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The ability to localize mobile charges in solids is essential for understanding a range of correlated electron transport phenomena. Yet, existing approaches rely on weak interaction potentials, limiting their applicability to low-temperature conditions. Park, Liu and Vaikuntanathan addressed this challenge by creating ion-gated bilayer transistors based on hybrid bilayer crystals, composed of a monolayer perylene diimide molecular crystal stacked on a monolayer of molybdenum disulfide.

A 3-way collaboration between the de Pablo, Rowan and Jaeger groups in IRG 1 developed a novel class of suspensions with tunable memory. The particles are made from liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) and exhibit anisotropic elasticity and shape-shifting characteristics. In these suspensions small changes in temperature can be used to induce large changes in material stiffness and transform the particle shape, thereby providing access to a wide range of different flow behaviors. In particular, ajammed, non-flowing state can be escaped by activating the shape memory behavior if the LCE particle.

The MRSEC team at Ohio State University developed and applied a fully automated algorithm to screen all 1,649 known magnetically ordered materials, identifying 387 (~23%) as candidates guaranteed to host topological magnons when a magnetic field, electric field, or strain is applied — a >30× expansion of the known candidate pool.

Strain engineering in epitaxial LaCoO3 thin films enables direct control of crystal symmetry and spin state population, revealing a clear pathway from lattice distortion to emergent magnetism in correlated oxides.

Quantum sensing enables spatially localized, broadband detection of spin dynamics and magnon transport in antiferromagnets, addressing a key limitation of conventional magnetic resonance techniques.

Conjugated polyelectrolytes can be used to form biosensors and bioelectronic devices. Controlling the optoelectronic properties of conjugated polyelectrolytes typically requires extensive synthetic modification.

Previously, UC Santa Barbara MRSEC researchers demonstrated that the introduction of charge to typically immiscible polymer blends can induce a microphase separation. Based on that work, the Random Phase Approximation (RPA) can be used with 13 input parameters to determine if a blend is microphase separated or homogeneous.

Hydrogels are hydrated three-dimensional networksof hydrophilic polymers that are commonly used in the biomedical industry due to their mechanical and structural tunability, biocompatibility, and similar water content to biological tissues.

The NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at UC Santa Barbara develops and sustains a productive, collaborative, and engaged community that drives a portfolio of transformative materials research and empowers a diverse workforce.

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