Materials science

The search for new industries is getting more sophisticated.

Scientific discoveries can be big business, but the road is long.

Star competitors in a highly competitive field.

Chinese institutions monopolize the fastest-rising ranks for materials-science output in the Nature Index.

New technologies are channelling incidental energy into practical uses.

A description of the terminology and methodology used in this supplement, and a guide to the functionality available free online at natureindex.com.

An environmentally friendly method to turn fabric back into fibre is a breakthrough in tackling the huge problem of textile waste.

With a prestigious history and an extensive supporting network, the School of Materials Science and Engineering (SMSE) at Southeast University has played a leading role in materials research and development to accelerate technological breakthroughs.

In the world of material science, everything from heavy-duty stainless steel, to hair-like nanoscale matter is scrutinized. Realizing the potential of many such materials has been the focus of researchers at City University of Hong Kong (CityU).

A conversation with professor Christopher Barner-Kowollik, Head of the Soft Matter Materials Laboratory at Queensland University of Technology

Destined as a powerhouse for material innovation, the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science (SYNL) has enabled many ground-breaking discoveries through its international network, state-of-the-art infrastructure, the collective wisdom of its outstanding talent.

The School of Material Science and Engineering at Northeastern University, one of China’s first institutions to specialise in metallurgic materials, is welding top talent and original research into next-generation materials.