Author Archives: Meghan Harrington
Discovery of the week: Magnetic transistors
For years, researchers have been trying to use magnets in transistors to enable faster, more energy-efficient semiconductors, writes Alex Knapp in The Prototype newsletter. Now, DMSE engineers have…
We’ve been using lithium-ion batteries for decades. Now we know more about how they work
MIT researchers—including Yang Shao-Horn—have developed a new model that illustrates the chemical mechanisms underlying lithium-ion batteries, reports Gayoung Lee for Gizmodo. The findings could lead to “faster, more efficient batteries…
Why some quantum materials stall while others scale
People tend to think of quantum materials — whose properties arise from quantum mechanical effects — as exotic curiosities. But some quantum materials have become a ubiquitous part…
Scooped by a cupcake business: Why we called our green-cement company Sublime Systems
Leah Ellis, a former DMSE postdoc and co-founder of MIT startup Sublime Systems, speaks with Nature reporter Jacqui Thornton about the company’s beginnings. “I felt that the word ‘sublime’ encapsulated…
Uncovering new physics in metals manufacturing
For decades, it’s been known that subtle chemical patterns exist in metal alloys, but researchers thought they were too minor to matter — or that they got erased…
Printable aluminum alloy sets strength records, may enable lighter aircraft parts
MIT engineers have developed a printable aluminum alloy that can withstand high temperatures and is five times stronger than traditionally manufactured aluminum.The new printable metal is made from…
A simple formula could guide the design of faster-charging, longer-lasting batteries
At the heart of all lithium-ion batteries is a simple reaction: Lithium ions dissolved in an electrolyte solution “intercalate” or insert themselves into a solid electrode during battery…
AI system learns from many types of scientific information and runs experiments to discover new materials
Machine-learning models can speed up the discovery of new materials by making predictions and suggesting experiments. But most models today only consider a few specific types of data…
MIT engineers develop a magnetic transistor for more energy-efficient electronics
Transistors, the building blocks of modern electronics, are typically made of silicon. Because it’s a semiconductor, this material can control the flow of electricity in a circuit. But…
How MIT’s Steel Research Group led to a groundbreaking national materials initiative
Traditionally, developing new materials for cutting-edge applications — such as SpaceX’s Raptor engine — has taken a decade or more. But thanks to a breakthrough technology pioneered by…