Materials Science

Rob Dickerson uses a state-of-the-art transmission electron microscope at the Electron Microscopy Laboratory managed by LANL’s metallurgy group, Materials Science and Technology Division. The lab supports multiple Los Alamos programs, including the Center for Materials at Irradiation and Mechanical Extremes (CMIME).

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Director McMillan on research and development

Overview

The scientific and technical area of materials has been a foundational capability at Los Alamos National Laboratory since the Laboratory’s inception. The materials capability encompasses a wide array of technical disciplines, research topics, organizations, and sponsors.

Los Alamos scientists use equipment like the single-turn electromagnet to create some of the strongest magnetic fields on Earth. The fields are important to experiments that build a better understanding of advanced materials.

Capability

LANL's vision for its Materials Science Pillar is intentional control of the functionality materials. We will achieve this vision through the discovery science and engineering required to establish design principles, synthesis pathways, and manufacturing processes for advanced and new materials. Our materials science capability is driven by scientific challenges in understanding defects and interfaces in materials, exploiting emergent phenomena, and enabling materials performance in extreme environment. Six key areas of leadership have been identified:

• Materials Dynamics
• Actinide and Correlated Electron Materials
• Energetic Materials
• Complex Functional Materials
• Materials in Radiation Extremes
• and Integrated Nano-Materials

Research

This materials program enables innovative research and development at the boundaries of chemistry, physics, theory, and materials science that translates fundamental discovery to materials production in strategic areas such as actinide science.