Materials Science and NanoEngineering

Faculty, staff, students honored for excellence in teaching, mentoring, service

Each year, Rice honors members of the university community who have served students through outstanding teaching, dedication and service.

Rice’s Lane Martin elected as Materials Research Society fellow

Rice’s Lane Martin was elected a fellow of the Materials Research Society (MRS) “for seminal contributions to the science of ferroelectric and multiferroic thin film materials.”

Chemical reactions can scramble quantum information as well as black holes

A team of researchers from Rice University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has shown that molecules can be as formidable at scrambling quantum information as black holes by combining mathematical tools from black hole physics and chemical physics and testing their theory in chemical reactions.

New Rice research project ‘crucial for developing effective treatments’ for amyloid diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

A team of Rice researchers led by Angel Martí, professor and chair of chemistry and professor of bioengineering, materials science and nanoengineering, was awarded a $1.875 million grant by the National Institutes of Health to support its groundbreaking research in biological fibrillar nanostructures with potential implications for the treatment and diagnosis of diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Junichiro Kono tapped to lead Rice’s Smalley-Curl Institute

Rice University’s Junichiro Kono has assumed leadership of the Smalley-Curl Institute, named for Nobel Laureates Richard Smalley and Robert Curl ’54 and home to some of the world’s most accomplished researchers in nanoscience, quantum science and materials science.

Rice researchers develop 3D-printed wood from its own natural components

Researchers at Rice University have unlocked the potential to use 3D printing to make sustainable wood structures, offering a greener alternative to traditional manufacturing methods.

Rice energy, geopolitics, innovation experts to speak at CERAWeek

A number of experts in energy, carbon, hydrogen, sustainability, geopolitics and innovation from Rice University will appear at CERAWeek, an annual energy conference organized by the information and insights company S&P Global, to present their research or expertise March 18-22.

What a view: Rice scientists develop a new system to record 2D crystal synthesis in real time

A research team at Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering tackled this challenge by developing a custom-built miniaturized chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system capable of observing and recording the growth of 2D molybdenum disulfide crystals in real time.

Rice’s Naomi Halas awarded Optica’s C.E.K. Mees Medal

Rice University’s Naomi Halas has been selected as the 2024 recipient of the C.E.K. Mees Medal by Optica for her “original use of optics across multiple fields.”

Aluminum nanoparticles make tunable green catalysts

The Rice lab of nanotechnology pioneer Naomi Halas has uncovered a transformative approach to harnessing the catalytic power of aluminum nanoparticles by annealing them in various gas atmospheres at high temperatures.

Rice lab finds better way to handle hard-to-recycle material

Rice researchers have developed a new, energy-efficient upcycling method to transform glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) into silicon carbide, widely used in semiconductors, sandpaper and other products.

Advancing materials science, Rice professors examine chirality in nearly 2D

Hanyu Zhu and Boris Yakobson shared their perspective on chirality in 2D materials in Nature Materials.

Rice’s James Tour named to National Academy of Engineering

Rice chemist James Tour was named to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded “in recognition of distinguished contributions” to the field.

Rice research unveils key dynamics of 2D nanomaterials with view to larger-scale production

A team of Rice researchers mapped out how flecks of 2D materials move in liquid ⎯ knowledge that could help scientists assemble macroscopic-scale materials with the same useful properties as their 2D counterparts.

Rice scientists pull off quantum coup

Rice scientists have discovered a first-of-its-kind material, a 3D crystalline metal in which quantum correlations and the geometry of the crystal structure combine to frustrate the movement of electrons and lock them in place.