materials science archive

Stripes key to nanoparticle drug delivery - In work that could at the same time impact the delivery of drugs and explain a biological mystery, MIT engineers have created the first synthetic nanoparticles that can penetrate a cell without poking a hole in its protective membrane and killing it. June 9, 2008

Getting wrapped up in solar textiles - Sheila Kennedy, an expert in the integration of solar cell technology in architecture who is now at MIT, creates designs for flexible photovoltaic materials that may change the way buildings receive and distribute energy. June 9, 2008

School of Engineering awards - Awards given in the MIT School of Engineering for the academic year 2007-2008. June 4, 2008

Department of Materials Science and Engineering awards - Awards given in MIT Materials Science and Engineering for the academic year 2007-2008. June 4, 2008

MIT develops a 'paper towel' for oil spills - A mat of nanowires with the touch and feel of paper, that can absorb up to 20 times its weight in oil, could be an important new tool in the cleanup of oil and other organic pollutants, MIT researchers and colleagues report. May 30, 2008

MIT creates new material for fuel cells - MIT engineers have improved the power output of one type of fuel cell by more than 50 percent through technology that could help these environmentally friendly energy storage devices find a much broader market, particularly in portable electronics. May 16, 2008

Finding yields bacteria-resistant films - Having found that whether bacteria stick to surfaces depends partly on how stiff those surfaces are, MIT engineers have created ultrathin films made of polymers that could be applied to medical devices and other surfaces to control microbe accumulation. May 16, 2008

In Sigma Xi lecture, Barsoum to focus on pyramids - Michel Barsoum PhD '85, distinguished professor at Drexel University, will deliver the 2008 Sigma Xi Lecture, entitled "The Mystery of the Great Egyptian Pyramids: The role of materials research in suggesting a partial solution," on May 7. May 7, 2008

Gathering 'concrete' evidence - Even though they are among the best-known structures on Earth, the pyramids of Egypt may still hold surprises. This spring, an MIT class is testing a controversial theory that some of these structures may consist of concrete. April 2, 2008

Researchers rip into 'wallpaper problem' - Frustrated by tape that won't peel off the roll in a straight line? Angry at wallpaper that refuses to tear neatly off the wall? A new study by an MIT mathematician and others shows that wallpaper is simply obeying the laws of physics. March 30, 2008

Researchers boost thermoelectric efficiency - Researchers at Boston College and MIT have used nanotechnology to achieve a major increase in thermoelectric efficiency, a milestone that paves the way for a new generation of products that run cleaner. March 20, 2008

MIT finds pre-Columbian use of transport rafts - Oceangoing sailing rafts plied the waters of the equatorial Pacific long before Europeans arrived in the Americas, and traveled from modern-day Chile to western Mexico, according to new findings by MIT researchers. March 19, 2008

Researchers unravel secrets of spider silk's strength - The strength of a biological material like spider silk lies in the specific geometric configuration of structural proteins, which have small clusters of weak hydrogen bonds that work cooperatively to resist force and dissipate energy, MIT researchers report. March 19, 2008

Shell shock - An MIT materials scientist's research on sea snails has helped transform battery technology and may end the era when cell phones die if they're dropped and PDAs must be replaced if they get dunked in the tub. March 11, 2008

Miriam Yoffa Rich, former longtime lab technician, 88 - Miriam Yoffa Rich, who worked for 41 years as a laboratory technician at MIT, died Wednesday, Feb. 6. She was 88. March 5, 2008

MIT creates gecko-inspired bandage - MIT researchers and colleagues have created a waterproof adhesive bandage inspired by gecko lizards that may soon join sutures and staples as a basic operating room tool for patching up surgical wounds or internal injuries. February 18, 2008

Suresh to receive 2008 Eringen Medal - The Society of Engineering Science has chosen Subra Suresh, Dean of the School of Engineering and Ford Professor of Engineering, to receive the A.C. Eringen Medal for 2008, in recognition of "sustained outstanding achievements in engineering science." February 11, 2008

MIT works toward engineered blood vessels - MIT scientists have found a way to induce cells to form parallel tube-like structures that could one day serve as tiny engineered blood vessels. The researchers found that they can control the cells' development by growing them on a surface with nano-scale patterning. December 17, 2007

MIT creates oil-repelling materials - MIT engineers have designed a class of material structures that can repel oils, a novel discovery that could be used to help protect parts of airplanes or rockets that are vulnerable to damage from being soaked in fuel, like rubber gaskets and o-rings. December 6, 2007

Sculpted 3-D particles could aid diagnostics - MIT engineers have used ultraviolet light to sculpt 3-D microparticles that could be used in medical diagnostics and tissue engineering. The particles might be designed to act as probes to detect certain molecules or to release drugs or nutrients. December 4, 2007

Cancer study affirms interdisciplinary approach - A UCLA cancer study reported this month validates earlier work by MIT engineers, and is emblematic of an explosion in research at the intersections of engineering, the life sciences and medicine, according to MIT Dean of Engineering Subra Suresh. December 3, 2007

Thermoelectric materials are key to energy savings - Breathing new life into an old idea, MIT Institute Professor Mildred S. Dresselhaus and co-workers are developing innovative materials for controlling temperatures that could lead to substantial energy savings. November 20, 2007

MIT works toward 'smart' optical microchips - A new theory developed at MIT could lead to "smart" optical microchips that adapt to different wavelengths of light, potentially advancing telecommunications, spectroscopy and remote sensing. November 1, 2007

A light beam for manipulation of cells on chips - In a feat that seems like something out of a microscopic version of Star Trek, MIT researchers have found a way to use a "tractor beam" of light to pick up, hold and move around individual cells and other objects on the surface of a microchip. October 31, 2007

MIT's 'electronic nose' could detect hazards - A tiny "electronic nose, " engineered by MIT researchers using a novel inkjet printing method that prints thin sensor films onto a microchip, could be used to detect hazards including carbon monoxide, harmful industrial solvents and explosives. October 30, 2007

MIT gel changes color on demand - MIT researchers have created a new structured gel that can rapidly change color in response to a variety of stimuli, including temperature, pressure, salt concentration and humidity. The material could lead to fast, inexpensive sensors. October 21, 2007

Walter Shepherd Owen, professor emeritus, 87 - Walter Shepherd Owen, professor emeritus of physical metallurgy at MIT, died Oct. 10 at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was 87. October 13, 2007

Green Center for Physics dedication set for Oct. 5 - The Green Center for Physics, the dynamic cornerstone of a major building and renovation project, will officially open with a dedication ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5. October 3, 2007

Students shape materials for their own devices - A team of MIT students has taken the concept of using biomass to generate energy and shrunk it to fit inside a handheld device that could be used to charge cell phones. September 27, 2007

Polymers hold promise for safer gene delivery - In work that could lead to safe and effective techniques for gene therapy, MIT scientists have found a way to fine-tune the ability of biodegradable polymers to deliver genes, which could be a safer technique than using viruses to carry genes. September 7, 2007

Engineers probe secret of bone's strength - New research at MIT has revealed for the first time the role of bone's atomistic structure in a toughening mechanism that incorporates two theories previously proposed by researchers eager to understand the secret behind the material's lightweight strength. September 6, 2007

GM plugs in to battery technology with MIT roots - A company with roots at MIT has been selected to develop battery cells to power the Chevrolet Volt, a highly anticipated plug-in hybrid car that should be able to travel about 40 miles on battery power alone. GM hopes to begin selling the car in 2010. August 10, 2007

Experts available to discuss bridge collapses - MIT faculty with expertise on bridges and their collapse are available for comment to members of the media. August 2, 2007

Suresh is new dean of engineering - Subra Suresh, the Ford Professor of Engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, will succeed Institute Professor Thomas Magnanti as the next dean of the School of Engineering. Suresh will assume his new role July 23. June 14, 2007

Force, not light, provides images of cell receptors - An MIT team has observed and measured the rate at which individual molecules join and separate from receptors on the cell surface by measuring the force generated by these cell surface interactions. The interactions are not visible with traditional light microscopy. June 13, 2007

Students take Porsche to electric avenue - For the past six months a team of MIT students has spent hundreds of hours converting a sleek Porsche 914 into an electric vehicle. Their goal? To demonstrate the viability of electric vehicle technology and to help clarify what has yet to be done. June 5, 2007

MLK scientist developed solder's 'holy grail' - As a professor of mechanical engineering at Yale, Ainissa G. Ramirez discovered a universal solder, sought by researchers for decades. Ramirez is also dedicated to introducing middle-school kids to scientists through her 'Science Saturdays' program. May 29, 2007

MIT researchers probe bones' tiny building blocks - In work that could lead to more effective diagnoses and treatments of bone diseases using only a pinhead-sized sample of a patient's bone, MIT researchers report a first-of-its-kind analysis of bone's mechanical properties. May 24, 2007

Suresh awarded 2007 European Materials Medal - Subra Suresh, Ford Professor of Engineering and former head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, is the recipient of the 2007 European Materials Medal from the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS). May 16, 2007

Materials science contest starts - The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE) launched the MIT and Dow Materials Engineering Contest (MADMEC), co-sponsored by Dow Chemical Company and DMSE. Proposals for entry in MADMEC are due May 18. May 16, 2007

Pulse Car on display - Pulse Car is a single-passenger, all-electric commuter concept vehicle powered by Professor Yet-Ming Chiang's new generation of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. May 2, 2007

Natural polyester makes new sutures stronger, safer - With the help of a new type of suture based on MIT research, patients who get stitches may never need to have them removed. The novel biopolymer suture is made of materials that can be safely absorbed once the wound is healed. March 22, 2007

Two from MIT win Franklin Institute Awards - MIT Professor Emeritus Klaus Biemann and Professor Merton C. Flemings have won 2007 Franklin Institute Awards, joining the august company of past winners including Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Orville Wright. March 15, 2007

MIT shows how blood cells change shape - For the first time, MIT researchers have developed a dynamic, molecular-level model that describes how red blood cells deform their normal disc shape to pass through vessels that are often much narrower than the cells themselves. March 12, 2007

Model simulates atomic processes in nanomaterials - A research team that includes members from MIT has developed a modeling approach to study how materials behave under stress at the atomic level, which could help engineers design materials with an ideal balance between strength and resistance to failure. March 1, 2007

Hype and hope of a hydrogen economy explored - The pint-sized model car sitting on a classroom table in Building E13 encapsulates the title of the four-part IAP seminar held in January: "Hydrogen: Hype or Hope?" February 7, 2007

MIT improves protein sorting with a new microchip - A new MIT microchip system promises to speed up the separation and sorting of biomolecules such as proteins. The work could help scientists better detect certain molecules associated with diseases, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses. February 5, 2007

Engineered concrete could cut harmful emissions - An MIT team reports that the source of concrete's strength and durability lies in the organization of its nanoparticles--similar to that of stacks of oranges. The discovery could lead to reductions in carbon dioxide emissions during manufacturing. January 30, 2007

Walter Backofen, pioneer of superplasticity, dies at 80 - Walter Alan Backofen, retired MIT professor of metallurgy and materials science, died at his Marblehead home on Dec. 2. He was 80. January 30, 2007

Scientists create wrinkled polymer 'skin' - An MIT scientist and his colleagues at Harvard University and Seoul National University have demonstrated a promising new method for developing wrinkled hard skins on polymers using a focused ion beam. January 25, 2007

Nanocomposites yield strong and stretchy fibers - Creating artificial substances that are both stretchy and strong has long been an elusive engineering goal. Inspired by spider silk, MIT researchers have now devised a way to produce a material that begins to mimic this combination of desirable properties. January 18, 2007

MIT creates 3D scaffold for growing stem cells - An MIT engineer and colleagues report that stem cells grew, multiplied and differentiated into brain cells on their new three-dimensional scaffold of tiny protein fragments designed to be more like a living body than any other cell culture system. December 27, 2006

Austrian honor for Zhang - Shuguang Zhang, associate director of MIT's Center for Biomedical Engineering, recently received Austria's 2006 Wilhelm Exner Medal for outstanding contributions to science and technology from the president of Austria, Heinz Fischer. December 8, 2006

MIT implant measures tumor growth, treatment - A tiny implant containing specially designed nanoparticles now being developed at MIT could one day help doctors rapidly monitor the growth of tumors and the progress of chemotherapy in cancer patients. December 4, 2006

MIT's anti-microbial 'paint' kills flu, bacteria - A new "antimicrobial paint" developed at MIT can kill influenza viruses that land on surfaces coated with it, potentially offering a new weapon in the battle against a disease that kills nearly 40,000 Americans per year. November 30, 2006

Agile new plastics change shape with heat - Researchers at MIT and the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers have invented a class of materials so remarkable for their agility in changing shape as they react to heat, they might be described as acrobatic plastics. November 20, 2006

Work may aid study of collagen ailments - An MIT researcher's mathematical model explains for the first time the distinctive structure of collagen, a material key to healthy human bone, muscles and other tissues. The new model shows collagen's structure from the atomic to the tissue scale. November 14, 2006

Scientific American names Belcher top researcher - Professor Angela Belcher has been named Research Leader of the Year by Scientific American. Three other MIT researchers are also among the magazine's annual list of the nation's top 50 technology leaders. November 6, 2006

Student makes lots of dough -- in the lab - Trevor Shen Kuan Ng rolls dough. He also stretches it like Silly Putty and twirls it like taffy. Ng's Ph.D. thesis concerns the mechanical properties of matter--in this case, dough--and how it behaves when subjected to forces. September 26, 2006

Materials scientists tame tricky carbon nanotubes - Based on a new theory, MIT scientists may be able to manipulate carbon nanotubes -- one of the strongest known materials and one of the trickiest to work with -- without destroying their extraordinary electrical properties. September 15, 2006

Engineers forge greener path to iron production - MIT engineers have demonstrated an eco-friendly way to make iron. The new method eliminates the greenhouse gases usually associated with iron production -- its only byproduct is oxygen. August 25, 2006

Glass Lab is a hot spot for cool designs - Even in the dog days of summer, the Glass Lab in the basement of Building 4 might be the most stifling place on the MIT campus. August 18, 2006

Colleagues honor Langer for 30 years of innovation - Scientific colleagues from across the nation and the world celebrated the contributions made by Institute Professor Robert Langer with a three-day symposium held July 14-16 at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge. July 20, 2006

Sales method pays off for materials scientists - The same computer methods used by online sales sites to suggest books to customers can help predict the crystal structures of materials -- work that could one day influence the design of a range of products, from batteries to airplane wings. July 19, 2006

Experts available to discuss the Big Dig - MIT faculty with expertise on Boston's Big Dig construction project are available for comment to members of the media. July 14, 2006

MIT scientists create fiber webs that see - In a radical departure from conventional lens-based optics, MIT scientists have developed a sophisticated optical system made of mesh-like webs of light-detecting fibers. July 6, 2006

Nanotechnology 'fertile' for energy breakthrough - Thinking small may help solve one of the world's biggest problems -- the need for alternative energy sources -- according to scientists attending the first Energy Nanotechnology International Conference held June 26-28 at MIT. June 30, 2006

Beetle spawns new material - Inspired by a dime-sized beetle, MIT researchers have produced a new material that can capture and control tiny amounts of water. Potential applications include harvesting water, creating cooling devices and decontamination. June 14, 2006

'Pioneering' work earns Suresh honor - The National University of Singapore (NUS) has named MIT Professor Subra Suresh one of two Centennial Professors, the university's most prestigious professorships. June 7, 2006

New material puts its own spin on electronics - Researchers at MIT's Francis Bitter Magnet Lab have developed a novel magnetic semiconductor that may greatly increase the computing power and flexibility of future electronic devices while dramatically reducing their power consumption. May 24, 2006

Students untie mysteries of Incan knots - On Tuesday, May 2, a giant facsimile of a segment of the Xauxa khipu, a bundle of knots the Incas used for a wide variety of record-keeping, was unveiled in the fifth-floor lobby of Building 16. May 9, 2006

Goodstein foresees 'End of the Age of Oil' - Fact or myth: $3 a gallon is an outrageous price to pay for gasoline. Myth, according to David L. Goodstein, author of the 2004 book, "Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil." May 1, 2006

Sigma Xi lecture set for May 2 - Professor Yoel Fink of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Research Laboratory for Electronics will deliver the annual Sigma Xi Lecture on Tuesday, May 2, at the MIT Faculty Club. April 26, 2006

Researchers build tiny batteries with viruses - MIT scientists have harnessed the construction talents of tiny viruses to build ultra-small "nanowire" structures for use in very thin lithium-ion batteries. April 7, 2006

MIT technology used to shrink tumor - Technology developed by MIT researchers is being used to shoot a laser through a spaghetti-thin, flexible fiber to attack tumors and other diseased tissue in highly targeted, minimally invasive surgery. April 5, 2006

MIT makes move toward vehicles that morph - Picture a bird, effortlessly adjusting its wings to catch every current of air. Airplanes that could do the same would have many advantages over today's flying machines, including increased fuel efficiency. March 22, 2006

MIT powers up new battery for hybrid cars - Researchers at MIT have developed a new type of lithium battery that could become a cheaper alternative to the batteries that now power hybrid electric cars. February 16, 2006

MIT lines up battery of options - Better lithium ion batteries, solid-state batteries and new materials that could make rechargeable batteries for electric cars cheaper and safer are among MIT's most recent battery innovations. February 16, 2006

Researchers think small to find safer alloys - MIT researchers have devised a new method for shrinking the size of crystals to make safer metal alloys. The new materials could replace metal coatings such as chromium, which is dangerous for factory workers to produce. February 15, 2006

Belcher awarded new Germeshausen Professorship - Angela M. Belcher, professor of materials science and engineering and biological engineering, has been awarded the Germeshausen Professorship for a five-year period effective Dec. 1, 2005. February 1, 2006

MIT researcher sees big impact of little cracks - An MIT researcher's atom-by-atom simulation of cracks forming and spreading may help explain how materials fail in nanoscale devices, airplanes and even in the Earth itself during a quake. January 18, 2006

Edwin Thomas to head DMSE - Edwin L. "Ned" Thomas, the Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has been appointed head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, effective Jan. 16. December 9, 2005

MIT sleuths discover quick way to new materials - MIT researchers have developed a way to test the mechanical properties of almost 600 different materials in a matter of days -- a task that would have taken weeks using conventional techniques. November 28, 2005

MIT closes in on bionic speed - MIT researchers, led by Professor Sidney Yip, have proposed a new theory that could make robotic muscles 1,000 times faster than human muscles, with virtually no extra energy demands. November 7, 2005

Team borrows metal tool for protein engineering - Scientists have discovered that a tool normally used to improve stainless steel and other metal alloys can be applied to a decidedly nonmetallic substance: protein. October 25, 2005

MIT chosen for national role fighting cancer - The National Cancer Institute announced Monday it has chosen MIT and Harvard University to share one of seven national, multi-institutional hubs it is establishing to rapidly advance the application of nanotechnologies to cancer research. October 4, 2005

Suresh wins major materials science award - A panel of international judges has selected Subra Suresh, the Ford Professor of Engineering and head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, as the 2006 recipient of the Acta Materialia Gold Medal. September 12, 2005

MIT research could clear up foggy problem - Foggy windows and lenses are a nuisance, and in the case of automobile windows, can pose a driving hazard. Now, MIT scientists may have found a permanent solution to the problem. September 8, 2005

Institute Professor Cohen dies - Morris Cohen, a world-renowned metallurgist and MIT institute professor who received both the National Medal of Science and the Kyoto Prize for Advanced Technology, died May 27 at his home in Swampscott, Mass. He was 93. May 31, 2005

DuPont backs MIT research with additional $25M - DuPont Chief Technology Officer Thomas M. Connelly Jr. joined MIT President Susan Hockfield and Provost Robert A. Brown on May 18 to announce continued funding of the DuPont MIT Alliance (DMA), a research program focused on creating innovative, next-generation materials. May 19, 2005

New technique may speed DNA analysis - Just as the printing press revolutionized the creation of reading matter, a "nano-printing" technique developed at MIT could enable the mass production of nano-devices currently built one at a time. May 18, 2005

MIT builds bridge to Milan - MIT has entered into a partnership with Milan Politecnico, Italy's top engineering school, to foster collaboration between the two schools in the fields of materials science, bioengineering and mechanical engineering. April 25, 2005

MIT scientists improve explosives detection - MIT researchers have announced a scientific breakthrough that could greatly improve explosives detection for military and civilian security applications. April 20, 2005

Intelligent plastics change shape with light - Picture a flower that opens when facing the sunlight. In work that mimics that sensitivity to light, an MIT engineer and his German colleagues have created the first plastics that can be deformed and temporarily fixed into shape by light. April 13, 2005

Take a new look at lacquer - Asao Sakamoto, president of Studio Eyes in Japan, will speak on "The Future of Lacquer in Art and Science" on Tuesday, April 12. April 6, 2005

Langer shares $1M Dan David Prize - Institute Professor Robert Langer will share the $1 million 2005 Dan David Prize for his pioneering work in tissue engineering and biomaterials. March 3, 2005

Suresh elected to TWAS - Subra Suresh, the Ford Professor of Engineering and head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, has been elected an Associate Fellow of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). December 15, 2004

Team helps shed light on malaria - A group of researchers, including Subra Suresh, report the most complete characterization yet of how a healthy human blood cell changes its shape upon being invaded by the malaria-inducing parasite Plasmodium falciparum. December 13, 2004

MIT's novel fabrics see the light - In work that could lead to multifunctional textile fabrics and all-optical computer interfaces, MIT researchers report the creation of flexible fibers and fabrics that can not only sense light, but also analyze its colors. October 18, 2004

Recycling of electronics studied - MIT researchers have developed new metrics for assessing the performance of firms that recycle scrapped electronic equipment, a major source of toxic pollutants. October 6, 2004

MIT 'Huck Finns' launch Ecuadorian-style raft - Four MIT students have found their inner Huckleberry Finns this summer, inspired by a comment in a lecture on how metallurgy was introduced to Mexico 1,300 years ago. August 4, 2004

Class branches out - Thanks to an MIT freshman class, visitors to two Boston museums can now see just why a tree can only grow so tall. February 25, 2004

Class branches out - Thanks to an MIT freshman class, visitors to two Boston museums can now see just why a tree can only grow so tall. February 24, 2004

New materials mined - A computational technique used to predict everything is now being applied by MIT engineers and colleagues to the search for new materials. November 19, 2003

MIT engineers mine with computers - A computational technique used to predict everything from books that a given customer might like to the function of an unknown protein is now being applied by MIT engineers and colleagues to the search for new materials. November 18, 2003

MIT has major roles in Columbia investigation - MIT researchers played significant roles in the investigation of the space shuttle Columbia accident, by conducting research that gave insights into exactly what happened. August 29, 2003

Infinite Corridor opening - MIT's latest laboratory along the Infinite Corridor will be the focus of attention on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with a ribbon-cutting to celebrate its completion. August 27, 2003

Materials science awards - All award recipients are materials science and engineering majors. June 4, 2003

New optical fiber carries more power - MIT researchers have created a low-loss optical fiber that may lead to advances in medicine, manufacturing, sensor technology and telecommunications. December 18, 2002

Low-loss optical fiber created - MIT researchers have created a low-loss optical fiber that may lead to advances in medicine, manufacturing, sensor technology and telecommunications. December 11, 2002

Two chairs to honor Flemings - The Department of Materials Science and Engineering has created two new professorships in honor of Professor Emeritus Merton C. Flemings. December 11, 2002

$22.2M grant for outreach - A $22.2 million grant to MIT's Center for Materials Science and Engineering is good news not only for the center but also for other researchers and outreach programs. November 20, 2002

Rechargeable batteries - MIT researchers have transformed a relatively common material, lithium iron phosphate, into one with handsome potential for the next generation of rechargeable batteries in electric cars and other devices. October 30, 2002

Material could impact batteries - MIT researchers have transformed a relatively common material, lithium iron phosphate, into one with handsome potential for the next generation of rechargeable batteries in electric cars and other devices. October 23, 2002

Model predicts material defects - MIT engineers have developed a model to predict a defect's birthplace, its initial features and how it begins to advance through the material. October 2, 2002

Defects in a material can be predicted - MIT engineers have developed a model to predict a defect's birthplace, its initial features and how it begins to advance through the material. October 2, 2002

Materials science student awards - The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE) has announced its student awards for 2001-02. June 12, 2002

MIT probes cartilage on nanoscale - The molecular "bristles" that are key to cartilage function are revealing new secrets, thanks to novel nanoscale mechanical measurements by MIT researchers. June 12, 2002

MIT probes cartilage on nanoscale - MIT researchers to do new studies of molecular "bristles" of cartilage thanks to novel nanoscale mechanical measuremets. June 11, 2002

Making viruses go to work - MIT professor Angela Belcher is using genetically engineered viruses that are noninfectious to humans to mass produce tiny materials for optical, electronic and magnetic devices. May 8, 2002

Viruses make high-tech materials - A researcher reports in the May 3 issue of Science that she used genetically engineered viruses to mass produce tiny materials for next-generation optical, electronic and magnetic devices. May 2, 2002

Mirror fibers could create novel fabrics - MIT researchers have created high-performance mirrors in the shape of hair-like flexible fibers that could be woven into cloth or incorporated in paper. April 24, 2002

Photonic fabrics - MIT researchers have created high-performance mirrors in the shape of hair-like flexible fibers that could be woven into cloth or incorporated in paper. April 23, 2002

Spotlighting nanotechnology - Tiny materials only one to a few nanometers long will be the building blocks of future electronic and optical nanoscale devices. October 31, 2001

Bringing engineering to liberal arts - With a $750,000 grant, the MIT faculty members will use their experience in research and education to introduce materials science and engineering to the curricula of liberal arts colleges. September 12, 2001

Bubbles simulate atoms - The performance of microscopic and nanoscale devices can now be better predicted and improved, thanks to MIT work with a substance familiar to any kid: bubbles. June 13, 2001

Bubbles key to understanding surfaces - Researchers explain how they used soap bubbles to simulate behavior of atoms on and near the surface of material when surface comes in contact with another surface or object. June 11, 2001

Materials science honors 11 - The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE) presented awards to 11 students. June 6, 2001

Rubner named head of CMSE - Michael F. Rubner, associate director of the Center for Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE) since 1999, has been appointed director of the center, effective January 1. February 14, 2001