The Modern World of Materials:

Creating Nanomaterials to Benefit Society

Richard W. Siegel

Robert W. Hunt Professor

Materials Science and Engineering Department

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, New York 12180, USA

The history of the world has long been described in terms of the materials that dominated the technology of historical periods, e.g., the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Silicon Age, etc.  Over the past several decades, creative developments worldwide have continually increased our ability to synthesize and assemble nanoscale material building blocks of various sizes and morphologies to create advanced nanostructured materials and devices with novel properties and functionalities.  These materials and devices, based firmly upon early pioneering research, have enabled the continued development of nanotechnology for the increasing benefit of society.  The special properties of nanostructured materials are derived from the unique atomic structures, confined sizes, and very large surface-to-volume ratios of their nanoscale constituents.  Nanostructured surfaces exhibit specific functions through their nanoscale topography.  Also, the controlled dispersion of high surface area nanoscale fillers with precise surface modification in conventional material matrices have enabled the creation of novel multifunctional nanocomposites.  These emerging nanoscale attributes continue to create new opportunities for solutions to important societal problems.  A retrospective of this exciting and still developing field, with highlighted examples from our nanoscale materials research at Rensselaer, will be presented that focuses on some of the seminal contributions that have made it possible and some current advances in our understanding that indicate the many opportunities for a bright and impactful future for new materials.

Bio

Prof. Siegel is a world-renowned scholar in materials science and pioneer of nanostructured materials. Active in materials research over 50 years, Siegel studied defects in metals, atomic diffusion, and synthesis, processing, properties, and applications of nanostructured ceramics, metals, composites, and biomaterials. His research activities resulted in over 300 articles and patents (21 issued in the US), ten edited books, and more than 500 invited lectures presented worldwide on these subjects. He founded and leads Rensselaer’s Molecularium? Project, serving as Executive Producer of its award-winning educational media and is founder and Director of Nanophase Technologies Corporation, a publicly held manufacturing company.