Materials science and engineering

How the immune system fights off malaria

Study reveals immune cells that are critical to combating the parasite in early stages of infection.

January 13, 2014

Conventional layered lithium and transition metal cathode material (top) and the new disordered material studied by researchers at MIT (bottom) as seen through a scanning transmission electron microscope. Inset images show diagrams of the different structures in these materials. (In the disordered material, the blue lines show the pathways that allow lithium ions to traverse the material.)

Disordered materials hold promise for better batteries

MIT researchers find that contrary to conventional wisdom, cathodes made of disordered lithium compounds can perform better than perfectly ordered ones.

January 9, 2014

On a piece of graphene (the horizontal surface with a hexagonal pattern of carbon atoms), in a strong magnetic field, electrons can move only along the edges, and are blocked from moving in the interior. In addition, only electrons with one direction of spin can move in only one direction along the edges (indicated by the blue arrows), while electrons with the opposite spin are blocked (as shown b...

Graphene can host exotic new quantum electronic states at its edges

New approach to use of 2-D carbon material opens up unexpected properties, could unleash new uses.

December 22, 2013

CSHub members (left to right) Krystyn Van Vliet, principal investigator; Franz-Josef Ulm, faculty director; Jeremy Gregory, executive director; and Roland Pellenq, scientific director, hope to manipulate cement at the molecular level to make it more environmentally benign.

MIT research in concrete gets funding boost

The MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub seeks to advance the scientific basis for evaluating the environmental impact of concrete.

December 17, 2013

Comparison of graphene oxide before (left) and after (right) the new annealing treatment. The graphene sheet is represented by yellow carbon spheres, while the oxygens and hydrogens are represented as red and white spheres. Annealing causes oxygen atoms to form clusters, creating areas of pure graphene (as shown in the right image). This results in increased light absorption, improved conduction ...

New graphene treatment could unleash new uses

MIT team develops simple, inexpensive method that could help realize material’s promise for electronics, solar power, and sensors.

December 15, 2013

Silvija Gradečak seeks to better the world through new materials

Looking for better materials for solar cells, LEDs, and other technology, one molecule at a time.

December 6, 2013

The MIT team's experimental setup is pictured above.

Magnetic nanoparticles could aid heat dissipation

Particles suspended in cooling water could prevent hotspots in nuclear plant cooling systems and electronics.

November 19, 2013

Better batteries through biology?

MIT researchers find a way to boost lithium-air battery performance, with the help of modified viruses.

November 13, 2013

A MADMEC attendee tries out Wristify's thermoelectric bracelet.

‘Cool’ invention wins first place at MADMEC

Thermoelectric bracelet that helps people maintain a comfortable body temperature takes home $10,000 from MIT’s annual materials-science design competition.

October 17, 2013