Data-Intensive Science

CHAPTER 5

Materials of the Future

From Business Suits to Space Suits

Mark F. Horstemeyer

CONTENTS

5.1    Energy

5.2    Infrastructure

5.3    Transportation

5.4    Nano- and Micro structures/Small Devices

5.5    Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

Materials science is quickly changing the face of what is possible. Looking to the future, it is easy to envision a number of areas where materials engineering and design can impact our daily lives: cars that are lighter, more efficient, and yet handle crashes better; batteries that can last longer and can be recharged more effectively; lightweight insulations that virtually eliminate heat transfer; paper that uses digital signals instead of ink to display messages, and can be reused indefinitely; ...