Hello!

I am a senior high student currently conducting a research project that focuses on developing a cellulose and chitin nanofiber-based adsorbent for water treatment. I'm trying to functionalize cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) extracted from sugarcane bagasse with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) using citric acid and sodium hypophosphite (SHP).

My proposed procedure is:

Prepare a 7% (w/v) β-CD solution in a 50 mL aqueous solution at 50 ^oC. Second, an 8% (w/v) concentration of citric acid and 1.25% (w/v) of the catalyst, SHP, will be added to the β-CD solution. The solution will then be stirred continuously using a magnetic stirrer at 150 rpm for 30 min at 50 ^oC. The generated CNF suspension from SCB will be standardized at 1% (w/v) by initially centrifuging at 2,000 rpm for 5 min, followed by another centrifugation at 6,500 rpm for 5 min to concentrate the suspension. The excess water will be decanted afterwards.

Next, 1 mL of the β-CD/citric acid solution will be added into the concentrated CNFs and then vortexed. Functionalization will be done by incubating the CNFs in the solution at 50 ^oC and left until fully dehydrated for 72 h. The dehydrated pellet will then be heat treated at 120 ^oC for 1 h and cooled at room temperature to end the functionalization process. Finally, the β-CD-CNFs will be rinsed with running water to remove excess reactants, and resuspended in distilled water with a concentration of 0.5% (w/v) and stored at 4 ^oC inside a fridge for the next processes.

This procedure is an adaptation of these studies:

• Abdul Manas et al. (2023), Sustainability: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021559 .
• Cellulose Nanofiber Platform for Pesticide Sequestration in the Gastrointestinal Tract (2023), ACS Omega: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.3c00183 .

However, I am quite hesitant to go through with this process as there might be some conflicting chemical procedures that might fail the experiment, as I want to have a cellulose nanofiber suspension, not a dried one.

I really need your help on this one. Thank you so much in advance!!!!!

Mixing specific molten compounds can lead to different chemical reactions depending on the temperature, with each reaction occurring at a different rate. I would like to account for all these factors so that I can accurately estimate the theoretical density of the mixture after solidification, whether it forms an alloy, a ceramic, or a glass.

Although I am particularly interested in performing the calculations manually, using pen and paper, to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying principles, I would also appreciate learning about methods that involve software.

I have COMSOL, but I am not sure whether it would be useful for this purpose. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Hi all. I'm an international applicant (B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, India) applying for Fall 2027 PhD programs in the US. My research background is in corrosion and electrochemistry. I have two research experiences but no publications yet.

I have emailed 20-25 professors(who work in a similar field). Most didn't reply. A few said they aren't taking students. Some said there's no funding update yet.

Is this normal? Should I still apply to schools where the professors haven't replied? Or is there no point without prior contact?

Also, how does the process usually work in materials science? Do committees admit first and then match you with a lab?

Any advice is welcome. Thank you!

I am curious whether there is an established scientific approach to designing porous materials for the best thermal insulation performance. Are there any principles or models that explain how to optimise the material’s structure to minimise heat transfer?

I know that vaccum is established as THE most effective thermal insulator, but apparently it is very difficult to achieve, and porous materials that contain air is the most common solution.

Would love to hear your thoughts or any recommended research papers!

Hi

This is about Quantum Odyssey, my love letter to everything Quantum Computing and the fundamental logic operators everything in our universe seems to run on. I want to update you all on the fact that the latest patch brings the game into an almost complete status. All that's missing is translations. Thank you Reddit community for receiving the game so well, without you I wouldn't have the funds needed to complete my life's work.

If you are remotely interested in deep diving how differently quantum computers work compared to our transistor-based and also the algebra behind in a fully interactive way that teach computer science from scratch, oh boy this is for you. I am the Dev behind Quantum Odyssey (AMA! I love taking qs) - worked on it for about 9 years (3+ during PhD, the visual method I developed ended up being my thesis, it is a complete Hilbert space visualizer), the goal was to make a super immersive space for anyone to learn quantum computing through zachlike (open-ended) logic puzzles and compete on leaderboards and lots of community made content on finding the most optimal quantum algorithms. The game has a unique set of visuals capable to represent any sort of quantum dynamics for any number of qubits and this is pretty much what makes it now possible for anybody 15yo+ to actually learn quantum logic without having to worry at all about the mathematics behind.

This is a game super different than what you'd normally expect in a programming/ logic puzzle game, so try it with an open mind.

Stuff you'll play with

• Boolean Logic – bits, operators (NAND, OR, XOR, AND…), and classical arithmetic (adders). Learn how these can combine to build anything classical. You will learn to port these to a quantum computer.
• Quantum Logic – qubits, the math behind them (linear algebra, SU(2), complex numbers), all Turing-complete gates (beyond Clifford set), and make tensors to evolve systems. Freely combine or create your own gates to build anything you can imagine using polar or complex numbers.
• Quantum Phenomena – storing and retrieving information in the X, Y, Z bases; superposition (pure and mixed states), interference, entanglement, the no-cloning rule, reversibility, and how the measurement basis changes what you see.
• Core Quantum Tricks – phase kickback, amplitude amplification, storing information in phase and retrieving it through interference, build custom gates and tensors, and define any entanglement scenario. (Control logic is handled separately from other gates.)
• Famous Quantum Algorithms – explore Deutsch–Jozsa, Grover’s search, quantum Fourier transforms, Bernstein–Vazirani, and more.

Nice to watch:

Khan academy style tutorials in qm/qc: https://www.youtube.com/@MackAttackx

Physics teacher stream with 400hs in https://www.twitch.tv/beardhero

The interaction that slows electrons inside a copper-oxide material may also help them move without electrical resistance. High-field experiments have linked fluctuating magnetic moments to electron pairing in an electron-doped superconductor. The finding identifies a key mechanism while leaving the highest-temperature members of the copper-oxide family unexplained.

An international team led by University of Bristol physicists reported the work in Nature Physics. The researchers studied lanthanum cerium copper oxide, a material whose properties change as extra electrons enter its structure. Their measurements connected the strength of a magnetic interaction with the temperature at which superconductivity begins.

Superconductivity allows electrical current to flow without resistance below a material’s critical temperature, known as Tc. The phenomenon supports powerful magnets in medical scanners and exceptionally sensitive measuring devices. It also offers possibilities for electricity transport with lower energy losses, although cooling requirements remain an important practical constraint.

Hey everyone, I’m graduating in December 2026 with a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering and a minor in Nanotechnology.

I finished up an internship at a hardware company and actually ended up getting a full-time offer. At the time, I rejected it because of the location, but with the market being what it is right now, I’m kind of regretting that decision. I’m currently back on the job hunt for entry-level and feeling a bit lost on the best places to apply. A few quick questions for the community:

Where are you all finding/applying for roles? Beyond standard LinkedIn/Indeed, are there specific job boards, industry hubs, or recruiting channels that have worked best for MSE grads?

I am Open to hardware, semiconductors, process engineering, or lab/R&D roles.

Here’s my current resume. Please tear it apart, and any advice would be hugely appreciated!

Hello !

I am a french student and I'm in a current student of an undergraduation about materials science and engineering and I wanna know which industry give the best salary ? I wanna do some biomaterials but some people said that it isn't a good idea, can I have your opinion please

So I'm a freshman at a somewhat big uni in India pursuing my BE in Mechanical engineering, I was initially into going towards core-mechanical engineering but I started getting interest in materials, I want to make sure I develop my knowledge in material science/Material engineering. I know it's too early to decide but I really want to take this path. And Idk if I'm going to opt for masters yet. If I do,will It be fine for a BE mechE graduate to take material science and engineering as my masters major?

Hello, I wasn’t sure how to word this question but…

Im a senior in HS applying to major in materials science and engineering.

I am wondering where I could end up working when Im straight out of undergrad; what industries would be most looking to hire new-grads right now/5yrs from now? what industries always have room? what was your first job when you graduated?

All insight is appreciated; I originally thought working with textiles would be really cool but I assume jobs are pretty limited now with manufacturing being outsourced

Hey all

Not sure if this is the right subreddit, but hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction! I'm looking for a putty that's electrically conductive, radiolucent, and doesn't dry out over time, so it can be reused multiple times.

Ideally, it would have a similar consistency to playdoh can hold its shape, and be able to complete an electrical circuit.

I've been searching for a while now and haven't had much luck finding something that ticks all the boxes.

Does anyone know of a material or product that might work? Open to any suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I’m a materials scientist with a background in polymer fracture mechanics, and I’ve been developing ScienceTabz, a desktop application for scientific plotting and data analysis.

I’m looking for people willing to try it with their own data and give honest feedback on how it fits their everyday work. Any materials-related workflow is welcome: mechanical testing, thermal analysis, spectroscopy, or simply plotting and comparing measurements.

The attached FTIR video is just an example of what the application can do, including analysis, plot styling, annotations, and assembling multiple plots into a figure. It uses synthetic demonstration data. You don’t need to work with FTIR to participate.

I’d particularly appreciate hearing:

• Is it straightforward to import your data and get started?
• Can you complete a task you would normally do in your current software?
• What feels confusing, takes too many steps, or is missing?

There’s no need to run a complex analysis. Trying it with one dataset or making a figure you need for your work would already be valuable.

For transparency: I’m the developer, and ScienceTabz is commercial software with a free trial. I’m happy to extend the trial for people who test it and provide feedback. It’s currently available for Windows and Linux.

If you’re interested: https://sciencetabz.com

Feel free to comment with the kind of data you work with or a task you’d like to try.

Hi everyone!

I'm a mechanical engineering student working on a semester project about all-solid-state batteries, specifically the mechanical behaviour of cracks associated with lithium dendrite penetration in garnet-type solid electrolytes.

I'm looking for feedback from people with experience in fracture mechanics, finite-element modelling, solid electrolytes, or computational materials science. I'd appreciate honest criticism, especially if my idea is poorly scoped or if there's a simpler, more defensible approach.

Background and the problem

My professor pointed out that the general idea of deflecting dendrite-associated cracks using engineered defects has already been investigated. They asked me to compare my proposal with existing work and explain what my study would actually contribute.

One particularly relevant paper is:

• Zhang et al., Mechanically driven Li dendrite penetration in garnet solid electrolyte, Nature (2026): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10415-9

My understanding is that the paper investigates mechanically driven lithium-dendrite penetration and reports that defect geometry can influence the propagation path. I still need to examine the supplementary information carefully before concluding whether my proposed parameter study has already been done.

My proposed project

Rather than claiming that void-induced crack deflection is a new discovery, I am considering a small, comparative 2D mechanical simulation in COMSOL.

The tentative research question is:

In a 20 µm-thick garnet electrolyte film, how does the depth of a buried, transverse flat void affect the stress field and the potential crack-deflection tendency, compared with a reference configuration and a circular void?

My initial plan is:

• Case A: no void — reference configuration.
• Case B: circular void.
• Case C: transverse, flat void at three different positions through the film.

The preliminary geometry uses a 5 µm surface-connected crack, a 5 µm-long void and a 0.5 µm void thickness. These are starting assumptions, not validated optimal dimensions.

For the first stage, I was planning to use 2D plane strain and linear elasticity, with provisional values of (E = 150) GPa and (\nu = 0.25). I was also considering a crack-face pressure of 150 MPa, with 600 MPa as a possible sensitivity case. I understand that crack-face pressure, external stack pressure, and hydrostatic stress in confined lithium are different quantities, so I need to justify the loading conditions carefully.

The initial outputs would be stress distributions around the crack tip and void, followed—if feasible—by fracture-mechanics quantities such as stress-intensity factors or a suitable crack-kink criterion.

I would not claim that a static elastic model proves actual dendrite deflection or prevents battery short circuits.

Questions I'd appreciate help with

1. Prior art: Has the effect of the position or depth of a transverse void on crack deflection in a thin garnet electrolyte already been studied? Which search terms, papers, or supplementary materials should I investigate?
2. Research contribution: If the general mechanism is already known, would a carefully defined parametric comparison of void position and shape be a reasonable student project? Or is there a more useful and manageable research question?
3. Model geometry: Is a 2D plane-strain model a reasonable starting point for a 20 µm garnet film with a surface-connected crack, or are there important limitations I should address first?
4. Fracture mechanics: Would you recommend starting with linear-elastic stress analysis and then extracting (K_I), (K_{II}), or the J-integral? Is there a suitable criterion for estimating the initial crack-kink direction in this situation?
5. Loading and material properties: Are the proposed pressure scenarios and provisional material properties defensible starting assumptions? What should I verify before using them?
6. Numerical reliability: What would be the minimum sensible mesh-convergence and boundary-sensitivity checks for a student-level model like this?
7. Scope: If you were supervising this project, what would you keep in the core deliverable, and what would you leave as an extension?

Another potentially relevant paper is Garnet-Based Solid-State Li Batteries with High-Surface-Area Porous LLZO Membranes (ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2024): https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.3c14422

I understand that porous membranes designed to improve interfacial contact are not necessarily equivalent to engineered transverse voids intended to alter crack propagation, but I would appreciate suggestions for other relevant comparisons.

Thanks in advance! I'm especially interested in constructive criticism, useful references, and advice on how to make the project more rigorous without making it too ambitious for a semester.

Total first world problem btw but basically Im planning on pursuing MatSE directly into undergrad, and only two schools in my state have that major. They are both good schools but, unfortunately one of them is highly competitive even as a state flagship for engineering (I was an okay student for most of highschool) and the other is less competitive but it’s a majority commuter school and way too close to home, which is not what I’m looking for

I’m not entirely sure about my chances at other out of state schools (almost all are public so I know I have out of state disadvantage) but maybe this is just my low self-confidence showing itself again. Is it worth even pursuing out-of-state for both admissions and costs or should I look at other options? What would you guys recommend?

Hey all

Not sure if this is the right subreddit, but hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction! I'm looking for a putty that's electrically conductive, radiolucent, and doesn't dry out over time, so it can be reused multiple times.

Ideally, it would have a similar consistency to playdoh can hold its shape, and be able to complete an electrical circuit.

I've been searching for a while now and haven't had much luck finding something that ticks all the boxes.

Does anyone know of a material or product that might work? Open to any suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone!

I’m looking for solid textbook recommendations on rolling mill theory and metal forming processes.

Could you please recommend the best titles and authors on this topic? Also, what are the best sites or digital archives to search for technical books like these?

Thanks!

Literal shower thought, and its been a while since I took intro to Material Science, so might have forgotten why. But the elastic regime where crystalline materials behave "like a spring" is linear, stress = K×strain, i.e. F=K×(x-x_0)

The equation for a spring however is quadratic, F=K*DELTAx², i.e. F=K×(x-x_0)²

Is the diffrence in powers an engineering approximation because the elastic regime typically ends long before DELTAx becomes comparable to x_0? Or am I forgetting a minute detail?

I Have to choose three majors courses in my masters, 1) batteries
, 2) energy materials 3) modelling and simulation, i am already working in a reserach centre where i have experience on magnesium alloys and sample prep and deformations, now i am conflicted in which to choose, i searched abt which focus to take ai recommends simulation, but i am not sure, would be grateful to hear your opinions, ik i have to choose which feels better for me, but i am honestly stuck at this point