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Research
There has never been a more exciting time to obtain a graduate degree in Materials Science and Engineering. Recent breakthroughs in materials research are obliterating traditional boundaries between materials classes and are creating new technological opportunities. We provide graduate students unique opportunities for one-on-one interaction with faculty members at the forefront of their fields and synergistic transdisciplinary interactions with each other as they engage in ground-breaking research.
Materials research at Rensselaer is supported by centrally administered characterization and processing facilities with the state-of-the-art equipment. Examples include dedicated suites for electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), scanning probe microscopy (AFM, STM), electron, x-ray, and optical spectroscopy (XPS, AES, Raman, IR), thermal analysis and mechanical testing, and a wide array of synthesis and processing tools. Additionally, we have access to one of the country’s largest class- 100 clean rooms in academia, and house the 5th largest computation facility in the world.
Current research themes focus on discovering, synthesizing, processing, assembling, and characterizing novel materials for pivotal and emerging technologies; understanding atomistic and molecular level phenomena, and relating them to key mechanical, electrical, optical, and magnetic properties through experiment and computational modeling. Examples of materials systems include: nanomaterials, biomaterials, electronic materials, metals, polymers, ceramics, and nanocomposites in bulk and thin film forms. Our research impacts many fields such as nanoelectronics, optical and magnetic devices, high strength and high temperature structures, biochemical sensing, and energy generation, conversion, and storage. Furthermore our research programs serve as platforms for interdisciplinary learning and collaborations across many fields of science and engineering.
Research Areas
Research Centers
The Department of Materials Science & Engineering faculty work in many interdisciplinary research centers, including one of only six Centers for Nanotechnology in the country.
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Polymers
Research focuses on polymer reaction engineering including devolatilization and heat transfer. Current work emphasizes bulk polymerizations in tubular reactors and segregation phenomena in stirred tank reactors.
Additional Links:
View Polymer Research Topic
NSF IGERT On Fuel Cells
Working in the broader context of "Global Energy Security", MS&E faculty are working on:
- fuel cell development,
- hydrogen generation and storage,
- electrochemistry,
- solid state and polymer science,
- and the application of nano-materials in fuel cell and hydrogen research
Center for Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Research
Additional Links:
NSF IGERT Fellowship - New Ph.D. program in the Engineering, Science, and Entrepreneurship of Fuel Cells
Nanomaterials
As part of Rensselaer's core research area of nanotechnolgy, MS&E faculty are working on a variety of ground-breaking initiatives in nanotechnology. Highlights include:
- Creating novel materials and devices that can, for example, create stronger and more durable plastics, enable high capacity energy and information storage devices, and produce flame-retardant plastics for planes and automobiles.
Research areas include:
- advanced materials and coatings,
- biosciences and biotechnology,
- nanoelectronics, microelectronics, and nanosystems.
Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center
Additional Links:
MS&E faculty - Nanotechnology
Material Properties
MS&E faculty are working on range of issues related to the mechanical, physical and electronic properties of materials. Topics include:
- Composite Materials Faculty
- Glass Materials Faculty
- Materials for Microelectronic Systems Faculty
- Materials Processing Faculty
- Metals Faculty
Computational Modeling
Computational modeling at the MSE department focuses on atomic and mesoscale-level modeling of materials emphasizing the relationships between material microstucture and various properties, and well as kinetics of the microstructure development. Specific efforts include atomistic modeling of thermal transport at nanoscale applied to nanocrystalline materials, nanocomposites and biomolecular environments. Another focus is on predicting and understanding conformation and dynamics of macromolecules at interfaces applied to polymer composites, polymer solutions and thin films. Mesoscale level studies use phase-field-based models to address kinetic processes driven by surface tension, as is the case for microstructure evolution, phase transition and phase separation, and lipid membrane dynamics. The modeling programs in the MSE department are coupled with a number of campus wide efforts including those associated with the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center, the Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations and the Scientific Computation Research Center and involve multiple interdisciplinary programs with faculty from Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics and Chemistry departments.
Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations
Additional Links:
Computational Modeling Faculty
Biomaterials
As part of Rensselaer's core initiative in Biotechnology Research, MS&E faculty are working with researchers at the NSF Center for the Directed Assembly of Nanostructures. They are part of a pioneering group that are examining the effects of nanotechnology in tissue engineering.
Additional Links:
MS&E faculty - Biomaterials
To Find Out More Go To: http://www.eng.rpi.edu.eng
Research Topics
Materials Science and Engineering faculty work across many discipliness, select a research topic from the list below to get a list of the faculty working in those areas:
- Advanced Materials
- Applied Mechanics/Mechanics of Materials
- Biomaterials
- Biomedical Engineering
- Biotechnology
- Cellular Engineering
- Ceramic Materials
- Composite Materials
- Computational Modeling
- Crystals
- Data Mining and Knowledge Acquisitions
- Electrocatalysts
- Electrochemical devices
- Electronic Devices
- Electronic Materials
- Energy
- Energy Systems/Multiphase Phenomena
- Entrepreneurship
- Extracellular Matrix and Tissue Engineering
- Flexible Manufacturing
- Fuel Cells
- Functional Tissue Engineering
- Glass Materials
- Heat Transfer
- High Voltage Engineering and Dielectric Phenomena
- High-Temperature Kinetics
- Industrial Engineering
- Integrated Electronics
- Interfacial Phenomena
- Lasers
- Manufacturing and Service Operations
- Manufacturing Processes
- Manufacturing/Design
- Mass Transport
- Materials for Microelectronic Systems
- Materials IT
- Materials Processing
- Membrane Processes
- Metallurgy
- Microelectronics Technology
- Microgravity
- Microstructures
- Modeling
- Molecular Simulations
- Nanomaterials
- Nanotechnology
- Nuclear Science and Technology
- Optoelectronics
- Particles
- Plasma Science
- Plastics
- Polymers
- Process Control and Design
- Radiation
- Reliability
- Semiconductors
- Sensors
- Silicon
- Simulation
- Solar Energy
- Solid Mechanics
- Thermodynamics
- Thin Film
- Tissue Engineering
- Tissue-Implant Interfaces
- Tribology
- Wound Healing
Did you know?
Rensselaer's Department of Materials Science and Engineering...
- one of the oldest materials departments in the country,
- has consistently ranked among the top 15 Departments in the United States,
- committed to the educational process, to individual mentoring, and to academic excellence,
- offers many Undergraduate & Graduate courses in an interactive, hands-on format, and
- provides opportunities for undergraduate research.