AI Insight
Researchers from the University of Michigan, the University of Southern California, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a quantitative metric to measure the complexity of nanomaterials. This metric moves beyond subjective assessments of material structure by providing a measurable framework that links specific levels of complexity to distinct material properties. The findings suggest that certain combinations of properties, not found in nature or existing synthetic materials, can be achieved by deliberately engineering the complexity of nanomaterials.
Why it matters
This work could shift nanomaterials engineering from a trial-and-error discovery process to a rational design approach, potentially enabling the development of materials with tailored properties for applications in electronics, medicine, and energy storage.
Complexity may seem subjective, but a quantitative measure of the complexity of nanomaterials was recently developed by a team of researchers from the University of Michigan Engineering, the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Their metric promises to take nanomaterials engineering from a process of discovery to one of design, enabling engineers to produce combinations of properties not seen in natural or existing man-made materials.
Source: Complexity isn't subjective—the right amount results in new material properties