Metatronics, or metamaterial-inspired optical nanocircuitry, has provided a powerful toolset to tailor and implement modular quasi-static circuit functionalities in the optical regime. So far, these concepts have been mostly limited to linear operations, while many of the relevant operations in integrated circuits require nonlinear responses. In this work, we introduce nonlinear infrared nanocircuit elements exploiting large quantum conductance driven by photon-assisted tunneling and enhanced by hybrid plasmonic nanojunctions. Based on these concepts, we present infrared lumped nanocircuit mixers and switches for second-harmonic generation, and wide-spectrum self-amplitude modulators based on nanorods.

In this work, photonic crystals of plasmonic/excitonic semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) were assembled from non-thermal plasma-synthesized boron (B)-doped silicon (Si) NCs. The photonic crystals form an inverse opal structure with larger refractive index than the conventional crystals made from silica nanoparticles and are aimed at controlling light propagation via excitonic and plasmonic absorption of the B-doped Si NC as well as the photonic band gap of the photonic crystal. Furthermore, we demonstrate self-assembly of mesoscopic photonic crystal particles consisting of B-doped Si NCs with well-defined inverse opal structure via simple aerosol processing.

Metal oxide-based transistors can be fabricated by low-cost, large-area solution processing methods, but involve a trade-off between low processing temperature, facile charge transport and high-capacitance/low-voltage transistor gates. We achieve these simultaneously by fabricating zinc oxide and sodium-incorporated alumina (SA) thin films with temperature not exceeding 200 to 250 °C using aqueous and combustion precursors, respectively. X-ray reflectivity shows a compositionally distinct SA boundary layer forming near the substrate and that a portion of the SA is chemically removed during the subsequent semiconductor deposition. Improved etch resistance and reduced dielectric leakage was obtained when (3-glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane was included in the SA precursor.

Optoplasmonic networks consisting of dielectric microsphere resonators and plasmonic nanoantennas in a morphologically well-defined on-chip platform support unique electromagnetic signatures that are hybrids of photonic whispering gallery modes and localized surface plasmon resonances. Here we explore the dependence of their near- and far-field responses on the key structural parameters, including the size of the gold nanoparticles forming the plasmonic elements, the separation between the microspheres, and the geometry of the chain. The high degree of structural flexibility, which is experimentally accessible through template guided self-assembly approaches, makes these optoplasmonic structures a unique electromagnetic material for tuning spectral shapes and intensities.

Beyond the traditional phase conversion or biphase mixing hybrid, we developed the dilute magnesium-doped wollastonite inks and three-dimensional (3D) printing approaches to fabricate the ultrahigh strength bioceramic porous scaffolds. The mechanical strength (>120 MPa) of the porous bioceramics was an order of magnitude higher than the pure wollastonite and other stoichiometric Ca–Mg silicate porous bioceramics. This abnormal but expected improvement in strength in bioceramic scaffolds is equivalent or even superior to the mechanical requirement in load-bearing bone defects. The breakthrough is totally unexpected, and it quickly opens the door for the 3D printing bioceramics manufacture and large-area segmental bone defect repair applications.

Plasmonic waveguides can transport light while still confining it beyond the diffraction limit. Recently, crossing plasmonic waveguides have been suggested for the implementation of higher-density optical networks. However, suppressing undesirable scattering at their crossing point is still a challenging task because waveguides in these structures are physically connected. Here, we present an experimental demonstration of surface plasmon propagation on an overcrossing metallic waveguide fabricated by a pick-and-place method. By spatially separating the waveguides, the undesirable interaction at the interconnection can be suppressed. Our approach could be a powerful platform to achieve high-density integration of optical waveguides.

A correction method for linear hardening materials is brought forward to obtain the true (or nearly true) modulus of cylindrical specimens with middle aspect ratios in compression tests. By considering the stress concentration near the interface between the specimen and the compression platen caused by slanted contact, a “sandwich” model is developed. A correction formula is derived and all parameters can be obtained from the tested stress–strain curve. Experiments were performed on Al 2024 specimens with four aspect ratios. The corrected results are closer to the intrinsic modulus than the tested values, which verify the effectiveness of the correction method.

The global automotive industry is facing challenges in several key areas, including energy, emissions, safety, and affordability. Lightweighting is one of the key strategies used to address these challenges. Maximizing the weight reduction (i.e., minimizing vehicle weight) requires a systems-engineering design optimization and iteration process that combines material properties and manufacturing processes to meet product requirements at the lowest mass and/or cost. Advanced high-strength steels, aluminum and magnesium alloys, and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers have emerged as important materials for automotive lightweighting. This article presents examples of how coupling materials science with innovative manufacturing processes can provide lightweight solutions in automotive engineering.

Engineering, whether in the form of product development or manufacturing processes, often drives the selection or creation of new materials in order to meet performance requirements. Conversely, development of new materials, or new ways to process materials, can lead to new engineering capabilities that, in turn, lead to new products or improved product performance. The interplay between materials and engineering is dynamic, ongoing, and critical to the success of many new products and industries. In this article, we take examples of this interplay from four technology companies in different industries developing widely different materials systems. Each example demonstrates the critical role that materials play in creating new products, new manufacturing methods, and even new design methodologies. Our examples come from polymer microfluidic devices, silicon- and nonsilicon-based microelectromechanical systems, and metals additive manufacturing.

Concrete is the most used material on Earth except for water. Thus, there is much to be gained through improvements in the manufacturing of cement and the production of concrete to meet societal demand in a sustainable manner. This article reviews recent developments in three areas that have the potential to transform the ways in which infrastructure is specified, designed, and constructed: (1) expanding the use of supplementary cementitious materials and the identification of alternative supplementary cementitious materials, (2) growing the use of alternative cements and binder technologies, and (3) developing alternative reinforcement options. Strategies to facilitate the transfer of these emerging and next-generation materials and technologies from the research arena into real structures are also discussed.

Selection of materials systems for aerospace applications, such as airframes or propulsion systems, involves multiple and challenging requirements that go beyond essential performance attributes (strength, durability, damage tolerance, and low weight). Materials must exhibit a set of demanding properties, be producible in multiple product forms, and demonstrate consistent high quality. Furthermore, they must be both commercially available and affordable. The list of materials meeting these requirements is not long. Integration and transformation of such highly engineered materials into airframe structures is likewise complex. The Boeing 747, for instance, requires more than 6,000,000 components from numerous materials systems and suppliers worldwide. This necessitates that materials be stable and that material design and structure engineering close on effective solutions simultaneously. High-temperature turbine engines demand strong, lightweight, high-temperature materials balanced by high durability and reliability in a severe service environment. Such applications provide remarkable examples of how engineering imperatives influence materials research and development for metallic and composite materials in terms of material chemistry, fabrication, and microstructure.

In this article, we review recent research progress on ultraflexible organic thin-film devices and their emerging applications. We describe progress on devices such as organic thin-film transistors, organic photovoltaic cells, and organic light-emitting diodes that are manufactured on ultrathin plastic films with micrometer-scale thicknesses. These ultraflexible organic devices have been utilized to realize new applications, including wearable and biomedical devices.

Turning good ideas and discoveries in the laboratory into commercial and industrial products that succeed in the marketplace is a fraught affair. Most apparently promising leads never get that far, being derailed by lack of funding, unexpected technical hitches, excessive cost, consumer indifference, and other hurdles. This difficult transition without doubt weeds out some ideas that simply don’t have what it takes, but some casualties might have become success stories if the developmental process had been better handled. So what can you do to give your exciting discovery the best possible chance of being the start of something big? And how can universities, companies, and institutions prevent useful innovation from falling by the wayside?