Thinking big about small materials, researchers in Northwestern Engineering’s Materials Innovation Lab are advancing additive manufacturing at the nanoscale, developing methods to produce sustainable materials and inks that will help build the biosensors, batteries, transistors, and neuromorphic devices of the future.

“The applications for these devices and materials address some of the most significant challenges and opportunities confronting society, from sustainability to next-generation computing to healthcare innovation,” says Mark Hersam, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. “The work done by our students in the Materials Innovation Lab directly reinforces Northwestern Engineering’s leadership in materials science.”

Located on the fourth floor of Mudd Hall, the Materials Innovation Lab opened in fall 2023 and includes an array of advanced printing and battery testing technologies.