News · MRSEC

The reason microplastics are all around and even in us is because petroleum-based plastics last for hundreds of years. In our lifetimes they simply don’t go away. But degradable plastics, made from plants, do. Research at UCSD has now proven that those earth-friendly plastics disappear in a matter of a few months. Researchers ground up plant-based plastics into very small bits and tested them in several natural environments.

Mar 20, 2024

An Inexpensive, DIY Setup Recycles Precious Liquid Helium in the Lab

Helium may be the second-most abundant element in the universe, but on Earth it’s a finite, nonrenewable resource. Helium is so light that it’s not trapped by the lower levels of Earth’s atmosphere. And it’s extremely challenging to capture, since it’s relatively unreactive. Liquid helium is a critical ingredient in systems for cooling equipment used to study quantum systems and image atoms, as well as in the high-performance magnets used in MRI scanners and particle accelerators. But if it is not carefully contained, helium flies to the farthest reaches of the atmosphere or even out into space when it boils.

Feb 9, 2024

MRSEC Director Named Scientific Director of UPenn's Singh Center for Nanotechnology

The University of Pennsylvania's MRSEC Director, Eric Stach was recently named the Scientific Director of the Singh Center for Nanotechnology. Stach’s distinguished career in materials science and engineering, specifically in transmission electron microscopy, combined with his extensive experience managing interdisciplinary research teams, positions him uniquely to lead the Singh Center towards new heights of achievement.

Feb 8, 2024

MRSEC Director Elected to National Academy of Engineering

Northwestern Engineering’s Mark Hersam, whose research has led to more effective and sustainable nanomaterials used in electronics, energy storage, and medicine, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

Courtesy of CDCM

Nov 27, 2023

NSF MRSEC Launches the Materials Universe Podcast

The Center for Dynamics and Control of Materials (CDCM) at UT Austin recently launched The Materials Universe Podcast, a show where researchers discuss the impact of materials science on our lives. Listen to interviews with CDCM researchers working on cutting-edge projects in areas such as nanomaterials, biomaterials, smart materials, and more. Learn about the latest discoveries and innovations in materials science, and how they can impact fields such as energy, medicine, electronics, and beyond.

Oct 5, 2023

NSF Appoints New DMR Division Director

By Divya Abhat, Science Writer/Editor; Content Strategist

In early 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) appointed Germano Iannacchione as the new Division Director of its Division of Materials Research (DMR)—a division with a critical objective to invest in the discovery, development, and design of new materials. “Our research makes the expensive, cheap; it makes the dirty, clean; it makes the hard, easy; it makes the dangerous, safe,” says Iannacchione.

Oct 2, 2023

Nanoparticles Made From Plant Viruses Could Be Farmers’ New Ally in Pest Control

A new form of agricultural pest control could one day take root—one that treats crop infestations deep under the ground in a targeted manner with less pesticide. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed nanoparticles, fashioned from plant viruses, that can deliver pesticide molecules to soil depths that were previously unreachable. This advance could potentially help farmers effectively combat parasitic nematodes that plague the root zones of crops, all while minimizing costs, pesticide use and environmental toxicity.

Sep 15, 2023

3D-Printed ‘Living Material’ Could Clean Up Contaminated Water

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new type of material that could offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to clean pollutants from water.

Jun 30, 2023

NSF invests $162 million in research centers to accelerate materials science from lab to factory

A $162 million investment from the U.S. National Science Foundation will drive the creation of advanced materials capable of remarkable things — from being tough enough to withstand the heat of a fusion reactor to processing information at the quantum level. Nine Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) will each receive $18 million over six years. The centers aim to transform fundamental scientific breakthroughs into tangible benefits for multiple sectors of the U.S. economy and innovations that can be produced on tomorrow's factory floors.

Jan 30, 2023

Video Showcases the Value and Benefit of the MRSEC Program

Universities that have earned the Materials Research Science & Engineering Centers (MRSEC) grant award are engaged in collaborative interdisciplinary research at the very forefront of the field. Exciting opportunities exist for graduate students, undergraduates, postdoctor scholars, and faculty. This short video summarizes important features of the MRSEC program at all Centers.

MRSEC News

Microplastics less a problem when plastics are made from plants