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Highlights

Highlights

Holiday Lecture 2024: “Science by Candlelight”
Holiday Lecture 2024: “Science by Candlelight”
May 5, 2025
Princeton University

Holiday Lecture 2024: “Science by Candlelight”

Professor Howard A. Stone and colleagues
The 2024 Holiday Science Lecture “Science by Candlelight” was held at Princeton University on December 7, 2024 with over 530 people attending two lectures at McDonnell Hall. Howard Stone led the lecture, and was joined by Julia Mikhailova, Angie Miller (chemistry department demonstrator) and other PCCM researchers (including graduate students and postdocs).
Top: Teachers learn about the science of noodles with local chef Tracy Chang during summer 2024 in-person teacher workshop. Bottom left: Teachers learn about the science of boba and encapsulation at Navajo Technical University. Bottom right: MRSEC student Reena Paink works with high school students during a February 2025 workshop.
Top: Teachers learn about the science of noodles with local chef Tracy Chang during summer 2024 in-person teacher workshop. Bottom left: Teachers learn about the science of boba and encapsulation at Navajo Technical University. Bottom right: MRSEC student Reena Paink works with high school students during a February 2025 workshop.
May 2, 2025
Harvard University

Everyday Materials Science: Teacher and Student Workshops on Science & Cooking

David Weitz, Kathryn Hollar, Pia Sörensen, and Kate Strangfeld

The Harvard MRSEC engages K-12 teachers and students through the science of everyday materials. Led by former HS teacher Strangfeld, the MRSEC hosts workshops for teachers and K-12 students that are modeled on the undergraduate Science and Cooking course developed by Weitz and Brenner, which is now led by Sörensen. In February 2025, Strangfeld and Sörensen, with the help of MRSEC researchers, piloted a 4-day program at Harvard for high school students during school break.
Figure 1. (A) In operando X-ray characterization of LCE alignment during printing. (B) Radially-resolved alignment for LCE filaments printed at Wimax = 0.5 (top images) and orientational order parameter across LCE filament radius (bottom plot). (C) Average orientational order parameter in printed LCEs as a function of Wimax alongside compared to theory. (D) Tensile stress as a function of strain. (E) Actuation strain measured parallel to print path versue temperature.
Figure 1. (A) In operando X-ray characterization of LCE alignment during printing. (B) Radially-resolved alignment for LCE filaments printed at Wimax = 0.5 (top images) and orientational order parameter across LCE filament radius (bottom plot). (C) Average orientational order parameter in printed LCEs as a function of Wimax alongside compared to theory. (D) Tensile stress as a function of strain. (E) Actuation strain measured parallel to print path versue temperature.
May 2, 2025
Harvard University

Spatially Programmed Alignment and Actuation in Printed Liquid Crystal Elastomers

Jennifer Lewis, Caitlyn Cook (LLNL) and Ronald Pindak (BNL)
Aligned liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are soft materials that exhibit reversible actuation akin to human muscles when thermally cycled above their nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature. Lewis and collaborators studied the effects of LCE ink composition, nozzle geometry, and printing parameters on director alignment.
(a) Surface functionalization of 2D WSe2 with trifluoromethyl groups is achieved using an electrophilic trifluoromethylation reagent. (b,c) Atomic force microscopy images before and after trifluoromethylation confirm uniform functionalization.
(a) Surface functionalization of 2D WSe2 with trifluoromethyl groups is achieved using an electrophilic trifluoromethylation reagent. (b,c) Atomic force microscopy images before and after trifluoromethylation confirm uniform functionalization.
Apr 21, 2025
Big Idea: Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier

2D Semiconductor Electronic Property Tuning via Trifluoromethylation

IRG-2, Northwestern University MRSEC
Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are promising materials for next-generation electronic and iontronic devices. As a consequence of their ultrathin dimensions, 2D materials offer the opportunity for continued device scaling while avoiding the short-channel effects that hinder bulk semiconductors.
Modular Protein Scaffolds Enable Tunable Matrix Materials
Modular Protein Scaffolds Enable Tunable Matrix Materials
Apr 21, 2025
Big Idea: Synthetic Materials Biology

Modular Protein Scaffolds Enable Tunable Matrix Materials

IRG-1, Northwestern University MRSEC
Northwestern University IRG-1 has identified novel protein building blocks that form high-aspect ratio structures with genetic-level programmability and tunability.
(Left) Schematic of three different elastoresistivity techniques. (Right) The temperature dependence of the elastoresistivity coefficients of CsV3Sb5. The A1g isotropic coefficient shows a diverging response, whereas the E2g anisotropic coefficient shows a weak and temperature independent response.
(Left) Schematic of three different elastoresistivity techniques. (Right) The temperature dependence of the elastoresistivity coefficients of CsV3Sb5. The A1g isotropic coefficient shows a diverging response, whereas the E2g anisotropic coefficient shows a weak and temperature independent response.
Apr 4, 2025
Big Idea: Quantum Leap

MEM-C IRG-2: Absence of E2g Nematic Instability and Dominant A1g Response in Kagome Metal CsV3Sb5

Jihui Yang, Xiaodong Xu, Jiun-Haw Chu
Electronic nematicity, the spontaneous breaking of crystalline rotational symmetry, has been discovered in several strongly correlated electronic systems, including high Tc superconductors. Recently, several studies have suggested that the charge density wave in the kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5 breaks rotational symmetry—an intriguing possibility, as it would be a rare example of “three-state Potts nematicity,” in which there are three possible orientations in a hexagonal lattice. Here, we report that  CsV3Sb5 is probably not nematic, but it is very sensitive to isotropic strain.
Synthesis of colloidal CuCr2Se4 NCs starts with formation of copper selenide NCs followed by slow in-diffusion of Cr3+ to form the spinel. Colloidal annealing activates ferrimagnetism. A TEM image of single-crystalline CuCr2Se4 NCs, and 300K magnetic circular dichroism results showing strong near-IR magneto-optical response.
Synthesis of colloidal CuCr2Se4 NCs starts with formation of copper selenide NCs followed by slow in-diffusion of Cr3+ to form the spinel. Colloidal annealing activates ferrimagnetism. A TEM image of single-crystalline CuCr2Se4 NCs, and 300K magnetic circular dichroism results showing strong near-IR magneto-optical response.
Apr 4, 2025
Big Idea: Quantum Leap

MEM-C IRG-1: Ferrimagnetic CuCr2Se4 Nanocrystals with Strong Room-Temperature Magnetic Circular Dichroism

Brandi Cossairt, Daniel R. Gamelin, Jiun-Haw Chu
Magnetic materials are vital in technologies from spintronics to biomedicine. Coupling magnetism with optical responses broadens their utility to sensing, magneto-optical memory, and optical isolation. Chromium chalcogenide spinels display particularly rich magnetism and magneto-optical properties. Colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) offer routes to solution-processing, heterointegration, and property modulation through size, shape, or heterostructure control, but many chalcogenide spinels have never been synthesized at the nanoscale, and little control over size or morphology has been demonstrated.
CAMM Partners with ORNL to Host “Neutron Day”
CAMM Partners with ORNL to Host “Neutron Day”
Jan 22, 2025
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

CAMM Partners with ORNL to Host “Neutron Day”

CAMM’s ECOR Team & Antonio dos Santos of ORNL coordinated the event
UTK-MRSEC The Center for Advanced Materials & Manufacturing partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to host the inaugural "Neutron Day," an event designed to deepen collaboration and foster interdisciplinary research connections.
Quantum Materials and Machine Learning Workshop
Quantum Materials and Machine Learning Workshop
Jan 22, 2025
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Quantum Materials and Machine Learning Workshop

Yang Zhang (UTK-MRSEC), Jacob Gayles (USF), Yishu Wang (UTK-MRSEC), David Mandrus (UTK-MRSEC / Oak Ridge), Student Organizer - Louis Primeau (UTK-MRSEC)
The recent Quantum Materials and Machine Learning Workshop brought together 22 invited speakers and in total 50 graduate students, postdoc, faculty attendees from 18 different institutions for an intensive exploration of cutting-edge developments at the intersection of quantum physics, materials science, and machine learning. The program featured established researchers alongside three postdoctoral fellows, fostering meaningful dialogue between different career stages.
CDCM Industrial Mentorship Program Prepares Students for the Workforce of Tomorrow
CDCM Industrial Mentorship Program Prepares Students for the Workforce of Tomorrow
Jun 13, 2024
Big Idea: Quantum Leap

CDCM Industrial Mentorship Program Prepares Students for the Workforce of Tomorrow

The Industrial Mentorship Program connects undergraduate students, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to a PhD level mentor in industry. This program is designed to (i) expose participants to fundamental research as it relates to societal and economic development; (ii) enable them to broaden their networks; and (iii) facilitate a successful transition into the workforce. The Industrial Mentor program entered its sixth program cycle during 2023-2024 and since its inception, 147 students have participated as mentees in the program, with 30 of those from the CIMA PREM at Texas State University.

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