2000 Summary of Engineering Research
J.H. Weaver, Head
201 Materials Science and Engineering Building
1304 W. Green St.
Urbana
Urbana 61801-2920 · 217-333-1441
A materials science and engineering revolution is underway that will be a key factor in determining the outcome of global economic competition as we enter the 21st century. Within the last several decades, the dominant materials of our society have been rapidly supplemented or replaced by new and better systems. Computer modeling and simulation are playing increasingly important roles in improving designs of advanced materials and processes. The ability to tailor properties for function are making improved products possible at minimal cost.
Knowledge of the atomic, crystalline, and microstructural characteristics of materials and use of this knowledge in the design and synthesis of new materials receive major emphasis in the research programs of the department. Equally challenging is the understanding of how these materials may be formed into useful shapes and devices.
In the area of ceramics, new scientifically based methods of fabricating optimized ceramic microstructures and macrostructures provides the underpinnings for a wide range of research topics such as new high-temperature superconductors, deposition of ultrahard diamond films, and toughened cements and concrete.
Work in the area of metals ranges from studies on high-performance steels to basic research on intermetallic compounds and nanophase materials. Fundamental studies on corrosion of metals in gaseous environments are underway to interpret the very complex surface reactions between metals and gases such as oxygen, hydrogen, or nitrogen.
Polymer research is directed at materials that tend to self-assemble in the melt or solution and can then be fabricated into shapes with outstanding mechanical properties. New kinds of biodegradable polymers are being studied with the goal of designing systems that facilitate disposal of plastics.
Studies of electronic materials include advanced research on processes to deposit single layers of molecules to tailor the properties of semiconductor devices. This knowledge will be of great value in the design of optical and magnetic devices.
New kinds of composites consisting of high-strength, modulus fibers embedded in metal, ceramic, or organic matrices are being explored with the goal of providing the foundations for the next generation of high-performance structural materials.
To meet the challenges of training and educating materials scientists for the future, a completely new curriculum has been designed for the undergraduate and graduate students in the department. As part of this program collaborative research is pursued with groups in aeronautical, chemical, civil, and mechanical engineering, physics, and chemistry.
2000 Summary of Engineering Research
