical Surface Oxidation and Grafting, Composites Part A, 2020, 130, 105719
10. 曹维宇*，杨学萍，张藕生，我国高性能高分子复合材料发展现状与展望，中国工程科学，2020, 22, (5), 112-120
教学
本科生专业课程《科技写作与报告》
硕士研究生课程《先进材料设计与产品工程》
《聚丙烯腈基碳纤维制备科学基础与技术》
《高聚物凝聚态结构解析》
硕士留学生课程《Structure of Crystalline Polymers》
博士研究生课程《先进材料设计与产品工程》《先进复合材料前沿与进展》