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Donald W. Hamer Professor Pascal Bellon, graduate student Nicholas Saunders and Professor Emeritus Robert Averback used atomistic simulations to show that "nano-necklaces" — chains of bead-like precipitates that form along defect lines in irradiated alloys — arise through self-organization, driven by a competition between thermal diffusion and irradiation-induced advection. The work was published in Physical Review Letters.

Materials researchers are at the forefront of efforts to improve quantum technology. From Chris Anderson's quantum transduction work to Daniel Shoemaker's efforts to build solid-state quantum memory, the Illinois materials department is working tirelessly to solve problems. 

The fully operational Illinois Polymer Maker Lab at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology promises to critically accelerate the needed development of new polymer materials for solving key issues in the areas of energy, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing.

Professor and Racheff Faculty Scholar Qian Chen has been named a finalist for the 2026 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists in Physical Sciences and Engineering. She hopes this national honor will lead to further collaborations in intersections of materials science, microscopy and more. 

The MSE 182  lunch event brought the Materials Science and Engineering Class of 2030 together to enjoy some pizza and meet department faculty. Several freshman students shared what excites them most about starting their journey at Illinois.

Nancy Sottos and Jeff Moore are senior investigators in the U.S. National Science Foundation Center for the Chemistry of Molecularly Optimized Networks (NSF MONET), a program dedicated to making advancements in the understanding of polymer network properties, which historically are challenging to predict. The center just received an infusion of $19.8 million over five years from NSF to continue this critical research.