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1. Grand Challenge or Oxymoron? Codes and Standards Development for Nonconventional Materials

   Harries, K.A.; Ben Alon, L.; Sharma, B. (January 2019, 18th International Conference on Non-Conventional Materials and Technologies (18NOCMAT))

   Development of construction and materials standards serve technical, social and economic objectives. Most significantly, standards are required for the acceptance of materials by the engineering community. This paper contrasts the characteristics of codes and standards, and their development, for engineered materials and those for nonconventional and vernacular materials. Challenges associated with code and standard development for these materials are highlighted and discussed through case studies. Recommendations for approaches to codes and standards development for nonconventional and vernacular materials are presented. 

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2. A Model for Materials Science in Physics and Chemistry Curricula and Research at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution

   https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2017.96  

   Burnett, Brandon; Inglefield, Colin; Rabosky, Kristin (January 2017, MRS Advances)

   ABSTRACT Materials science skills and knowledge, as an addition to the traditional curricula for physics and chemistry students, can be highly valuable for transition to graduate study or other career paths in materials science. The chemistry and physics departments at Weber State University (WSU) are harnessing an interdisciplinary approach to materials science undergraduate research. These lecture and laboratory courses, and capstone experiences are, by design, complementary and can be taken independently of one another and avoid unnecessary overlap or repetition. Specifically, we have a senior level materials theory course and a separate materials characterization laboratory course in the physics department, and a new lecture/laboratory course in the chemistry department. The chemistry laboratory experience emphasizes synthesis, while the physics lab course is focused on characterization techniques. Interdisciplinary research projects are available for students in both departments at the introductory or senior level. Using perovskite materials for solar cells, WSU is providing a framework of different perspectives in materials: making materials, the micro- and macrostructure of materials, and the interplay between materials to create working electronic devices. Metal-halide perovskites, a cutting-edge technology in the solar industry, allow WSU to showcase that undergraduate research can be relevant and important. The perovskite materials are made in the chemistry department and characterized in the physics department. The students involved directly organize the collaborative exchange of samples and data, working together to design experiments building ownership over the project and its outcomes. We will discuss the suite of options available to WSU students, how we have designed these curricula and research, as well as some results from students who have gone through the programs. 

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3. Engineered assistive materials for 3D bioprinting: support baths and sacrificial inks

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/ac6bbe  

   Brunel, Lucia G; Hull, Sarah M; Heilshorn, Sarah C (May 2022, Biofabrication)

   Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a promising technique for spatially patterning cells and materials into constructs that mimic native tissues and organs. However, a trade-off exists between printability and biological function, where weak materials are typically more suited for 3D cell culture but exhibit poor shape fidelity when printed in air. Recently, a new class of assistive materials has emerged to overcome this limitation and enable fabrication of more complex, biologically relevant geometries, even when using soft materials as bioinks. These materials include support baths, which bioinks are printed into, and sacrificial inks, which are printed themselves and then later removed. Support baths are commonly yield-stress materials that provide physical confinement during the printing process to improve resolution and shape fidelity. Sacrificial inks have primarily been used to create void spaces and pattern perfusable networks, but they can also be combined directly with the bioink to change its mechanical properties for improved printability or increased porosity. Here, we outline the advantages of using such assistive materials in 3D bioprinting, define their material property requirements, and offer case study examples of how these materials are used in practice. Finally, we discuss the remaining challenges and future opportunities in the development of assistive materials that will propel the bioprinting field forward toward creating full-scale, biomimetic tissues and organs. 

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4. Computational Studies of Electrode Materials in Sodium‐Ion Batteries

   https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201702998  

   Bai, Qiang; Yang, Lufeng; Chen, Hailong; Mo, Yifei (March 2018, Advanced Energy Materials)

   Abstract Sodium‐ion batteries have attracted extensive interest as a promising solution for large‐scale electrochemical energy storage, owing to their low cost, materials abundance, good reversibility, and decent energy density. For sodium‐ion batteries to achieve comparable performance to current lithium‐ion batteries, significant improvements are still required in cathode, anode, and electrolyte materials. Understanding the functioning and degradation mechanisms of the materials is essential. Computational techniques have been widely applied in tandem with experimental investigations to provide crucial fundamental insights into electrode materials and to facilitate the development of materials for sodium‐ion batteries. Herein, the authors review computational studies on electrode materials in sodium‐ion batteries. The authors summarize the current state‐of‐the‐art computational techniques and their applications in investigating the structure, ordering, diffusion, and phase transformation in cathode and anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries. The unique capability and the obtained knowledge of computational studies as well as the perspectives for sodium‐ion battery materials are discussed in this review. 

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5. Organic Haptics: Intersection of Materials Chemistry and Tactile Perception

   https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201906850  

   Lipomi, Darren_J; Dhong, Charles; Carpenter, Cody_W; Root, Nicholas_B; Ramachandran, Vilayanur_S (October 2019, Advanced Functional Materials)

   Abstract The goal of the field of haptics is to create technologies that manipulate the sense of touch. In virtual and augmented reality, haptic devices are for touch what loudspeakers and RGB displays are for hearing and vision. Haptic systems that utilize micromotors or other miniaturized mechanical devices (e.g., for vibration and pneumatic actuation) produce interesting effects, but are quite far from reproducing the feeling of real materials. They are especially deficient in recapitulating surface properties: fine texture, friction, viscoelasticity, tack, and softness. The central argument of this progress report is that in order to reproduce the feel of everyday objects, molecular control must be established over the properties of materials; ultimately, such control will enable the design of materials which can change these properties in real time. Stimuli‐responsive organic materials, such as polymers and composites, are a class of materials which can change their oxidation state, conductivity, shape, and rheological properties, and thus might be useful in future haptic technologies. Moreover, the use of such materials in research on tactile perception could help elucidate the limits of human tactile sensitivity. The work described represents the beginnings of this new area of inquiry, in which the defining approach is the marriage of materials science and psychology. 

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