Editing Materials science (section)

==Research==
Materials science is a highly active area of research. Together with materials science departments, [[physics]], [[chemistry]], and many [[engineering]] departments are involved in materials research. Materials research covers a broad range of topics; the following non-exhaustive list highlights a few important research areas.

===Nanomaterials===
{{Main|Nanomaterials}}
[[File:CNTSEM.JPG|thumb|upright=0.9|A [[scanning electron microscopy]] image of carbon nanotubes bundles]]
Nanomaterials describe, in principle, materials of which a single unit is sized (in at least one dimension) between 1 and 1000 nanometers (10<sup>−9</sup> meter), but is usually 1&nbsp;nm – 100&nbsp;nm. Nanomaterials research takes a materials science based approach to [[nanotechnology]], using advances in materials [[metrology]] and synthesis, which have been developed in support of [[microfabrication]] research. Materials with structure at the nanoscale often have unique optical, electronic, or mechanical properties. The field of nanomaterials is loosely organized, like the traditional field of chemistry, into organic (carbon-based) nanomaterials, such as fullerenes, and inorganic nanomaterials based on other elements, such as silicon. Examples of nanomaterials include [[fullerene]]s, [[carbon nanotube]]s, nanocrystals, etc.

===Biomaterials===
{{Main|Biomaterial}}
[[File:NautilusCutawayLogarithmicSpiral.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|left|The iridescent [[nacre]] inside a [[nautilus]] shell]]
A biomaterial is any matter, surface, or construct that interacts with [[biological system]]s.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Morhardt |first1=Duncan R. |title=Role of Biomaterials in Surgery |date=2019-01-01 |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine |pages=315–330 |editor-last=Reis |editor-first=Rui L. |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128012383658452 |access-date=2024-04-28 |place=Oxford |publisher=Academic Press |doi=10.1016/b978-0-12-801238-3.65845-2 |isbn=978-0-12-813700-0 |last2=Mauney |first2=Joshua R. |last3=Estrada |first3=Carlos R.}}</ref> Biomaterials science encompasses elements of medicine, biology, chemistry, tissue engineering, and materials science.

Biomaterials can be derived either from nature or synthesized in a laboratory using a variety of chemical approaches using metallic components, [[polymer]]s, [[bioceramic]]s, or [[composite material]]s. They are often intended or adapted for medical applications, such as biomedical devices which perform, augment, or replace a natural function. Such functions may be benign, like being used for a [[heart valve]], or may be [[Biological activity|bioactive]] with a more interactive functionality such as [[hydroxylapatite]]-coated [[hip implant]]s. Biomaterials are also used every day in dental applications, surgery, and drug delivery. For example, a construct with impregnated pharmaceutical products can be placed into the body, which permits the prolonged release of a drug over an extended period of time. A biomaterial may also be an [[autograft]], [[allograft]] or [[xenograft]] used as an [[organ transplant]] material.

===Electronic, optical, and magnetic===
[[File:Split-ring resonator array 10K sq nm.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|[[Negative index metamaterial]]<ref name=APhys1>{{cite journal|last=Shelby |first=R. A. |author2=Smith D.R. |author3=Shultz S. |author4=Nemat-Nasser S.C. |title=Microwave transmission through a two-dimensional, isotropic, left-handed metamaterial |journal=Applied Physics Letters |date=2001 |volume=78 |url=http://people.ee.duke.edu/~drsmith/pubs_smith_group/Shelby_APL_(2001).pdf |issue=4 |doi=10.1063/1.1343489 |page=489 |bibcode=2001ApPhL..78..489S |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618193936/http://people.ee.duke.edu/~drsmith/pubs_smith_group/Shelby_APL_%282001%29.pdf |archive-date=June 18, 2010 }}</ref><ref name=comp>{{cite journal |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.4184 |title=Composite Medium with Simultaneously Negative Permeability and Permittivity |date=2000 |last1=Smith |first1=D. R. |journal=Physical Review Letters |volume=84 |pages=4184–7 |pmid=10990641 |first2=WJ |first3=DC |first4=SC |first5=S |issue=18 |last2=Padilla |last3=Vier |last4=Nemat-Nasser |last5=Schultz |bibcode=2000PhRvL..84.4184S |doi-access=free }}</ref>]]
Semiconductors, metals, and ceramics are used today to form highly complex systems, such as integrated electronic circuits, optoelectronic devices, and magnetic and optical mass storage media. These materials form the basis of our modern computing world, and hence research into these materials is of vital importance.

[[Semiconductor]]s are a traditional example of these types of materials. They are materials that have properties that are intermediate between [[Electrical resistivity and conductivity|conductors]] and [[insulator (electricity)|insulators]]. Their electrical conductivities are very sensitive to the concentration of impurities, which allows the use of [[doping (semiconductor)|doping]] to achieve desirable electronic properties. Hence, semiconductors form the basis of the traditional computer.

This field also includes new areas of research such as [[superconductivity|superconducting]] materials, [[spintronics]], [[metamaterial]]s, etc. The study of these materials involves knowledge of materials science and [[solid-state physics]] or [[condensed matter physics]].

===Computational materials science===
{{Main|Computational materials science}}
With continuing increases in computing power, simulating the behavior of materials has become possible. This enables materials scientists to understand behavior and mechanisms, design new materials, and explain properties formerly poorly understood. Efforts surrounding [[integrated computational materials engineering]] are now focusing on combining computational methods with experiments to drastically reduce the time and effort to optimize materials properties for a given application. This involves simulating materials at all length scales, using methods such as [[density functional theory]], [[molecular dynamics]], [[Monte Carlo algorithm|Monte Carlo]], dislocation dynamics, [[Phase field models|phase field]], [[Finite element method|finite element]], and many more.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schmidt |first1=Jonathan |last2=Marques |first2=Mário R. G. |last3=Botti |first3=Silvana |last4=Marques |first4=Miguel A. L. |date=2019-08-08 |title=Recent advances and applications of machine learning in solid-state materials science |journal=npj Computational Materials |volume=5 |issue=1 |page=83 |doi=10.1038/s41524-019-0221-0 |bibcode=2019npjCM...5...83S |s2cid=199492241 |issn=2057-3960|doi-access=free }}</ref>