Materials Science

Hard target

Diamonds aren’t just beautiful sparkly rocks or a girl’s best friend; they’re also the hardest material on Earth. Formed when… Read More

February 12, 2025

Putting hydrogen to work

Scientists, industries and policymakers have been working for years to find energy storage technologies that will help meet peak demand… Read More

January 28, 2025

Light handling

Scientists constantly identify and qualify new materials, seeking substances with improved properties for use in everything from cars to space… Read More

March 7, 2023

Adding up alloys

The future of additive manufacturing (AM), commonly called 3D printing, hinges on learning metals’ microstructure. Demands for more fuel-efficient transportation… Read More

July 26, 2022

Taking charge

Perfection is a problem when it comes to how computers model materials for energy applications. Although a typical model assumes… Read More

May 3, 2022

Quantum quandary

Electrons – small, charged and abundant – complicate materials science simulations. Because their effects often are tiny and the cost… Read More

August 12, 2020

Power play

As solar-cell and semiconductor materials go, perovskite would seem to be an underdog when compared to such staples as silicon… Read More

August 7, 2019

Quantum predictions

Solving a complex problem quickly requires careful tradeoffs – and simulating the behavior of materials is no exception. To get… Read More

October 17, 2018

Current developments

Imagine a world in which lasers can draw entire circuit boards, where ceramic bowls normally used as pottery can produce… Read More

August 8, 2018

Rules of attraction

The atoms inside materials are not always perfectly ordered, as usually depicted in models. In magnetic, ferroelectric (or showing electric… Read More

November 8, 2017