Autonomous Materials Systems Group
Transforming the entire life cycle of polymers and composites
Nature inspires the AMS group to change the world with better materials for sustainability, safety, aging and energy. Polymers and composites possess the necessary chemical and mechanical properties critical for achieving lightweight, durable structures in the energy (wind turbine blades), aerospace (aircraft and drones), and transportation industries (electric vehicles and trains)
However, the vast energy input required for initial manufacture, long cure times to develop desired structural properties and lack of end-of-life strategies render these materials unsustainable.
Transforming the entire life cycle of polymers and composites
Nature inspires the AMS group to change the world with better materials for sustainability, safety, aging and energy. Polymers and composites possess the necessary chemical and mechanical properties critical for achieving lightweight, durable structures in the energy (wind turbine blades), aerospace (aircraft and drones), and transportation industries (electric vehicles and trains)
However, the vast energy input required for initial manufacture, long cure times to develop desired structural properties and lack of end-of-life strategies render these materials unsustainable.
Motivated by living systems’ continuous growth, regeneration and repair, this interdisciplinary team of chemists, materials scientists and engineers is focused on developing fast, efficient manufacturing methods, extending service life through self-healing and building in regenerative end-of-life strategies to enable recycling.
The AMS group is sending its research to space. Mission Illinois will demonstrate the first ever on-orbit manufacturing of composite materials. The team will send a tool designed and built at Beckman, similar to a large 3D printer, to space that will produce large, high stiffness composite tubes. These tools and materials could eventually enable manufacture large space structures, including space telescopes and antennas.
The AMS group is sending its research to space. Mission Illinois will demonstrate the first ever on-orbit manufacturing of composite materials. The team will send a tool designed and built at Beckman, similar to a large 3D printer, to space that will produce large, high stiffness composite tubes. These tools and materials could eventually enable manufacture large space structures, including space telescopes and antennas.
Group leader
- Nancy R. Sottos
- Sameh Tawfick
Labs within this group
- Braun Research Group
- Diao Research Group
- Ewoldt Research Group
- Kinetic Materials Research Group
- The Moore Group
- Sottos Group
- Predicting chemical storm fronts: Beckman researchers develop a modeling technique to enable predictive control over patterned material formation
- Beckman Institute welcomes 2025 Postdoctoral Fellows
- Braun, Sweedler elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Beckman researchers, collaborators receive $1.8 M NSF grant to develop self-replicating materials
- Nature-inspired 3D-printing method shoots up faster than bamboo
- Beckman researcher leads study in eliminating dead zones in desalination technology
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology