materials science and engineering

Dec 11, 2014

Stacking two-dimensional materials may lower cost of semiconductor devices

A team of researchers led by NC State University has found that stacking materials that are only one atom thick can create semiconductor junctions that transfer charge efficiently, regardless of whether the crystalline structure of the materials is mismatched – lowering the manufacturing cost for a wide variety of semiconductor devices such as solar cells, lasers and LEDs. 

Dec 10, 2014

New ‘high-entropy’ alloy is as light as aluminum, as strong as titanium alloys

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Qatar University have developed a new “high-entropy” metal alloy that has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than any other existing metal material. 

Dec 9, 2014

Three Engineering faculty members named Fellow by AAAS

Three members of the faculty in the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University have been awarded the distinction of Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 

Dec 9, 2014

Moving toward a cheaper, better catalyst for hydrogen production

Hydrogen could be an important source of clean energy, and the cleanest way to produce hydrogen gas is to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The catalyst currently used to facilitate this reaction is platinum. MoS2 is a promising, much cheaper alternative to platinum, but its catalytic performance is far worse than platinum’s. Researchers at NC State have been trying to find ways to improve MoS2’s catalytic performance. 

Nov 13, 2014

Researchers find new way to move atomically thin semiconductors for use in extremely flexible devices

NC State researchers have developed a new way to transfer thin semiconductor films, which are only one atom thick, onto arbitrary substrates, paving the way for flexible computing or photonic devices. 

Oct 8, 2014

Report outlines efforts to boost diversity in materials science and engineering community

The field of materials science and engineering suffers from a significant lack of ethnic and racial diversity. A new report from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation acknowledges the problem and lays the groundwork for actions by universities, federal agencies and the private sector that will hopefully make the field more diverse. 

Sep 11, 2014

Researchers create world’s largest DNA origami

Researchers from North Carolina State University, Duke University and the University of Copenhagen have created the world’s largest DNA origami, which are nanoscale constructions with applications ranging from biomedical research to nanoelectronics. 

Sep 4, 2014

Titania-based material holds promise as new insulator for superconductors

Research from NC State University shows that a type of modified titania, or titanium dioxide, holds promise as an electrical insulator for superconducting magnets, allowing heat to dissipate while preserving the electrical paths along which current flows. 

Sep 17, 2013

Smaller than small: Why we measure the space between atoms

We study the movement of incredibly small things. How small is small? Think smaller than “nano.” Think smaller than atoms themselves. We measure the infinitesimally small shifts in the positions of atoms to electrical forces. Measuring small is challenging, but rewarding.