[Image above] Credit: National Science Foundation; YouTube

Materials scientists are always looking for a material that can do more at hotter temperatures—one that is perpetually stronger, more reliable, and more durable than its predecessors.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara are no exception. Led by materials scientist Tresa Pollock, researchers there are using the power of data to help develop new materials for extreme environments.

Extreme environments can encompass high temperatures, high strain rates, and even radiation exposure, so materials that stand up in those situations have to be robust.

Multiple layers can help those materials survive the harsh conditions, because different materials in different layers can serve different functions—and together, they can be stronger than their individual components.

For example, multilayered materials are necessary in high-temperature environments like jet engines. And Pollock and her team are collaborating with GE to develop new multilayered materials that can even better survive the harsh and hot conditions within jet engines.

To help speed up the process of new materials development, the team is harnessing the power of advanced algorithms and data analysis techniques to hone the design of new materials before actually testing.

Watch the NSF video below to see and hear more from Pollock and her team, and learn how the team is bypassing the weaknesses of grain boundaries to develop stronger materials.

Credit: National Science Foundation; YouTube

 

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April Gocha

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