MIT Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC)

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The underlying mission of the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will enable - through interdisciplinary fundamental research, innovative educational outreach programs, and directed knowledge transfer - the development and understanding of new materials, structures, and theories that can impact the current and future needs of society. The Center supports a broad-based interdisciplinary research program. The research is conducted in three interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). These include Design of Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion (IRG I), which seeks to accurately model, predict, and determine how thermodynamics, phase behavior, and kinetics are modified at the nanoscale, and will use the resultant knowledge to design materials with energy and power-delivery capabilities far superior to those currently available. IRG II on Mechanomutable Heteronanomaterials aims to develop multicomponent polymeric systems with mechanical properties that can be changed on-demand for possible use in sensors and biological applications. Multimaterial Multifunctional Nano-Structured Fibers (IRG III) explores the design, fabrication, characterization, and physical phenomena of a new class of multicomponent nanoscale fiber materials containing conductors, semiconductors (glassy and crystalline) and insulators. In addition there are two Initiative Projects: Engineering Living Cells via Nanomaterials (Initiative I) and New States of Frustrated and Correlated Materials (Initiative II). The first initiative seeks to develop a fundamental understanding of how functionalized polymer multilayers can be integrated with living cells in a manner that preserves cell viability, and allows for new synthetically engineered functionality, whereas the second seeks to synthesize, characterize and examine the fundamental spin physics of new, single crystal materials based on a two-dimensional triangular and kagomé lattice. The Center has a strong, wide-ranging education program directed toward graduate students, undergraduates, middle and high school students and K-12 teachers. Emphasis is placed on including underrepresented minorities in these programs. The education activities enjoy the broad participation of MIT students and faculty and are closely linked to complementary programs in other MIT administrative units. The Center operates shared facilities, including 1) a Materials Analysis Facility, 2) a Crystal Growth and Preparation Facility, 3) an Electron Microscopy Facility, and 4) an X-ray Diffraction Facility. The Center has an effective industrial outreach program, facilitated by a relationship with MIT's Industrial Liaison Program and Materials Processing Center.