Materials Research Lab

Administered by Dr. Ali Abdul-Aziz and Dr. Michael Fisch, the Materials Research Lab uses x-rays and optical microscopy to study new liquid crystalline materials. These materials are multifunctional in that they exhibit both liquid crystalline properties and also other physical properties such as stability at high temperatures, high anisotropic electrical conductivity, and ferromagnetism. These new materials are expected to be the basis of expanded battery and fuel cell applications and other applications. We are working to develop versions of these materials for lower temperature applications.