MSE

Two-dimensional (2D) materials offer a rich platform for studying quantum phenomena, because their properties can be profoundly altered through heterostructure stacking and defect manipulation, while the resulting electronic and magnetic structure can be directly imaged via surface-sensitive probes. I will discuss several examples that highlight the remarkable potential of engineered two-dimensional (2D) materials for exploring […]

Structural materials that are damage tolerant, lightweight, multifunctional, and sustainable are highly desirable for many engineering applications. Such combinations of properties are often found in the biological world. Organisms from nature construct a variety of different biological structural materials for protection, predation, body support, camouflage, etc. Despite the fact that these materials are made from […]

Interfaces in heterostructures often exhibit emergent physical properties that are absent in the constituent layers. These heterostructures, together with their compatibility with nanofabrication, are promising for constructing functional quantum devices. I will illustrate the capability of such heterostructure engineering by taking two examples. I will first explain our discovery of a versatile method for synthesizing […]

Critical elements such as rare-earth (RE) metals that are subject to supply risks and are incorporated in critical materials, play a central role in the function of these materials. They dictate the properties that control the function of critical materials, including both molecules and materials, used in a broad range of technologically important and energy […]

Macromolecular materials that are capable of selectively and efficiently localizing cells, factors, and/or drugs offer important approaches for mediating biological events and in the development of hybrid materials. We have employed a combination of biosynthetic tools, bioconjugation strategies, and biomimetic assembly to produce thermoresponsive (poly)peptides derived from sequences of resilin, elastin, and collagen. These materials […]

  Creation of reconfigurable and multi-functional materials can be achieved by incorporating architecture into material design. In our research, we design and fabricate three-dimensional (3D) nano-architected materials that can exhibit superior and often tunable thermal, photonic, electrochemical, biochemical, and mechanical properties at extremely low mass densities (lighter than aerogels), which renders them useful and enabling […]