In some human-interactive electronics, such as temperature gauges or health sensors, polymers are used that are capable of changing color depending on stimuli. A team of researchers recently discovered a helicoidal-shaped defect in layered polymers, uncovering how solvents can diffuse through these layers and produce these color changes.
Jessica Zamarripa ‘20 has received two prestigious awards, the 2022 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship and the National GEM Consortium Ph.D. Engineering and Science Fellowship, in recognition of her academic excellence and achievements.
Using laser powder bed fusion, a 3D-printing technique, researchers developed a shape memory alloy with superior tensile superelasticity. These nickel-titanium shape memory alloys have the potential to be used in the biomedical and aerospace industries.
Materials engineering is an applied field that seeks to design materials with some desired physical properties to serve a particular engineering function.