The challenge of plastic pollution in our environment will be a defining issue in the coming decades. To address this problem, scientists have developed a host of next generation biodegradable plastics that have the potential to improve the sustainability of single use products. Among these are a class of materials called PHAs which are of particular interest as their microorganism origins are also the means of their decomposition. Join us for a discussion with Nick Sandland as we explore the...

There’s more to a material’s microstructure than meets the eye! In this episode of the Materialism Podcast we dive into the world of Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) characterization, and discuss some of the important properties you can measure with it including grain size, phase distribution, texture, and more! To help us navigate this topic, we sat down with Stuart Wright and Matt Nowell from AMETEK who lend us decades of experience and intimate knowledge of the technique to provide...

Meeting the demands of next-generation technologies will require materials to be designed and qualified at faster rates than ever before. The ICME (integrated computational materials engineering) approach is at the forefront of this innovation, blending advanced computational modeling with experimental validation to accelerate the development of new materials and open up the possibility of concurrent design. In this episode, we sit down with Jason Sebastian from QuesTek to learn how they have...

Examining the inside of a material is often a destructive process that risks obscuring or deforming critical details. However, advances in computed tomography have opened new opportunities to obtain high resolution, three-dimensional reconstructions of materials in a non-destructive manner. Through this technique materials scientists can now identify cracks and voids in materials without the need for mounting and polishing, observe processes like battery degradation and dendrite growth in...

The ability to avoid detection is one of the most useful tricks of modern day combat aviation. In this episode we dive into some of the history of various stealth endeavors ranging from painting ships with fun stripes to creating radioactive fuel additives. All culminating in a discussion of the materials that make a plane stealthy. References: History of Radar [LINK] How do radars work? [LINK] Radar and the kill web [LINK] Review of Radar Absorbing Materials [LINK] Synthesis of radar...

Taylor sits down with Dr. Hayden Evans of NIST and Sir Dr. Anthony Cheetham of UCSB/Cambridge/National University of Singapore to talk about their research on carbon storing materials. Learn what special characteristics makes the materials they are researching well suited for CO2 capture. Articles: Perovskite-related ReO3-type structures Aluminum formate, Al(HCOO)3: An earth-abundant, scalable, and highly selective material for CO2 capture Noncryogenic Air Separation Using Aluminum...

Join us as we speak to Delta Faucet about a new way of ceramics processing. Learn how the process works and why they aren't pursuing it further at the moment. This episode is sponsored by Delta Faucet, learn more about their work and services by visiting their website. This episode is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational...

Cryogenic Milling, the name may be self explanatory but the process is not. We sit down with Eric Eyerman CEO of at Cal Nano to talk about what Cryogenic Milling is, how Cal Nano has used it in the past, and the benefits it offers to engineers. This episode is sponsored by calnano, learn more about their work and services by visiting their website. This episode is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and...

Delve into the new (ish) exciting world of flash sintering and learn how it compares to Spark Plasma Sintering. Also get ready for a little history lesson on ceramic production in the UK. This episode is sponsored by Lucideon, learn more about their work and job opportunities by visiting their website. This episode is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals,...

The way in which we are using resources to produce materials is putting unsustainable strain on the ecosystem. The circular economy has the potential to make better use of resources, which is particularly important in the construction industry where demand for materials continues to increase. In this episode, we discuss the need for circularity in construction, some examples of where it has been applied and that this is only the beginning if we are to achieve a more sustainable future. This...

There must be closer collaboration between industries and more efficient use of resources to achieve more sustainable industry for the future. Industrial symbiosis brings organisations together to find ways to use the waste from one as raw materials for another. In this episode, learn about the benefits of industrial symbiosis, some examples of where it has been successfully applied and why we need to encourage its practice more widely. This episode was sponsored by Innovate UK Transforming...

Every aspect of our life has recently been flooded with new AI driven tools as ChatGPT continues to spread. The question is can Materials Science benefit from these AIs? Is there a future with this or is this just a flash in the pan fad? Do we need to go the way of Dune and destroy all computers? Find out in this episode. This episode is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their...

There are many benefits for the adoption of digital tools, including machine learning, in materials production and development. However, widespread use remains low in part due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of its applications. What is the state-of-the-art and how could the deployment of digital tools shape materials production in the future? This episode was sponsored by Innovate UK Transforming Foundation Industries Challenge. This challenge is providing funding and support to...

Concrete is an essential material in modern society. It is the second most used material after water and it’s demand continues to increase. However, at least 8% of global emissions caused by humans come from the cement industry. Therefore, reducing the environmental impact of cement and concrete production and use is critical in achieving a more sustainable environment. Biological systems are providing inspiration for solutions to this problem. In this episode, learn about two innovators that...

The UK foundation industries (chemicals, ceramics, glass, paper, cement and metals) face common challenges to ensure they benefit in the transformation to a more sustainable future. Cross-sector collaboration is essential to share best practice and optimize use of energy and resources. The Innovate UK Transforming Foundation Industries Challenge has brought together these sectors to collaborate and accelerate innovation and one example project is Flue2Chem, which involves 15 partners in...

Autonomous labs are poised to revolutionize materials and chemistry research. Tools are both less expensive than they once were, and the techniques to use them have been developed. We chat with Andy Cooper of the University of Liverpool to learn how far we've come, what's left to do, and what we can expect going forward. This episode is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their...

Modern engineers work in environments that most metals simply can't withstand. What do you do when you need a metal to go to incredibly high temperatures? You make an alloy. We take a dive into the history of these nickel "superalloys" to understand what makes them so super and how they are being leveraged to push innovation forward. Interested in learning more? Check out these awesome resources from TMS: Superalloys: A Primer and History [LINK] Superalloys Proceedings Archive [LINK] This...

Manufacturing mistakes can be costly to both time and money but a large one can even injure or kill workers. The bets way to combat mistakes is to monitors every step of the process but when it comes to creating complex materials this isn't always so easy. Learn how the sensors used work and why they are so important to the process. This episode is sponsored by Gefran, to learn more about their products and what they can do for you click the link here. This episode is sponsored by Materials...

Learn what Thermal Spray is and how GE is leveraging it in their new projects. From the various types of ignition and feed material to new ways of bonding the coating this technology is constantly evolving at GE. This episode is sponsored by GE, a leading company in a multitude of fields. Check out their research homepage here. Take a look at jobs here This episode is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and...

Additive manufacturing is spreading to every industry and is evolving way past the stringy plastic prints of the past. Learn how GE is utilizing this technology to print some things you may not expect such as ceramic components for airplane engines. Learn how they cut down on failures for the prints that take months by leveraging new technologies and some old ones too. This episode is sponsored by GE, a leading company in a multitude of fields. Check out their research homepage here. Take a...

Ceramics are an incredibly useful yet notoriously difficult material to work with. Learn how the researches at GE are utilizing CMCs to help increase the usability and applications of ceramics while still keeping many of the beneficial properties. This episode is sponsored by GE, a leading company in a multitude of fields. Check out their research homepage here. Take a look at jobs here This episode is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and...

In light of the recent breakthrough we sit down to discuss the state of fusion as it relates to the materials that makes it possible. From the harsh environments of the reactor the irradiated byproducts they produce materials are in every aspect of the process and drive forward the path to cleaner energy. Later we are joined by Claire Saunders from Helion Energy to discuss her experience working in the industry as a fusion nuclear materials scientist. References: First principles review of...

Andrew and Jared are back! After inspiration from the documentary known as Mad Max: Fury Road and The Dark Knight Trilogy we are taking a look at materials that are used to stop ballistic impacts. From the race tire material we wear as vests to the futuristic magnetorheological fluid soaked fabrics. Sources: Body Armor Materials Overview How Stuff Works: Liquid Body Armor Ballistic Performance of Natural Fiber Based Soft and Hard Body Armour- A Mini Review A Review on Synthetic Fibers...

We partnered with the CalNano to revisit Spark Plasma Sintering. How has the industry changed since we last discussed it? What is CalNano doing specifically to fuel that change? Take a listen and find out. Articles: A general method to synthesize and sinter bulk ceramics in seconds This episode is sponsored by CalNano. Check out their homepage here. This episode is sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge...