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Nanocrystal “molecules” or “oligomers”: precise-number assemblies of nanocrystals  with well-defined geometrical arrangements. IRG-4 self-assembles, models, and measures these plasmonic metal nanocrystal oligomers in order to tailor their optical properties. The progression of the optical response with increasing oligomer size maps the evolution of the collective interactions within the structure. Applications may include decorating surfaces with these assemblies to form “metasurfaces” having engineerable interaction with light.  

The ‘micro-origami’ approach to making microrobotic devices is to form thin films that can fold themselves into desired, dynamically  transformable  shapes.

Measuring correlated dynamics in molecular glasses:  Properties of molecular glasses change as they are made into nanometer sized films. Fakhraai and Riggleman showed that when the film thickness is reduced below 30 nm, the solid glass films become liquid-like and flow. This results in dewetting as shown in the figure.

For many years now, MRSEC-affiliated faculty have accepted high school students into their labs during the summer, or on weekends during the semester, to undertake research projects that are supervised by a post-doctoral scholar or a senior graduate student. Student selection is made by the faculty member, who is responsible for the student during the program, and students first undertake safety training with EHRS. The number of students chosen for this program has been increasing: 10 in 2013, 17 in 2014, 16 in 2015, 19 in 2016.

Interactions among electrons can give rise to a variety of exotic quantum phases in solids. An intriguing example is the formation of “nematic” electronic states, whose wave functions break the rotational symmetry of the host material.

Nebraska MRSEC researchers have implemented hybrid electronic devices comprising two-dimensional (2D) materials and ferroelectric thin films of barium titanate (BaTiO3) that exhibit polarization-controlled non-volatile modulation of the electronic properties.

Multimetallic nanoparticles are useful in many fields, yet there are no effective strategies for synthesizing libraries of such structures with systematic compositional tunability.

Anisotropic gold nanoparticles have been shown to possess desirable plasmonic and optical properties at the single particle level, but ensemble averaged measurements are compromised by the as-synthesized polydispersity in nanoparticle size and shape.

Among all Transparent conducting oxides, Zinc-Indium-Tin Oxides are known for their good chemical stability, smooth surfaces and most importantly, high electrical conductivity. Having access to fundamental information like kinetics parameters is extremely important for processing and fabrication of these materials.

Over the course of two days, the Wisconsin MRSEC presented exciting hands-on, research-inspired  materials science activities to over 1500 people during the 2016 Wisconsin Science Festival.  The 2016 Wisconsin Science Festival was the largest ever with over 250 events in 20 communities across Wisconsin.