Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

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Nontechnical Abstract: The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center - MRSEC - hosted by the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter at the University of Pennsylvania, is a national focal point for materials research and education. The MRSEC provides crucial support for faculty, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students, all drawn from different disciplines, to tackle complex materials projects that require multidisciplinary collaboration for success. Three distinct interdisciplinary research groups proceed in parallel, to develop ways to make glasses less fragile, produce fiber networks which chemically reconfigure in response to stress, and explore new ways to combine and utilize nanocrystals and liquid crystals. The Center community also builds state-of-the-art shared experimental facilities for materials measurement, and it hosts a range of activities that target K-16 to PhD students, post-docs, teachers, regional academic, industrial and governmental scientists, and the general public, emphasizing inclusion of underrepresented minorities and women. Finally, besides providing unique interdisciplinary training for PhDs and post-docs in fields critical for US technological competitiveness, the Center generates discoveries, concepts and intellectual property useful for start-ups and established companies. Technical Abstract: The Penn Materials Research Science and Engineering Center - MRSEC - facilitates core research of three collaborative and multidisciplinary Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs). IRG-1, Rearrangements and Softness in Disordered Solids, develops fundamental understanding of the organization and proliferation of particle-scale rearrangements in disordered solids deformed beyond the onset of yield; in the process, it identifies strategies for controlling nonlinear mechanical response and enhancing toughness. IRG-2, Structural Chemo-Mechanics of Fibrous Networks, utilizes the nonlinear mechanical responses of fibrous materials to manipulate chemical reactions; these reactions, which are locally controlled by macroscopic stresses applied to the network (chemo-mechanics), offer new means to create novel self-reinforcing and sensing materials. IRG-3, Pluperfect Nanocrystal Architectures, harnesses the interplay of surface chemistry and geometric cues at the nano-scale for organizing nanocrystals into architectures on hard (fabricated) and in soft (reconfigurable) materials that break from structural periodicity to impart novel optical and magnetic response. The research encompasses soft- and hard-matter, and biomaterials. The discoveries and understanding generated underpin future technologies, thereby informing industry, stimulating economy, and offering benefits to society at large. The MRSEC is a national leader in developing a competitive and diverse science and engineering work force in demand by academe, government and industry. It hosts activities that target K-16 to PhD students, post-docs, teachers, regional academic, industrial & governmental scientists, and the general public, emphasizing inclusion of underrepresented minorities and women. Vibrant undergraduate and high school summer programs, Science Cafes, and major partnerships with minority-serving institutions are also included.