Dr. Ian M. Robertson

Materials for the Extreme Environments of Next-Generation Energy Systems

Ian Robertson Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois

Director, NSF Division of Materials Research

Breakthroughs in materials are needed to enable many emerging technologies from next generation computing; to transportation; to sustainable energy generation, delivery and storage; to clean air and water, etc. Many of these technologies demand materials with properties, performance and endurance far in excess of current generation materials. The harshness of the environment (temperature, stress, radiation, gaseous and chemical) in which these systems will operate places further stringent demands on the properties of materials. New materials or materials systems, with properties orders of magnitude superior to those of today, will have to be discovered and developed to meet these challenges. This talk will highlight these challenges, placing particular emphasis on energy systems and technologies. A new strategy, the Materials Genome Initiative, for accelerating the discovery, development and deployment of these materials will be introduced.

Friday, October 28, 2011
1065 Kemper Hall
11 – 12 p.m.