You are here

Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering

Ames Laboratory resesarchers collaborated on development of elastocaloric material using laser-engineered net shaping (LENS) equipment. READ MORE

Scientists and engineers at  Ames Laboratory are inspired by the idea that refrigeration could be radically improved—made cheaper, cleaner, and more energy-efficient—by abandoning vapor compression for solid-state caloric cooling -- systems that rely on the reversible thermal phenomena to supply cooling and heating when a magnetic, electrical, or stress field varies, e.g. magnetocaloric, electrocaloric, and elastocaloric respectively. READ MORE

In a recently published study in the journal ACS Central Science, the multi-institutional team, including Ames Laboratory scientists, reported a catalytic method for selectively converting discarded plastics into higher quality products, such as lubricant oils or waxes, which can be processed into everyday products like detergents and cosmetics. READ MORE

Ames Laboatory scientists and colleagues at the University of Nebraska have discovered a potential tool to enhance magnetization and magnetic anisotropy, making it possible to improve the performance of samarium-cobalt magnets.  READ MORE

Emily Smith, professor of chemistry at Iowa State and an Ames Laboratory associate, will participate in a one-year AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Read More

Pause

DMSE Vision

World-leading research in accelerated discovery, design, and synthesis of bulk and nanostructured materials with novel and controlled functionality through cross-disciplinary teams integrating state-of-the-art experimental, computational and theoretical methods.

 

Welcome

The Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering (DMSE) performs materials research across a broad spectrum ranging from grand science challenges and discovery research which addresses fundamental limitations in our understanding of complex states of matter to directed research that guides design of new materials to advance energy technologies. Basic research conducted within the DMSE is performed primarily through funding provided by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Our directed research receives funding from a number of Department of Energy technologies offices including the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the Office of Fossil Energy as well as work for others contracts. 

 

Core Competencies

  • Developing and utilizing advanced characterization methods, especially neutron and x-ray scattering, angle-resolved photoemission, solid-state NMR (including Dynamical Nuclear Polarization), ultra-sensitive chemical and structural analysis, and ultra-precise frequency measurements.
     
  • Design and synthesis of materials for energy-related applications including energy-efficient conversion, generation, transmission, and storage. Examples include invention of metamaterials, discovery of magnetocaloric materials, development of lead-free solders and magnets, and advancing materials and theory of superconductivity.
     
  • Developing theory and computational methods to accelerate materials discovery and design. Impacts include developing an accurate and efficient electronic structure algorithm for f-electron materials, an adaptive algorithm for crystal structure prediction and phase exploration, breakthrough tools for quantifiable spin dynamics prediction, and combining density functional theory with the coherent-potential approximation to predict bulk alloy properties.
     
  • Home to the well-known Materials Preparation Center (MPC), a unique national resource for making materials that enable science. Expertise includes the preparation and production of alloys, high-purity rare earth material, and single crystals.

Highlights

Research Projects

Personnel

SIF

Materials Preparation Center

Contact DMSE