Featured News
Toward carbon-negative architecture
A multidisciplinary team of researchers from Weitzman and Penn Engineering are working to develop a new building system that would reduce carbon in all aspects of concrete construction. Read more.
An idea rooted in ‘twistronics’ yields an electrifying, ‘dizzying’ outcome
In a study published in Nature Magazine, Penn Engineering and Penn Arts & Sciences, Professors Ritesh Agarwal, Penn Materials Science and Engineering. and Eugene Mele, Physics and Astronomy, investigated spirally stacked tungsten disulfide (WS₂) crystals and discovered that, by twisting these layers, light could be used to manipulate electrons. The result is analogous to the Coriolis force, which curves the paths of objects in a rotating frame, like how wind and ocean currents behave on Earth. Read more.
Battery Innovation: Extending Lifespan and Capacity Through Self-Healing Materials
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Associate Professor Eric Detsi is tackling one of the biggest challenges in addressing climate change by developing effective energy storage solutions for renewable sources like wind and solar, as current battery technology is insufficient to meet the projected sixfold increase in global capacity needed by 2030. Read more.
Eric Stach Named Scientific Director of the Singh Center for Nanotechnology
Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, Vijay Kumar, announced the appointment of Eric Stach as the new Scientific Director of the Singh Center for Nanotechnology. Stach brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role at the Singh Center. Read more.
Scientists observe composite superstructure growth from nanocrystals in real time
A collaborative team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan, led by Department of Materials Science and Engineering Professor Christopher B. Murray, has observed for the first time composite superstructure growth from nanocrystals in real time. The discovery could enable engineers to more reliably manufacture next-generation materials by combining different nanocrystals. Read more.
Delving into Quantum Dots
Christopher B. Murray, Richard Perry University Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering, shares his excitement, thoughts, and knowledge on quantum dots, a nanoparticle that just earned his Ph.D. advisor the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Read More
MSE News
Empowering Future Engineers: Lyle Brunhofer and the Impact of Senior Design
08.15.2024 | Read More
Atomic Engineer and Research Guide, Dawn Bonnell Elected to American Philosophical Society
08.14.2024 | Read More
Innovation in Action: Penn Engineering’s 2024 Senior Design Project Competition
07.19.2024 | Read More
MSE Events
MSE Seminar “Shaping a Soft Future”
MEAM Seminar: “Engineering Mechanics of Architected Hard-Soft Composites: Experiment, Simulation, and Theory”
MSE Seminar: “Kagome Metals and Their Unusual Electronic Properties”
Announcement
What is Materials Science?
Understanding the behavior of materials has given rise to countless innovations and breakthroughs ranging from stone tools, which led to the discovery of fire in the prehistoric period, to silicon chips and silicon solar cells in our modern era. In a broad sense, materials science involves studying the synthesis, processing, structure, properties and performance of materials.
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