NYU Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

*非技术摘要*纽约大学MRSEC研究分子和粒子组织成材料的途径。一种方法强调加工的作用，并利用新的见解，即组织不必是有序的，无序不必是纯粹的随机的，并且由多个尺度上的随机组织产生的材料可以具有超过晶体的性质。另一种是试图阐明复杂分子结晶的机制，以及晶体中的缺陷如何调节它们的生长。这些活动将科学家、工程师和数学家联合起来，努力探索从分子到宏观尺度的材料。他们的目标是了解和改善材料的性能，如食品、陶瓷、水泥、药物配方、有机显示器、太阳能电池和许多其他技术，着眼于优化机械强度和抗断裂能力，改善电子、光或热的传输，并稳定治疗剂。纽约大学MRSEC运营着几个惠及K-12学生和纽约市社区的项目，让学生和教师接触材料科学的概念，为高中生提供暑期研究项目，在移动实验室教授材料科学课程和教师培训，并制作广播质量的科学视频。MRSEC为来访的本科生和教职员工提供暑期研究项目，这些学生大多来自四年制大学和为少数族裔服务的机构。MRSEC致力于收购和运营最先进的仪器设施，包括几个电子、光学和全息显微镜，为纽约大学和其他地方的用户提供独特的能力。该中心通过国内和国际合作者以及技术合作伙伴和创业活动的网络扩大其影响。*技术摘要*纽约大学MRSEC将纽约大学的六个部门和关键机构的合作者联合在一个围绕两个跨学科研究小组的项目中：无序材料随机组织(IRG 1)和分子晶体生长机制(IRG 2)。IRG 1研究了被驱离平衡的系统如何演化到动态重排停止的吸收状态，探索在外部和内部驱动下，颗粒、多组分和活性材料中出现的结构和关联，特别是吸收状态的结构和关联。一个关键的目标是优化材料的性能，如屈服强度和光子能带结构，以及开发活性材料，如光学可重构胶体和活性可伸展粘弹性液体。IRG 2研究分子晶体生长的基础科学，这是制药、有机电子学和其他技术的重要兴趣领域。IRG促进了对晶体生长科学和工程的基本方面的理解，研究了成核、位错的产生和结构、在单元细胞水平上的多步组装以及分子晶体中非经典形态的起源。IRG 2将理论建模、计算机模拟和实验相结合，开发了晶体结构和自由能的预测模型，并研究了晶体生长的动力学方面。

****Nontechnical abstract****The New York University MRSEC investigates the pathways by which molecules and particles can be organized into materials. One approach emphasizes the role of processing and harnesses new insights that organization need not be orderly, that disorder need not be purely random, and that the materials arising from random organization across multiple scales can have properties surpassing those of crystals. Another seeks to elucidate the mechanisms by which complex molecules crystallize and how defects in crystals can regulate their growth. These activities unite scientists, engineers and mathematicians in an effort to explore materials from the molecular to the macroscopic scale. Their goal is to understand and improve the properties of materials such as food, ceramics, cements, pharmaceutical formulations, organic displays, solar cells, and a host of other technologies, with an eye toward optimizing mechanical strength and fracture resistance, improving the transport of electrons, light or heat, and stabilizing therapeutic agents. The NYU MRSEC operates several programs that benefit K-12 students and the New York City community, exposing students and teachers to materials science concepts, providing summer research programs for high school students, delivering materials science lessons and teacher training on a mobile laboratory, and producing broadcast-quality science videos. The MRSEC operates a summer research program for visiting undergraduates and faculty, largely from four-year colleges and minority-serving institutions. The MRSEC contributes to the acquisition and operation of state-of-the-art instrumentation facilities, including several electron, optical, and holographic microscopies that provide unique capabilities for users at NYU and beyond. The Center expands its impact through a network of national and international collaborators, as well as technology partners and entrepreneurial activities.****Technical abstract****The NYU MRSEC unites six NYU Departments and collaborators from key institutions in a project that revolves around two interdisciplinary research groups: Random Organization of Disordered Materials (IRG 1) and Molecular Crystal Growth Mechanisms (IRG 2). IRG 1 investigates how systems driven out of equilibrium evolve towards absorbing states in which dynamic rearrangement ceases, exploring the structures and correlations that arise in granular, multicomponent and active materials under external and internal driving, particularly those of the absorbing states. A key goal is the optimization of material properties such as yield strength and photonic band structure, and the development of active materials such as optically reconfigurable colloids and active extensile viscoelastic liquids. IRG 2 investigates the fundamental science of molecular crystal growth, an area of vital interest for pharmaceuticals, organic electronics, and other technologies. The IRG advances the understanding of essential aspects of crystal growth science and engineering, investigating nucleation, dislocation generation and structure, multi-step assembly at the unit cell level, and origins of non-classical morphologies in molecular crystals. IRG 2 combines theoretical modeling, computer simulation, and experiment to develop predictive models of crystal structure and free energy and to investigate the dynamic aspects of crystal growth.