Northwestern University Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

Nontechnical Description:

The Northwestern University Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (NU-MRSEC) advances world-class materials research, education, and outreach via active interdisciplinary collaborations within the Center and with external partners in academia, industry, national laboratories, and museums, both domestically and abroad. The intellectual merit of the NU-MRSEC resides primarily within its interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs) and seed-funded projects that explore the frontiers of materials research.

IRG-1 entitled “Bioprogrammable Materials via Cell-Free Synthetic Biology” develops soft composite materials that incorporate biological machinery in a cell-free platform, thus removing the nourishment and care demands of living tissue. In this manner, the functionality of living biological systems are achieved in an autonomous material with direct implications for sustainable agriculture, water treatment, smart clothing, and wound healing.

IRG-2 entitled “Orchestrated Iontronics via Dynamic Hybrid Ionic/Electronic Conductors” designs materials that concurrently conduct ions and electrons, behaving in a manner that mimics biological neurons. These hybrid ionic/electronic conductors thus enable brain-inspired computation that is accelerating advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and bioelectronics.

By incorporating these research advances into innovative pedagogy, the NU-MRSEC achieves broad impact through professional development of graduate students and postdocs, research experiences for undergraduates and teachers, and outreach to K-12 students and the general public. These activities are enhanced by partnerships with Argonne National Laboratory, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago Public Schools, and Chicago City Colleges.

Technical Description:

The Northwestern University Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (NU-MRSEC) integrates materials research, education, and outreach through two interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs) and with external partners in academia, industry, national laboratories, and museums, both domestically and abroad. IRG-1 entitled “Bioprogrammable Materials via Cell-Free Synthetic Biology” develops soft active materials that incorporate biological machinery into artificial cells that eliminate the need for, and constraints of, living cells.

These bioprogrammable materials possess autonomous properties such as self-healing, on-demand cargo release, dynamic mechanical property modulation, biomineralization, and shape-morphing. By achieving the adaptive multi-functionality of biological systems in a cell-free synthetic material, IRG-1 accelerates advances in sustainable agriculture, soft robotics, water treatment, smart clothing, and wound healing.

IRG-2 entitled “Orchestrated Iontronics via Dynamic Hybrid Ionic/Electronic Conductors” designs materials with mixed ionic and electronic transport phenomena that realize neuromorphic functionality for efficiently implementing artificial intelligence. By understanding and controlling the interplay between organic materials and inorganic layered materials, IRG-2 achieves synergistic iontronic attributes including multi-timescale synaptic potentiation and plasticity, non-linear responses that emulate neuronal spiking, and stimuli-induced structure modulation to provide sensory transduction, selectivity, and adaptation.

The research of the NU-MRSEC informs a comprehensive set of education and outreach activities that are not only designed for specific cohorts (general public, K-12, undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs) but also bridge programs that shepherd students along the development pathway, thereby increasing the number and diversity of participants at all levels. These efforts are augmented by corporate partnerships and startup companies, extensive shared facilities, and regular interactions with Argonne National Laboratory, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago Public Schools, and Chicago City Colleges.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.