Scientific Research Summary

The School of Materials Science and Engineering at Tsinghua University is dedicated to the pursuit of creative, interdisciplinary, and high-impact research covering a wide range of topics, including information technology materials, biomedical materials, energy and environmental materials, non-equilibrium materials, structural ceramics, advanced metallic materials, composite materials, and nuclear materials. The school/department aims to carry out cutting edge research at the forefront of materials science, while at the same time providing support for both domestic industry and national strategic research projects. Over the past ten years, faculty within the School have received many awards and published more than 300 peer-reviewed SCI papers annually, ranking #1 in terms of academic output at Tsinghua University. Since its foundation the MSE department has been awarded 26 national science and technology awards, including the National Award for Natural Sciences, the National Award for Technological Invention, the and National Prize for Progress in Science and Technology, and more than 40 national patents are filed and issued within the MSE department every year.
The School of Materials Science and Engineering at Tsinghua University consistently ranks #1 in evaluations of national first-level subjects. In 2016, the School was ranked among the top 10 world universities for materials science, by both the US News Ranking by Subject and the QS World University Rankings by Subject.

 
Computational Materials Science

In our school, we dedicate to build up the connections between properties and structures of materials from electronic scale to macroscopic scale. Our goal is to understand this correlations, emphasizing on the newly emerging structural and functional materials, addressing the basic physics process theoretically and computationally. Here, we constantly contribute ourselves to the cutting edge aspects of the methods and frame work of computational materials science, extract the essential “gene” for the materials to improve them, more over we dedicate to developing the new materials facing the challenge of the energy, environment and extreme conditions, aiming providing better life and future of human being. 

Advanced Materials Processing Technology

Advanced materials processing technology is vital for optimization of materials performance and has an important place with regard both to the demands of industry and to national strategic needs. We have developed many advanced materials processing techniques and methods to meet the demands from the electronic, automotive, aerospace, and national defense industries, covering the fabrication of a range of materials including magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, metallic glasses, high-entropy alloys and carbon fiber-materials. By combining a range of processing methods, we have developed and patented several engineering materials that reach advanced world levels, for use both in military and domestic civil industry. The research in this area within our school has significantly promoted the development of national materials processing technology.

 
Microstructures and Characterizations of Materials
When materials are down-sized to the micro- or nano-scale, transport of electrons and phonons can become limited. Nanomaterials thus have unique optical, electronic, or mechanical properties that differ from those of conventional bulk materials. In the micro- and nano-scale, electron microscopy is the key methodology to “see” materials and as such is of vital importance for materials science research and for the exploration of new materials. Our research takes a materials science-based approach to nanotechnology, leveraging advances in synthesis and the fundamental properties of nanomaterials, to allow the design of novel nanostructures and the fabrication of nanodevices for various applications in electronics, optics, mechanics, and energy systems. We are also devoted to the development of new electron microscopy methods and techniques, and have made leading achievements in areas such as the characterization of atomic structures down to the sub-angstrom scale, nano-mechanics, high-resolution imaging of materials, and the investigation of electron magnetic circular dichroism. These researches provide a window to view and better understand materials at the micro- and nano-scales. 

 
Materials and Devices for Information Technology

While ceramics have traditionally been admired and used for their mechanical, thermal and chemical stability, their unique electrical, optical and magnetic properties have become of increasing importance in many key technologies including communications, energy conversion and storage, electronics and automation. Such materials are now classified under electroceramics, as distinguished from other ceramics such as advanced structural ceramics. In the area of materials and devices for information technology we are focused on the development and application of a wide range of such electroceramics including dielectrics, piezoelectrics, ferroelectrics, electronic conductors, fast ion conductors, and magnets.

Materials for New Energy Applications
In the global green energy revolution, new materials play a crucial role in high-efficiency energy conversion and storage. We are carrying out multi-disciplinary research both to address key scientific issues in this area and to facilitate large-scale production of new energy materials, with a wide scope ranging from study of atomic-level mechanisms to the assembly of renewable energy devices. As one of the top materials science research divisions worldwide, our school is making vital contributions to the exploration of clean energy systems for the sustainable development of human society.

 
Ecomaterials
Ecomaterials is proposed as a comprehensive concept for materials technology that would harmonize with the environment. With well recognized expertise in material sciences and engineering, our school pioneers some of the most promising scientific and technological advances in ecomaterials research, such as environmental engineering materials, environmental functional materials, recycling and environment impact assessment. Our cross-disciplinary research topics are featured as:
Advanced rare earth based catalysts for emissions control of gasoline/diesel vehicles.
Catalytic materials for NOx emissions control of plants.
Recycling of catalysts and their environment impact assessment.
 
Biomedical Materials and Biomimetics
The history of biomaterials dates to antiquity and they are now widely used both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes to improve the quality of healthcare. We are dedicated to research in the areas of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, drug delivery, cancer therapy and bioelectronics, and aim to develop smart and multifunctional integrated materials systems to advance healthcare strategies that can better serve our society.
 
Extreme Materials
The materials working in harsh conditions are the biggest challenge in the materials research work in our school of Materials Science and Engineering in Tsinghua University. The materials will facing the challenge from the radiation, extreme high temperature or temperature gradient, plasma, etc. We are using our expertise both on materials microstructure/properties relationship and the cutting edge processing methods to develop reliable structural and multifunctional materials which can be better solution of cleaner energy and user friendly.