Highlights

J. B. Varley, A. Janotti, and C. G. Van de Walle

Apr 11, 2011

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at UCSB

Multi-domain ordering of coacervate-core based hydrogels unraveled by SANS and solid-state DNP

Craig Hawker and Ed Kramer

A novel category of hydrogel material has been developed (Hawker, Kramer)that form spontaneously in water through complexation of polyelectrolyte endblocks of PEG-based triblock polyelectrolytes—inspired by Waite’s mussel adhesion studies. SANS (Kramer) and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP)-enhanced NMR; (Han) reveal that these complexes form dense, yet fluid, coacervate core domains with significant ordering.

Apr 11, 2011

MIT Center for Materials Science and Engineering (2014)

Self-beating plastic gels can be induced to change size and color on demand

Chen, I.C., Kuksenok, O., Yashin, V.V., Moslin, R.M., Balazs, A.C., & Van Vliet, K.J. (MIT MRSEC, IRG-III)

Special types of plastic gels that can be induced chemically to undergo self-oscillating changes in shape and color have been known for many years. Van Vliet and Balazs have now found that the oscillations of these self-beating gels can be controlled by their shape and size, as well as by externally applied forces. With change in chemistry, the gels can oscillate on their own from red to blue or green to yellow, for many hours. When these gels are made small enough (

Apr 11, 2011

MIT Center for Materials Science and Engineering (2014)

Nanostructured carbon electrodes improve performance of batteries and capacitors

S. W. Lee, B. M. Gallant, H. R. Byon, P. T. Hammond, and Y. Shao-Horn (MIT MRSEC, IRG-I)

The continued evolution of portable electronic devices and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) requires multi-functional microscale energy sources that have high power, high energy, long cycle life, and the adaptability to various substrates.

Apr 5, 2011

Genetically Engineered Materials Science and Engineering Center (2005)

Spatially Selective Assembly of Quantum Dot Light Emitters in an LED via Engineered Peptides

H.V. Demir, U.O.S. Seker, G. Zengin, E. Mutlugun, E. Sari, C. Tamerler, M. Sarikaya

Semiconductor nanocrystal

Apr 2, 2011

Harvard Materials Research Center (2014)

NEW.MECH New England workshop on the Mechanics of Materials and Structure

D.A. Weitz and C.M. Friend

The New England Workshop on the Mechanics of Materials and Structures, NEW.Mech, was held at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA on September 25th, 2010. NEW.Mech was a one-day workshop that brought together the New England Mechanics community with an interest in exploring new directions on the Mechanics of Soft Materials and Structures and in sharing the latest advances in the field. The workshop was modeled after the MRSEC-sponsored New England Complex Fluids Workshop. It was very successful, with more than 200 participants,

Mar 28, 2011

Harvard Materials Research Center (2014)

Softer-than-Skin Electronics, Sensors, and Adaptive Materials

R.J. Wood, G.M. Whitesides, and Z. Suo

Soft robotics, wearable computing, and mechanically adaptive structures will lead to revolutionary tools for exploration, disaster relief, personal electronics, and assistive medicine. Progress demands innovative solutions to current challenges: electronic skin for tactile sensing, and soft, hyperelastic circuits for stretchable computing. These new materials will enable next-generation machines and electronics to be soft, durable, impact resistant, and capable of adapting their shape, mechanical properties, and functionality to rapid changes in user environmental conditions.

Mar 25, 2011

UMass Amherst Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (2008)

Ionic liquids as media for bioconjugation

Water soluble polymers, once reserved for commodity applications (i.e., shaving cream, emulsification processes, etc.) have emerged as valuable materials for medicine. Combining synthetic polymers with therapeutic proteins and cancer drugs improves the “therapeutic index” of the drugs, preventing their fast elimination from the body, and improving their availability for treating the disease. Emrick at the UMass Materials Research Science and Engineering Center found that ionic liquids

Mar 16, 2011

Cornell Center for Materials Research (2017)