fJAT'L INST. OF STAND & TECH R.I.C.

AlllDS SbMM31 H PUBUCATIONS

SCIENCE A I

ENGINEERING

ORATORY

MEASUREMENTS AND STANDARP

100

J57

MO. 934

1999

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Technology Administration

National Institute of Standards and Technology

1 o
MATERIALS SCIENCE

SEL

AND ENGINEERING LABORATORY

WELCOMEto the Materials Science and

Engineering Laboratory of the National

Institute of Standards and Technology. This

brochure provides a snapshot of the wide

range of materials-related services offered to customers and the

multitude of technical activities carried out by the laboratory's

four divisions and one center. By helping American companies

design, process, and effectively use advanced ceramics, poly- mers, and metals, and by providing access to the latest materials

measurement and research tools, the laboratory's technology and

expertise promote U.S. economic growth. |

Take a moment to read through this brochure and then call one of

the contacts listed on the inside back cover.
I HE PROGRESS OF A CIVILIZATION can be gauged by its mastery over materials. Thousands of years ago when Stonehenge was built, natural materials were simply moved and shaped.

Today, materials science is an elaborate discipline in which both natural and

synthetic substances are designed at the atomic scale to perform a dazzling

array of functions.

In the advanced technologies of the modern world, materials are

ubiquitous. From traditional window glasses to the space-age polymers that

package electronic devices, from lightweight aluminum auto-body panels to

hard ceramic coatings on cutting tools, materials are the foundation and

fabric of every manufactured product.

Virtually every technological advance—from faster integrated circuits

and more powerful communications systems to fuel-efficient cars and highly

durable prosthetic devices—requires improvements in materials or processing methods. In short, advanced materials and processing technologies

make better products offering superior performance at affordable costs. And

that makes American manufacturers more competitive in the global marketplace. The result is a strong U.S. economy.

Such advances are possible only if materials suppliers and product

designers have the tools necessary to understand and manipulate the

strength, durability, electronic and magnetic properties, and other characteristics of materials. These tools include the latest techniques for measuring

material properties, evaluated data presented in easy-to-use formats, and

uniform property standards. Providing these tools to help U.S. industry

make better products is the business of the Materials Science and

Engineering Laboratory.

Advanced materials offer Advanced processing methods

advantages such as offer advantages such as

high strength high speed

enhanced durability high precision

light weight reliability

heat tolerance in-line monitoring and control

corrosion resistance low cost

low cost low environmental impact
A magnetometer is used to measure the magnetic

properties of a nickel ball, which is among NIST's more

popular standard reference

materials. Once these measurements are completed and analyzed, the nickel balls are sold to customers for use in calibrating their own magnetic

instruments.

Hundreds of guest researchers from industry, universities, and

government laboratories visit the NIST Center for Neutron Research every year (above). The center's state-of-the-art instruments are used to solve problems in materials science,

physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering.

MSEL researchers are working

with the American Welding

Society to develop interface standards that will help inte- grate power sources, sensors, and controllers into robotic welding cells. Arc sensors developed by MSEL for real- time monitoring and control of weld quality are being used to test and evaluate the proposed

standards. S T O

ME NT AND STANDARDS NEEDS Ol
Companies and universities solve problems together with leadership and

support from the Center for Theoretical and Computational

Materials Science (left). The MSEL

staff promotes the development of modeling tools and computational methods, provides forums for discussion and collaboration, makes solved

test problems available, and offers advice on specific problems.

The American Dental

Association's cooperative research program is co-located

with the NIST laboratories. It has produced polymer-based

dental restorative materials, more than 50 dental material and equipment specifications, and a drill that was later refined into today's air-driven high-speed handpiece.

/ SEL exists primarily to serve American industry. Its pro- ^B^^Nfel grams respond to industry's needs for materials-related H Hi measurements and standards—the infrastructure that

enables companies to use valuable new materials and processing methods,

reduce costs and time-to-market, and increase product quality. This assistance is more vital now than ever, given the rapid pace of technological

change and the growing challenge to U.S. leadership in materials science

and engineering from Asia and Europe.

Customers represent the entire spectrum of American industry. MSEL

supports both materials producers and materials users, often serving as a

'link between them. MSEL scientists work with companies ranging from

small startups to large corporations, help individual customers solve specific

materials measurement or reliability problems, and lead industrial consortia

formed to resolve common technical issues ranging from reducing the costs

of ceramic machining to minimizing wear in orthopedic devices. In addition, many of MSEL's unique research facilities and equipment are available to

guest researchers from industry and academia who are either working on

their own or collaborating with the staff on activities of mutual interest.

The MSEL staff works closely with industry to ensure attention to the

most critical needs and wide dissemination of the resulting measurements,

data, and tools. Companies have many opportunities to communicate or

work with MSEL scientists. Relationships are built through hundreds of

cooperative research and development agreements and other collaborations

designed to address particular materials or processing needs. MSEL also

interacts with companies in consortia and with various industry associations

in an effort to encourage the development and adoption of standards, which

promote trade and economic growth.

The results of MSEL research often are disseminated by customers,

such as manufacturers, instrument makers, and software providers, which

apply new tools and data in their own laboratories and factories and introduce them to the wider industrial community. MSEL scientists also publish

their research in scientific journals and on the World Wide Web, make presentations at technical conferences, and host and participate in focused

workshops.

Products

measurement and characterization tools

test methods

software modeling tools

standard reference materials for calibrating equipment

databases linking material characteristics to processing parameters

standards for commercial transactions

assistance solving special materials or processing problems

AMERICAN INDUSTRY
When protected by ceramic

coatings, aircraft engines (top photo below) can operate at elevated temperatures to achieve very high efficiency. Software developed by MSEL

and another NIST laboratory is used to model these thermal

barrier coatings (bottom photo)

to improve understanding of

their behavior.

The Ceramics Division's research on thin films includes

close observation of processing

methods, such as the

deposition of barium titanate on an opto-electronic device

(right, inset). Processing

affects the microstructure and

electronic and optical properties of these films.

ERAMICS are like

hidden treasures.

They are sel(^;

bvious to consumers or

recognized for their many virtues,

fet ceramics are essentia^ ir

modern products ranginaiBim

cellular telephones to filH^^ls,

[fliuable new foEteQft; and

are discovered regM'lV,

Ceramics come in^an

can be monolithic materills. dompbs

ings, or films. They range fn

and glasses to electron Jarium titanate. Ceramic;

Technologies with

components fi

ad

,n(| sizes. Tl

[es, fiber^, cdatonal poifcelcihS

|terials such as

ijo intriguin|g new

g |iro|iLrties, sucti as com muni nations.

Thin-film ceramics

tronic and optical propertieSi,that;adel

I :: value to computer memory, highi capacity magnetic hard disks, ^nd

data communications devices. IVtSEL

scientists develop suites of measilrdment and .characterization tools that

help industry increase the reliability of

these components and reduce

|fsi They also evaluate relationships

sing: methods and ceramic properties

and study the effects of various modifications.

The ceramic coatings industry is worth half a

billion dollars. These coatings protect against wear,

corrosion, and heat in aircraft parts, heavy equipment,

and cutting tools. MSEL scientists measure and

characterize coatings deposited on aircraft engines and

other surfaces. To help model the thermal and mechai

icai behavior of coatings and predict their performam
ANICAL, ELECTRONIC, AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES

The effects of processing

conditions (left, below) on the microstructure and properties

of ceramics must be well understood before products can be manufactured in a

consistent, predictable manner. MSEL collects reliable information on these effects and

mal(es it available to U.S. industry.

tools are developed for characterizing pores and defects

and relating these features to processing parameters.

Because ceramics tend to contain complex mixtures of many crystalline phases, materials producers and product designers need accurate, up-to-date information

about how these mixtures behave under various conditions. MSEL scientists help industry develop phase

diagrams of material composition at different temperatures that serve as "blueprints" for processing. More

than 45,000 volumes of these diagrams have been sold. Many products can be improved if they are made

of advanced ceramics instead of other materials, but

only if product designers have the right data. MSEL

scientists provide tha evaluated data needed to design

qnri nror^oss improved products. These databases cover

liiyuiianifel, thermal, and crystallographic properties

j( ceramics as well as their machinability. Other data-

"lases detail the physical, mechanical, and electrical

of superconductors.

reduced through advans

processing. MSEL works with more than 50 Gom|

universities, and other government laboratoll

improve the measurement techniques used in

processing, which is typically the first step in eel

manufacturing. Particle size distribution, moisture"

tent, and crystallographic texture are among the c|

teristics measured. To help industry reduce th|

costs of machining ceramic parts, MSEL scientis

vide models, data, and assessments of new mac

and grinding techniques,

Ceramics are generally brittle, which concerns some users. To promote wider use of these va

materials, MSEL scientists study the failure

nisms and develop techniques for estimating maP

reliability and lifetime. They also develop mechani^

testing procedures that eventually will become intern!

tional standards.

Ceramic resonators are used in the electronic circuitry of wireless communications systems

(above). Data developed by the Ceramics Division are used to select the processing

conditions needed to achieve

the optimum properties for these parts.

I
Polymer composites are replacing metal in topside

piping, decking, and other components of offshore oil rigs (below) as a means of improving

durability, reducing weight, and

increasing fire safety. By

elucidating the relationship between the structure and

properties of hybrid composites.

Polymers Division researchers

are developing the capability to predict material behavior.

VERSATILE MATERIALS LIK

L Y

lYLON AND POLYETHYLENE

Among their medical applications, polymers are used in the sockets of hip implants (below) MSEL works with a consortium

orthopedic manufacturers to address sockef wear issues and

reduce time-to-market for new

materials. Tests are being run on wear machines in an effort to develop a new wear test that

realistically mimics actual use.

An instrument known as a MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization) mass

spectrometer is used to determine the molecular weight

of synthetic polymers (right, inset). It is the only absolute method for determining the

distribution of molecular masses.

OLYMERS are

growth industry, THe

U.S. plastics industry

fs suppliers provide nnore ^han 2 million American jobs and

sport about $275 billion m annual

j^stiipments, which have been growby 5 percent, on average, in

recent years. Commercial demand

( growing because scientists at MSEL and elsewhere

|ve acquired the knowledge and tools to control the

Chemical composition, molecular structure, and properof these materials.

;Many sectors of the U.S. economy depend on

jtfhich are used in electronics, transportation,

I, consumer products, furnishings, health

lorting goods. All companies that produce,

iuse polymers, polymer blends, or polymeriposites can profit from the services of MSEL,

jes the latest standard reference materials.

4es

measurement methods, and fundamental concepts of polymer science.

Designers of microelectronic

products, for example, need reliable

data on packaging materials so they

can model the performance and

reliability of integrated circuits, or

chips. Thin-film polymers are amori|

these materials. As electronic devices become smaller and more complex, the space between

printed metal lines is expected to become narrower than

0.5 micrometers. At that point, polymer properties

such as density and the temperature at which the

material turns to glass—may differ from those of bulk

materials. MSEL scientists characterize new polymeric

materials and develop tools to measure their propertie|.l

High-performance products, including those in

emerging industries such as tissue engineering, often

require precision blends of several polymers with

additives or fillers. MSEL scientists build knowledge of;
s

Customized for high-performance products

One-of-a-kind instrumentation

built at NIST is used to cliaracterize the morphology of multiphase polymer materials

during extrusion (below). It combines light scattering and

optical microscopy to achieve

real-time spatial resolution of 50 nanometers to 100 micro- meters. This instrument mimics

industrial equipment and therefore enables real-world measurements.

polymer blends through research on microstructure

and dynamics and develop methods of making stable

mixtures. On-line sensors and other measurement tools

can monitor processing in real time and characterize

/ariables such as blend behavior at different

temperatures.

Fiber-reinforced polymers could provide the high

strength, light weight, and corrosion resistance needed

to make better cars and other products if the parts

could be fabricated cost effectively and their durability

could be predicted. To help industry overcome these

barriers, MSEL scientists develop models and in-line

sensors to monitor, understand, and control the molding of composites in real time. New test methods are

used to assess the durability of resins and fibers and to

ink mechanical properties to material performance.

MSEL also helps companies develop customized tools,

such as imaging systems that reveal details of fiber

architecture.

To make the mosr6T"tfSlymers, U.

needs safer, easy-to-use tools for characterizing

iai structure, properties, and performance. ;

provides the latest methods, data, and standard'

ence materials for characterizing the solid-statej

ture of polymers and their mechanical be

Advances in mass spectrometry are exploit!

measure molecular mass. The endless vari

polymers studied includes natural materials, sul

ultrastrong spider silk.

Polymers are increasingly used to n

diseased structures in the body. MSEL provide^

materials science, test methods, and standards t

port the development of both dental and medical

materials that are safer as well as more durable an

wear resistant than the current state of the art. Future

projects will deal with injectable bone grafts containing

biodegradable polymers for use in minimally invasive

surgery, and dental coatings that provide controlled

release of antibiotics and other substances.
Future automobiles are likely to be made of lightweight metals, such as aluminum, once automakers have access

to sufficient data on the behavior of these materials. Researchers In the Metallurgy

Division develop equations that describe the "formability" of these metals to help model the shape of parts.

Several MSEL researche

with an industry consoi develop and char; layered magnetic m

that can greatly incre capacity of computer hard

drives (above). Among other

activities, the team has measured the thermal stability of these materials and the

conditions that lead to optimum properties.

circuit boards.^ MB^^ODAY'S METALS are much more than a

slab of steel. A wide range of metals and I alloys now are engineered for powerful

sensors designed at the atomic scale, lightweight

frames for highly efficient cars, coatings that withstand

high heat and corrosion, lead-free solders, ultrahighdensity magnetic recording media, and many other

^superior products.

U.S. industry depends on MSEL to provide

sophisticated measurements of metal properties and

behavior, which are determined by the distribution of

phases, grains, and defects during processing.

Electronics, automotive, and aerospace companies

need this assistance to integrate new materials into

production lines and effectively cast, form, or join components. Suppliers and users of steel, aluminum,

copper, and many other metals need standards and measurements to achieve the best material

performance.

As consumer electronics become smaller,,

lighter, faster, and more functional, precise data are

needed on the properties of metallic components,

including interconnects and thin films. MSEL scientists

help companies and consortia develop methods for'

'characterizing the interactions between solder and

circuit board components and for measuring residual

stresses in semiconductor packaging. In addition, processing conditions are identified that optimize the sensitivity of magnetic sensors for hard disks.

U.S. automakers need to find ways to improve

'

fuel economy and reduce emissions while keeping -

costs down. MSEL scientists make measurements,

'-

develop predictive models, and compile data that

promote the efficient design of metal-forming

processes to make lightweight car chassis, gears, and

other parts. They also develop sensor-based strategies

for controlling various metal forming and joining

processes. MSEL's standard test methods based on
To enhance the software used

by industry to model the process of casting aircraft engine parts, MSEL researchers

collected data and developed

thermodynamic models of the complex alloys from which the

parts would be made (above). The models incorporating these

data are now part of a commercial software package.

. BEHAVIOJ

In the past, the hardness of structural materials could not be measured in a consistent manner because of a lack of standards traceable to a single source. To help enhance the

safety of metallic structures (below left), the Metallurgy

Division is leading the develop- ment of national standards for

all ranges of hardness for all types of metals.

Control of many Industrial processes (above) depends on accurate knowledge of the

properties and behavior of various metals as well as tech- nologies that monitor these

parameters. NIST researchers

collect these essential data and develop models and

sensors used to design and

control Industrial processes.

finite element analysis may eventually enable low-cost

mass production of large panels made of high-strength

steel and aluminum alloys.

Magnetic materials are used in everything from

credit cards and photocopy machines to motors and

microwave communications equipment. To promote the

use of new materials that will lead to smaller magnetic

devices, MSEL scientists develop new measurement

science to characterize magnetic properties, durability,

and performance. Of particular interest are materials in

which one or more dimensions are reduced to nanometers. MSEL measurements show how physical

models can be used to predict the novel behavior of

these materials. Amid intense global competition and growing

consumer demand for better products at lower costs,

U.S. industry must produce new products more rapidly

than ever before. MSEL develops technology to deliver

evaluated data to industry in forms that are easy to use

in laboratories or factories. Thermodynamic data

describing the phases present in multicomponent alloys

are developed and incorporated into models describing

the behavior of complex industrial alloys. These models

help industry select the best materials and conditions

for particular applications.

To make high-quality metal products that offer

predictable and consistent performance, companies

need uniform national standards for measuring material

properties. MSEL leads the development of national

standards for measuring metal properties such as hardness, impact strength, weld microstructure, coating

thickness, magnetic behavior, and chemical composition. Such standards not only help American companies

but also promote international trade.
Before researchers can

evaluate the residual stresses

in a stub beam for the bodywing joint of an airplane, the

part must be aligned such that the neutron beam focuses

precisely on the appropriate area (below). This alignment

apparatus was built at NIST.

NEUTRON BEAMS

The Federal Highway

Administration collaborates with

the NCNR on studies of the motion

of water in cement paste (right, above). The neutron scattering studies provide unique information on the hydration reaction which is a critical element in how the

material develops strength.

MSEL collaborated with a small company to develop this unique apparatus for focusing neutron beams (right, inset). By tunneling neutrons through hundreds of tiny tubes to condense the beam, the equipment enables researchers to study smaller areas of weldments

and other materials than can be examined with conventional systems.

reveal secrets

that cannot be

discerned in any other wi

Neutrons illuminate the inr

structures and dynamics of J^-p^iii- , ^?s!^s^_.

virtually any material, benefiting Jp-'ifer^^ ^

many fields of science and a J^9S^^^p

broad range of industrial i^^SM^K^S

products, from catalysts to sensors to construction

materials. Even the building blocks of life, such as

biological membranes, can be explored with neutrons.

After neutrons penetrate a target material, they

scatter in a distinctive pattern, providing a threedimensional "picture" of the positions and motions of

atoms as well as other features, such as magnetic

structure. The special properties of neutrons enable

them to penetrate large samples, identify different

forms of some chemical elements, and detect both very

apid (shorter than 10 picoseconds)

jnd slower motions.

The NIST Center for Neutron

Research (NCNR) maintains state-of-

:he-art instruments and capabilities

or neutron scattering research.

Scientists use the center to solve rv -Bi^^ problems in materials science,

- physics, chemistry, biology, and

engineering. Because these facilities are too expensive

for any single private organization to build, buy, and

operate, the NCNR is a national facility available to

qualified users (1 ,300 in one recent year) from U.S. and

foreign companies, universities, and government

laboratories.

The heart of the NCNR is a 20-megawatt

research reactor, which provides "thermal" and "cold"

neutrons to more than 30 experimental stations,

including the only cold neutron guide network in the

United States. The temperature of a neutron beam
Neutron studies of molecular

structure and vibrational states help scientists model and

understand materials such as cubane, a synthetic, cube- shaped carbon array that may

have biomedical applications. Cubane contains unstable, high-energy bonds between atoms (the green areas in the computer model above).

influences the types of experiments performed and the^

nature of the results. ,

Neutrons often are used to illuminate the struc-'

ture and forms of aggregation in crystals. Researchers^

can use NCNR instruments to analyze atomic and

molecular arrangements in catalysts, ceramics, superconductors, and other materials. MSEL scientists also«

compile crystal data and help companies develop,

related technologies, such as crystallography software.

^ Other NCNR studies focus on molecular bonding'

states and dynamic processes in materials ranging from

polymers for batteries and other products to buckyballs,,

which are soccer-ball-shaped molecules of great interest to many researchers. Such studies yield important]

results that can have practical implications. Studies ofi

the motion of water in cement paste, for example, help'

explain the freezing process and may help scientists'

improve the durability of this material. i The breadth of research capabilities at the NCNr!

is remarkable. Unique measurement tools help scien-j

fists characterize new magnetic materials, which could

enable U.S. manufacturers to reduce the size and weight

of data storage devices. Other tools are used to explore

the extremes in material dimensions, from very long

molecules, such as the surfaces of polymer films on

silicon, to very small crystals, such as nanocrystalline

magnets.

Other uses for neutrons include nondestructive

evaluation of residual stress and texture, which affect

material properties and performance. These studies

focus on important alloy, ceramic, and composite structures and components, such as weldments and railroad

tracks. IMIST's Chemical Science and Technology

Laboratory uses neutrons for a wide range of studies in

analytical chemistry, such as measurements of small

amounts of hydrogen in technologically important

systems. NlST's Physics Laboratory uses the NCNR to

study nuclear and neutron physics, including the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics.
By enhancing the precision of techniques for measuring ultra- sonic velocity (right and

below), MSEL researchers are improving capabilities to characterize the microstructure and properties of structural materials, such as steel. The same measurements are also used to improve the precision

of calibration standards.

I.
The Ceramics Division uses a "clean room" similar to

this one (above) for the processing and analysis of thin films that are critical to the

operation of computer memory

devices. The clean environ- ent reduces the chances of distorting measurements

becoming entrapped in erials during processing.

ODERN MATERIALS are often complex structures, such as

assemblies of silicon, polymers, metals, and ceramics used

to make computer cfiips; or fiber-reinforced composite

materials designed to reduce the weight of airframes and golf clubs; or

layered ceramic coatings that protect turbine blades in jet engines and power plants. Industry needs a continuous supply of tools for measuring

various characteristics of these structures to improve commercial products

and the processes used to make them. MSEL scientists are challenged to

develop measurement tools that not only characterize complex materials but

also reveal the nature of the interactions among the components.

Miniaturization has enabled staggering advances in communication

and information technologies, from cellular telephones to computers.

Measurements of material properties and behavior must be made at correspondingly smaller dimensions to ensure the reliability and requisite

performance of semiconductor, magnetic recording, and opto-electronic

devices. MSEL scientists devise methods for measuring mechanical,

thermal, and magnetic behavior at miniaturized scales to correspond to the

ever-smaller dimensions at which complex materials systems are now

fabricated.

In-process measurements are key to improving productivity in

manufacturing, whether in steelmaking, production of automotive parts, or

vehicle assembly. Working with industrial partners, MSEL scientists develop

in-line sensors and other tools for obtaining real-time information about

material condition and processing parameters. These techniques enable

manufacturers to produce materials and products offering improved quality

and functionality and consistent properties at reduced costs. Industrial

collaborations have improved aerospace castings, steel rolling, molding of

polymers, and ceramics processing.

The superior properties and performance of advanced materials

often are derived from tailor-made microstructures, which can be achieved

only if methods are available for quantitative characterization of those

microstructures. Accordingly, MSEL scientists develop nondestructive

methods of making the physical measurements needed for quality assurance. Measurement tools include ultrasonics, X-rays, micromagnetics, and

thermal waves. New techniques have been developed successfully for

characterizing ceramic powders, composite materials, and steel products.

MSEL also works with industry to develop standards for calibrating

measurement tools.
MSEL'SEXPERTISE, facilities, and services can be tapped

from almost anywhere. While remaining in their familiar

work environments, customers from industry, academia,

and other government agencies can join focused research teams and gain

access to new tools, evaluated materials data, standard reference materials,

and results of the latest materials studies. Industrial and academic scientists

also can use research stations and analytical instruments operated by MSEL

but located at other laboratories.

Researchers from around the world participate in multi-site working

groups convened and coordinated by the Center for Theoretical and

Computational Materials Science, which uses modeling and simulation to

explore how materials processing, microstructure, and properties are

related. The teams collaborate on the Internet and at periodic workshops to

develop and apply new tools to resolve important industrial problems.

Among its successes, this approach reduced costly soldering failures at a

major corporation.

The latest modeling and simulation tools developed or adapted by

these research teams can be obtained from the World Wide Web

(http://www.ctcms.nist.gov). In one recent year, the tools were downloaded

more than 1,300 times by academic and industry researchers. One unique

tool enables users to convert an image of a material structure into a

computer model, test characteristics such as fracture behavior or elasticity,

and visualize and quantify the response.

The design of new electronic, catalytic, biopolymeric, and other

important materials requires an understanding of the molecular arrangements and microstructures that control function. Guest researchers can

perform a wide range of state-of-the-art measurements of advanced

materials using NIST beam stations at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York and Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago. The latter facility,

which offers a 1 00- to 1 0,000-fold increase in brilliance over the previous

state of the art, is rapidly becoming the nation's premier X-ray source.

MSEL'S Synchrotron Radiation Program is part of a collaborative access

team at this facility.

Producers and users of ceramics can benefit from a wealth of multimedia information on the Web site of MSEL's Ceramics Division

(http://www.ceramics.nist.gov). Descriptions and results of research on

machining, processing, ultrasonics, and fractography are combined with

feedback forms, e-mail links, and discussion forums to encourage dialog.

Users can search databases on the properties of high-temperature

superconductors and structural ceramics. The growing collection of tools

and resources includes a guide to materials data centers and sources.
The Charpy impact test is used

worldwide to assure the

fracture resistance of steels

for bridges, pipelines, and

other structures where safety

is critical. More than 1,000 customers verify the accuracy

of their Charpy test machines

using NIST's standard reference

materials. This service

includes an evaluation of test results and, when necessary, suggestions on how to bring a machine into compliance with

national standard^.

Computer models such as this "gull-wing lead" (above) can

assist in the design of reliable solder joints for electronic products. NIST's Solder Interconnect Design Team, a

partnership with industry ami

academia, is^promoting the

*

f modeling tools

t of MSEL's

developme

with the su

Metallurgy!

for Theoreti Computatioi

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BCH FOR THE

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BUILDING A RIGOROUS FOUNDATION FOR NEXT-GENERATION MATERIALS

BASIC RESEARCH provides the new knowledge and tools that will produce

the industrial materials and products of tomorrow. Among their basic research activities, MSEL scientists address

classical problems that have confounded materials scientists for decades. An

ongoing effort to develop a mechanical constitutive law for the behavior of a

metal single crystal, for example, has produced a general theory for the

transport of dislocations through the deformed crystal and an analytical

model that enhances understanding of the physics of the process. This

analytical tool enabled scientists to define the deforming metal as a selforganizing critical system. Such a definition provides a statistical framework

for describing the material's physical properties, which can be determined

experimentally or with computer simulations.

Materials design projects concentrate on analyzing failure modes in

ceramics used in heat engines, biomechanical implants, and protective

coatings. New microstructures are designed, evaluated, and optimized. This

work is especially concerned with enhancing understanding of fracture and

deformation, which limit material lifetimes. To evaluate these properties.

Dptical characterization techniques for thin filh

modeling of crystal defects to interpret atomic

scale measurements

predicting the physical properties of multiphas

materials

physical aging and structural recovery in polyr

role of crystallization in the morphology of polymers

modeling of interface motion to control

solidification and microstructure

development of physically based constitutive laws for sheet metal

correlated molecular motion in glass-forming

materials

morphologies of polymer blends, complex flui and metal alloys

MSEL pioneered the simple but powerful "indentation fracture" testing

procedure, which is now used worldwide. Scientists have also developed

equations that explain creep, or stretching under tension, in silicon nitride.

These efforts help to establish design guidelines for the next generation of

materials.

Other studies address material structure and behavior. MSEL .

scientists develop and apply mathematical techniques to describe and analyze crystal structure, high-resolution microscopy methods for observing

atomic-scale phenomena, and models of the kinetics of microstructure

development. These studies, coupled with recent increases in computing

power, enable scientists to demonstrate how the basic laws of material

behavior lead to the evolution of complex microstructures, which influence

the materials' physical properties. Advanced microscopy methods and other

tools available at NIST are used to study material behavior, such as the

steady-state phase behavior and pattern formation of binary polymer

mixtures under shear. Much of this research could not be carried out using

conventional equipment. . > The design of new tools opens up. new research frontiers. Recent

advances have established, for example, the world's leading capability in

cold neutron reflectometry for the study of surfaces and interfaces. By

offering unparalleled signal-to-noise ratio and resolution, these facilities and

equipment are enabling breakthrough research, including in situ measurements of the morphology of biological cell membranes, electrochemical

reactions on surfaces., and fundamental interactions between magnetic

layers in a variety of novel multilayered nanostructures. In addition, new

analytical methods have been developed to ensure the accuracy of the

structural information derived from the reflectivity measurements.

To ensure excellence in basic research, materials scientists who are

recognized world leaders in their areas of expertise are selected as NIST •

Fellows. Through their leadership in key areas of materials science, interactions with MSEL divisions, and collaborations with industrial and academic

researchers, the Fellows help promote the development of superior nextgeneration materials.
MATERIALS SCIENCE s

AND ENGINEERING LABORATORY L

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

William M. Daley. Secretary

Technology Administration Gary Bachula. Acting Under Secretary for Technology

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Raymond G. Kammer, Director

NIST: An agency of the U.S. Department

of Commerce's Technology

Administration, NIST promotes U.S. economic growth by working with

industry to develop and apply

technology, measurements, and

standards. It carries out this mission

through four interwoven programs: Measurement and Standards

Laboratories (including MSEL)

Advanced Technology Program

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Baldrige National Quality Program

News and general information about NIST programs are available on-line at http://www.nist.gov, or by calling 301-975-NIST or sending an email message to inquiries@nist.gov. Any mention of commercial products is for information only: it does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the

National Institute of Standards and

Technology nor does it imply that the products mentioned are necessarily the

best available for the purpose.

Photography by Robert Rathe (NEUTRONS—Cold Neutron Research Facility, molecular beam epitaxy, aircraft body-wing

loint: CUSTOMERS

—guest researchers at neutron center): Geoffrey Wheeler (MEASUREMENTS—electronic speckle-pattern

interferometry, ultrasonic velocity, measurement tools, strain gauge: CUSTOMERS—

welder; SERVICES—Charpy apparatus):

Jinfu Shu (SERVICES—diamond-anvil cell); Barry Gardiner (CUSTOMERS—Center for Theoretical and Computational Materials

Science): and Argonne National Laboratory (SERVICES—Advanced Photon Source).

NIST Special Publication 934

January 1999

Leslie E. Smith,

Laboratory Director 301-975-5658

leslie.smith@nist.gov

Dale E. Hall, Deputy Director 301-975-5658

dale.hall@nist.gov

Kenneth L. Jewett, Senior Scientific Adviser 301-975-2608

kenneth.jew^ett@nist.gov

The Materials Science and

Engineering Laboratory helps

U.S. industry improve the quality,

reliability, and manufacturability

of materials and the products

made from them by developing

and maintaining measurement

tools, standard test methods,

standard reference materials, and evaluated data on material

properties.

CERAMICS DIVISION

Stephen W. Freiman, Chief 301-975-6119

steve.freiman@nist.gov

Areas of emphasis include funda- mental and applied research on

ceramics and processing methods

needed to make electrical, thermal, and optical products; and ceramic

coatings and films.

MATERIALS RELIABILITY

DIVISION

Harry I. McHenry, Chief 303-497-3268

mchenry@boulder.nist.gov

Areas of emphasis include in-line sensors to make measurements

during processing; ultrasonic methods for characterizing

materials; and microscale measure- ments of electronic interconnects.

POLYMERS DIVISION

Bruno M. Fanconi, Acting Chief 301-975-6762

bruno.fanconi@nist.gov

Areas of emphasis include electronic packaging, polymer blends and

processing, polymer composites,

polymer characterization, and dental and medical materials.

METALLURGY DIVISION

Carol A. Handwerker, Chief 301-975-5963

caroLhandvi/erker@nist.gov

Areas of emphasis include magnetic

materials, material performance,

lightweight materials for automotive

applications, electronic packaging and interconnection, and metal

processing.

NIST CENTER FOR NEUTRON

RESEARCH

J. Michael Rowe, Director 301-975-6210

mike.rowe@nist.gov

The center operates the NIST

Research Reactor and Cold Neutron Research Facility, conducts materials research using neutron methods, and develops and maintains

state-of-the-art instruments.

For more detailed information about MSEL services and facilities, or to obtain technical publications such as annual reports, please call or e-mail the appropriate contact listed here.

Additional information is available on-line at http://www.msel.nist.gov.