On Oct. 30, Prof. Don Sadoway was interviewed by Living on Earth (WBUR) about his work with liquid metal batteries. The story can be heard here.

Please join the Materials Research Society (MRS) and DMSE in its second Lunch and Lecture of the Fall semester with Professor Michael Demkowicz.

Pizza and refreshments will be served!

Tailoring nanocomposite properties by atomic-scale design of interfaces

Michael J. Demkowicz, John C. Chipman Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

Thursday, October 22nd

12:00pm-1:00pm (pizza and refreshments will be served at 11:40am)

The Chipman Room (6-104)

Abstract:

As the characteristic microstructural dimensions of a composite material decrease, its interface area-to-total volume ratio increases. In nanocomposites, interfaces make up such a large fraction of the total material that they may dominate its thermal, mechanical, and diffusion behavior. Understanding the atomic-level structure and properties of interfaces is therefore essential to explaining and controlling the macroscale behaviors of nanocomposites. This talk will present how atomistic simulations can shed light on the role of interfaces in the radiation response of Cu-Nb multilayer nanocomposites as well as how this insight can be used to design new radiation-resistant materials.

*The MRS “Lunch N Lecture” is a series of informal talks from any faculty member whose research interests are in materials. To learn more about the MRS and its lecture series, please visit the MRS homepage. Want to see a particular faculty member give a talk? E-mail the MRS officers at mrschapter.officers@mit.edu and give us suggestions!

Sponsored by MRS and DMSE

Interdisciplinary collaboration will accelerate the growth of science and engineering in concrete research. Professors Jeff Grossman, Nicola Marzari, Krystyn Van Vliet, and Sid Yip are among the center’s affiliated researchers.  See the MIT News Office for the full story.

Prof. Don Sadoway discussed new innovations in liquid metal batteries in a PBS NewsHour segment originally broadcast on Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

MADMEC, the Making and Designing Materials Engineering Contest, is a joint venture between DMSE, Saint Gobain, and the Dow Chemical Company. MADMEC challenges teams of students to design and build prototypes that address a variety of energy issues through the use of materials science. MADMEC’s goal is to empower MIT students to shape the future of energy, while giving them an opportunity to practice and develop their creative design and engineering skills.

Five teams will present their final prototypes on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7:00 p.m., in 6-120.

This year’s competition showcases intriguing and creative solutions to energy challenges, from color-changing roofing tiles that reflect light in the summer and absorb heat in the winter to desalination methods.

A prize of $5000 will be awarded to the first place team, and prizes of $3000 and $2000 to the second and third place teams.

All are invited to see the presentations, share some ice cream, and applaud the winners!