Affiliated with the Department of Chemical Engineering, the CML currently maintains
laboratories and offices in the Engineering Quadrangle (EQuad) on the campus of Princeton University.
The primary goal of the CML is advancing ceramic processing science and technology. Our research activities focus on improving material systems, while heightening the state of the art
in ceramic materials. We believe that this can be best achieved by combining basic and applied research, and applying results immediately for the engineering of improved materials.
Recognizing that the key to improved properties is the control of hierarchy within the materials system, we begin with the organization of atomic and
molecular aggregates. These aggregates serve as the building blocks for larger structures, which in turn provide the components for even larger structures. This hierarchical structuring is
frequently observed in biological materials (such as bone, hair, and seashell), leading to bioinspired processing as a new paradigm in materials processing.
More generally, the design and fabrication of materials with predictable properties begins at the atomic scale but requires monitoring and control at each stepwise increase in the degree
of complexity. The process ends only when the size of the materials system is sufficient to meet the requirements of the application.
Research at the CML is concentrated in the areas of Biomimetics,
Multifunctional Materials, Nanoscale Science and Technology, and Hierarchical Systems. Details
on these and other aspects of the CML can be found using the menu at the left.
An institute for the study of Biologically Inspired Materials (BIMat) was established with funding under the University Research, Engineering, and Technology Institute (URETI) through
NASA in August 2002. The program, led by Princeton University, includes researchers from Princeton, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of California at Santa
Barbara, Northwestern University, and the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA). More information regarding the BIMat Institute is available on the BIMat
website (www.bimat.org).
Researchers at Harvard and Princeton Universities are working together to understand the nature of electrets and to design and fabricate new electret materials and structures. Electrets include almost any material that shows a permanent, fixed electrostatic surface charge or an oriented permanent dipole, encompassing both solids and liquids. We seek to develop prototype devices to aid in the transfer of research to useful technology. Further details may be found on the electrets website (www.electrets.org).
The following articles contain general descriptions of some aspects of the group's activities. A list of our technical publications along with available reprints can be found on the
Publications page.
"By Adding Graphene, Researchers Create Superior Polymer"
Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering News (16 June 2008)
"Chemical engineer's love of Latin leads to salutatorian selection"
Princeton University Website (30 May 2008)
"Nanoprinting"
NJN Newscast (08 February 2008)
"Fine print: New techniques allows fast printing of microscopic electronics"
Princeton University (24 January 2008)
"Record-breaking female enrollment in Princeton Engineering
freshman class"
Princeton Engineering News (23 September 2007)
"18 Students Graduate from Materials Science and Engineering Program, 2 recognized for Excellence"
PRISM (08 June 2007)
"Michael McGehee '94, named Outstanding Young Investigator by the Materials Research Society"
2007 MRS Spring Meeting (07 June 2007)
"Suspended in Orbit"
Chemical Heritage Newsmagazine 25 (05 June 2007)
"Vorbeck says it can produce graphene cheaply and abundantly"
EQuad News Blog (15 May 2007)
"Nanocomposites - Less Hype, More Hard Work on Commercial Viability"
Plastics Technology (01 May 2007)
"Sabanci Unversity Competition Forum puts 'Nanotechnology' on the Table"
Dünya Gazetesi - Online (Turkish) (26 November 2006)
"Silicon and Sun"
Technology Review (MIT) (08 November 2006)
"DIY repairs: self-healing mechanisms are being developed for protective coatings"
European Coatings Journal and European Coatings Journal (01 November 2006)
"In Memoriam: Prof. Dudley Saville, a close collaborator of CML, dies"
Princeton University (03 October 2006)
"Speedy self-healing"
Nature Materials 128 (07 September 2006)
"Oxygen breaks into carbon world"
Nature 441 818-819 (15 June 2006)
"Nano-structured Construction Materials"
EuropeRealEstate 2006 (03 May 2006)
"From Quonset huts to ballerinas: Princeton scientists solve a nanotech mystery"
AAAS EurekAlert! and News@Princeton and PrincetonEngineering (29 January 2006)
"Self-assembly III: choreographing molecular dancers"
NANOTECH|BUZZ (29 January 2006)
"The intelligence behind smart coatings"
JCT CoatingsTech 3 (1) 50-55 (01 January 2006)
"Nature's Design Workshop - Engineers Turn to Biology for Inspiration"
Newsweek (26 September 2005)
"Learning at Mother Nature's Knee"
Fortune (22 August 2005)
"Research at Princeton"
News@Princeton (15 July 2005)
"Devir biyotaklit devri!"
(Biomimetics Age) Focus (Turkish) 36-41 (01 March 2005)
"Exotische Materialien: Beulen und Kratzer heilen sich sell"
Spiegel Online - Wissenschaft (German) (21 February 2005)
"Smarte Materialien"
Heise Online - Technology Review (German) (21 February 2005)
"Aksay Named Highly Cited Researcher"
ISI Highly Cited Researchers (11 October 2004)
"Grants fund research on underwater vehicles, high-tech materials"
Princeton Weekly Bulletin (14 June 2004)
"Cracking future for fabric that heals its own breaks"
The Guardian (UK) (13 May 2004)
"Department of Defense selects Princeton/Harvard team for MURI program grant."
(12 March 2004)
"William Ristenpart awarded Porter Ogden Jacobus Fellowship"
Princeton Weekly Bulletin (01 March 2004)
"Princeton gives highest awards to top undergraduate, graduate students"
Princeton University (23 February 2004)
"Commercializing nanotechnology"
Nature Biotechnology 21 [10] 1137-1143 (01 October 2003)
"Electrically Guided Assembly in Binary Colloidal Suspensions"
NJN Newscast (16 July 2003)
"Simple technique yields complex structures"
Princeton University (10 June 2003)
"Self-help for ailing structures"
Materials Today (01 June 2003)
"Bu uçak düşe kalka UÇACAK!"
Milliyet (Turkish) (15 May 2003)
"Two engineering faculty members elected to NAE"
EQuad News (01 April 2003)
"Research in space-age materials takes off with support from NASA"
Princeton Weekly Bulletin (14 October 2002)
"PU heads up search for materials that mimic life"
Princeton Packet (27 September 2002)
"NASA Turns to Universities for Research in Space-Age Materials"
Space Daily (26 September 2002)
"Princeton minds join NASA Study team"
The Trenton Times (26 September 2002)
"Princeton to help new engineering effort based on 'bioinspiration'"
Daily Princetonian (26 September 2002)
"BIMat Institute Inaugural Meeting"
NJN Newscast (25 September 2002)
"Engineers take cues from nature"
EQuad News (01 September 2002)
"Big picture begins with smallest details"
Princeton Weekly Bulletin (26 February 2001)
"One-Upping Nature's Materials"
Science News (02 December 2000)
"Piezoelectric sliver forms sensor"
TRN News (22 November 2000)
"University team shares grant from NASA for biosensor research"
Daily Princetonian (24 October 2000)
"Nanotech thinks big"
Nature (15 June 2000)
"Senior thesis leads to Nature paper"
Princeton Weekly Bulletin (27 March 2000)
"Putting the 'Nano' into Composites"
Chemical and Engineering News (07 June 1999)
"DOE awards funding to facilitate clean-up"
Daily Princetonian (14 October 1998)
"Mimicking Nature"
Princeton Alumni Weekly (28 January 1998)
Seniors at Princeton University are usually required to perform an independent research project and write a thesis describing their work. A list of theses written by students from
several departments who have been associated with the CML can be found at our Senior Theses page.
Visitors to the Ceramic Materials Laboratory are always welcome. Please contact Karen Oliver, Administrative Assistant, CML, for more
information about our group. To assist you in planning a visit to our group and to the University, the following links provide directions to and maps of the University.
Directions to Princeton University
Clickable map of Princeton University
Downloadable map of Princeton University (PDF format)
©
Princeton University, Department of Chemical Engineering,
