Materials Research (DMR) Discoveries

NSF's public investment in science, engineering, education and technology helps to create knowledge and sustain prosperity. Read here about the Internet, microbursts, Web browsers, extrasolar planets, and more... a panoply of discoveries and innovations that began with NSF support.

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		How to Make Adhesive as Good as a Gecko Materials scientist Ali Dhinojwala and his team use nanotechnology to develop adhesive tapes that stick better than a gecko’s foot Released  October 16, 2008
		Students Give High Marks to First U.S.-Japan Glass Science School Meeting brings U.S. university students and researchers together with their Japanese counterparts to talk about new developments and potential collaborations in glass research Released  August 21, 2008
		Brightest X-ray Vision at the Nano-scale Superconducting 'universal toolkit' for scientists, engineers will conserve energy, too Released  June 6, 2008
		2007: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities reported last year Released  January 30, 2008
		New Coating Could Prevent Infection From Surgical Tools and Implants Development of penicillin-coated surfaces could save thousands of lives from infection Released  September 7, 2007
		The Science of All Things Squishy NSF-funded Emory researcher shares the excitement of cutting-edge physics phenomena with kids of all ages Released  August 16, 2007
		The Surprising Truth Behind the Construction of the Great Pyramids Were the stone blocks carved from natural limestone or cast with an early version of concrete? A materials science research team provides evidence to answer this age-old mystery. Released  May 18, 2007
		Berkeley Nanotechnology Pioneer to Receive $500,000 Waterman Award Annual prize from NSF recognizes outstanding young individual who is revolutionizing research Released  May 15, 2007
		Minuscule Generators Convert Motion Into Nanoscale Electricity Source Energy from tiny movements, ultrasound waves and even bloodflow can charge the devices Released  April 5, 2007
		Getting a Feel for the Nano World New models help introduce the blind to careers in nanoscale science and engineering Released  March 27, 2007
		Hydrogen-Powered Lawnmowers? New design could open door to small-scale fuel cells Released  January 22, 2007
		2006: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported activities highlighted last year Released  January 9, 2007
		Vitamin C and Water Not Just Healthy for People -- Healthy for Plastics, too New manufacturing techniques may lead to cheaper, "greener" plastics Released  October 23, 2006
		Fueling Ideas in Global Environmental Collaboration Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute melds student teams and experts for a fresh look at fuel cell design and emissions control Released  October 18, 2006
		Nanotubes Not for Toothpaste . . . Yet Researchers Squeeze Even Rock-Hard Materials Through Minuscule Carbon Tubes Released  July 25, 2006
		Purple Haze Ancient pigment reveals secrets about unusual state of matter Released  July 11, 2006
		Researchers Create New Organic Gel Nanomaterials Materials are chemically reversible and environmentally benign Released  July 7, 2006
		Crystal Sieves, Born Anew Hard data resolves decades-old mystery of how certain zeolites form Released  April 17, 2006
		Nanogenerators May Spark Miniature Machines Devices convert simple motion into electricity Released  April 13, 2006
		Waterproof Superglue May Be Strongest in Nature Bacterial adhesive is 2-3 times stronger than common commercial glues Released  April 11, 2006
		Device Only Atoms Across May Allow Infinitesimal But Powerful Computers Single-molecule diode may change Moore's "law" of microchip memory Released  April 3, 2006
		New Process Builds Electronics Into Optical Fiber Advance could lead to building a range of devices inside tiny light transmitters Released  March 16, 2006
		Modified Collagen Could Be a Boon for Medicine Altered protein could help shape the growth of engineered tissue Released  September 20, 2005
		A New Technique for High-Precision Nanomanufacturing Released  August 25, 2005
		Carbon Nanotubes Made to Stick Like a Gecko's Foot Released  August 15, 2005
		A "Smart" Bio-Nanotube Novel structure made from cell components could deliver drugs, genes on command Released  August 9, 2005
		The Shifty Nature of Grains Qualities of granular materials provide insight into both nature and industry Released  June 22, 2005
		Nano-engineered Powders Tackle Toxic Chemicals Thirsty grains act fast to clean up messes Released  April 28, 2005
		Molecular Self-Assembly Technique May Mimic How Cells Assemble Themselves Researchers have created tree-like molecules that assemble themselves into precisely structured building blocks of a quarter-million atoms. Such structures may help build nanostructures for molecular electronics or photonics materials. Released  July 30, 2004
		Triangles, Not Circles, Make Optimal Faucets It had long been assumed that circular nozzles, such as those used by ink-jet printers to deposit tiny droplets of ink, were the best shapes for the job. Now, mathematicians at Harvard University have shown that triangular may be the way to go. Released  July 30, 2004