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Multivariant Measurement Methods Group
 
New, more complex materials are increasingly in demand for applications in areas such as biotechnology, microelectronics and nanotechnology. The use of combinatorial methods -- which comprise a special set of tools and techniques -- enables scientists to rapidly explore a wide range of material characteristics in parallel and on a miniaturized scale. The Combinatorial Methods Program at NIST was initiated to develop this methodology to learn more about materials and their structure, properties and processing, data that can help manufacturers accelerate the development of new materials. The Multivariant Measurement Methods group is developing this methodology to learn more about polymeric materials and their structure, properties and processing, data that can help manufacturers accelerate the development of new materials for the U.S. polymer industry.
 
The group has demonstrated the ability to successfully develop novel combinatorial methods for polymer "library" preparation and characterization, and validation of combinatorial measurements through well-defined problems in polymer materials science such as mapping phase boundary, stability and wettability of thin films, copolymer morphology, crystallization, and demonstrated new knowledge discovery in the process. State of the art on-line data analysis tools, process control methodology and data archival methods are being developed. The group works closely to address issues of the multiphase materials, electronic materials, and biomaterials group for their structure and properties characterization and co-ordinates the NIST Combinatorial Methods Center, a multi-tier consortium which directly serve the needs of currently 14 industrial and government customers.
 
Key objectives:
 
bullet Develop inexpensive combinatorial methodology and demonstrate validity of combinatorial approach for investigating polymer materials science.
bullet Co-ordinate NIST wide effort within Measurements and Standards Laboratory on combinatorial methods.
bullet Develop customer base of industrial, academic and national laboratory partners via multi-tier consortium.
bullet Develop scientific program related to short and long-term customer needs.
 
Sample Preparation and Characterization Techniques
 
In order to perform high throughput experiments specialized equipment and experimental procedures are used. This includes commercially available as well as custom built equipment.......
More information on Sample Preparation and Characterization Techniques
 
 
 
NIST Materials Science & Engineering Laboratory - Polymers Division
 
Research Area 2003
bullet Characterization & Measurement
 
bullet Electronics Materials
bullet Biomaterials
bullet Processing Characterization
bullet Multivariant Measurement Methods
 
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