MRSEC: Multifunctional Nanoscale Material Structures

西北大学MRSEC支持创新研究和教育，强调对社会具有潜在好处的基础材料科学和工程问题。这项研究的主题是“多功能纳米材料结构”，涉及材料的合成、加工、表征、理论和建模。除了培养多样化的研究生群体外，西北大学MRSEC还提供一些课程，帮助下一代更好地了解他们周围的世界。通过中心开发的材料世界模块计划，向高中生介绍以探究为基础的材料科学。这个MRSEC每年在暑期研究项目中教育数十名本科生和高中教师。西北MRSEC拥有合作的国际研究项目，并建立了MRSEC与国际知名美术馆之间的第一个计划；通过芝加哥艺术学院-西北大学保护科学计划，MRSEC有助于了解我们的文化遗产的材料科学方面。MRSEC由以下跨学科研究小组(IRGS)组成：IRG#1多功能氧化物陶瓷系统中的线性和非线性协同现象-研究和开发氧化物材料的独特属性，同时产生两种或两种以上功能(电子、光子和磁性)。IRG#2纳米结构聚合物共混物和纳米复合材料的新加工路线-研究和利用非平衡机械力和平衡热力学对梯度共聚、热可逆凝胶浇注和固态剪切粉碎所产生的聚合物共混物和复合材料的纳米级结构和宏观性能的作用。IRG#3等离子体和基于分子的电子学：基础和新工具-研究充当等离子体开关的纳米颗粒，并开发纳米级光学表征工具，用于研究位于分子基电子学核心的导体-分子-导体结。该中心的参与者目前包括32名高级研究员、4名博士后助理和来自6个系的20名研究生。约翰·托克尔森教授是MRSEC的负责人。

The Northwestern University MRSEC supports innovative research and education emphasizing fundamental materials science and engineering issues that have potential benefits to society. This research effort shares the theme of "Multifunctional Nanoscale Material Structures," that involve materials synthesis, processing, characterization, theory and modeling. In addition to educating a diverse group of graduate students, the Northwestern MRSEC offers programs that prepare coming generations to better understand the world around them. High school students are introduced to inquiry-based materials science through the Center-developed Materials World Modules program. This MRSEC educates several dozen undergraduates and high school teachers annually in summer research programs. The Northwestern MRSEC has collaborative international research programs and has established the first program between a MRSEC and an internationally renowned art museum; via the Art Institute of Chicago-Northwestern University Program in Conservation Science, the MRSEC contributes to an understanding of the materials science aspects of our cultural heritageThe MRSEC consists of the following Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs): IRG #1 Synergistic Linear and Nonlinear Phenomena in Multifunctional Oxide Ceramic Systems - that studies and exploits the unique attributes of oxide materials that result simultaneously in two or more functionalities (electronic, photonic, and magnetic). IRG #2 Novel Processing Routes to Nanostructured Polymer Blends and Nanocomposites - that studies and exploits the roles of non-equilibrium mechanical forces and equilibrium thermodynamics on the nanoscale structure and macroscale properties of polymer blends and composites resulting from gradient copolymerization, thermoreversible gelcasting, and solid-state shear pulverization. IRG #3 Plasmonics and Molecular Based Electronics: Fundamentals and New Tools - that studies nanoparticles that act as plasmonic switches and develops nanoscale optical characterization tools for investigating conductor-molecule-conductor junctions that lie at the heart of molecule based electronics Participants in the Center currently include 32 senior investigators, 4 postdoctoral associates, and 20 graduate students from six departments. Professor John Torkelson directs the MRSEC.