UA’s AMI Connects Research and Industry Through Materials Innovation

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — At the Alabama Materials Institute, investments in facilities and technology aim to strengthen the collaborative ecosystem around materials engineering at The University of Alabama.

With renovations to its spaces complete and several new, leading-edge instruments installed, AMI bridges the gap between the University and partners in industry and government.

“While the Alabama Materials Institute initially centered on advanced characterization, through strategic partnerships with the Department of Defense, we have complemented this with key material processing capabilities,” Dr. Gregory Thompson, the institute’s executive director, said.

With the means to both characterize and manufacture new materials, AMI can support a materials ecosystem encompassing academic research alongside industrial engagement.

Unique Capabilities

The final additions to AMI’s facilities were installed earlier this year. The materials research instruments collected at UA are distinct, if not unique among American universities. Together, the capabilities represented provide educational training for UA students and new directions for faculty-driven research exploration on par with opportunities at a national research laboratory.   

One of the newest instruments is a local electrode atom probe, which can detect and identify every atom in a material and reconstruct its position in three dimensions. This instrument, the only one of its kind for universities in the southeast, is essential when developing the next generation of materials. Applications for its use may range from semiconductors used in electronics to thermal protective coatings for aerospace applications.

A standout among AMI’s microscopes is the Spectra aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, which directly images atoms with ultra-high resolution. The double-corrected microscope provides a higher degree of accuracy in both imaging and probe scanning. It’s the only one of its kind in the state and is critical to understanding how defects form and control properties in materials.  

On the processing side, the powder processing facility is anchored by an ordered powder lithography system to 3D print metal and ceramic powders. Unlike other powder-based additive manufacturing methods, here, all the powder is directly used to improve efficiency and cost savings. 

One of the other unique aspects of the AMI powder processing facility is the ability to cryogenically mill different powders together to form new alloys that have nanocrystalline structures. This process has created novel materials with useful properties, from impact resistance to the ability to disinfect water.

Forging Ties with Alabama Industry

With a growing aerospace industry in northern Alabama, shipbuilding in the southern part of the state, and the state’s robust automotive industry, materials are at the heart of Alabama’s economic development.

“UA has invested in the institute to further enhance the economic engine of the state,” Dr. Sanghamitra Deb, a materials characterization specialist at AMI, said. “We are training students to meet this need as well as connecting faculty with industry to help solve relevant problems by bring together different expertise.”

To help introduce UA’s new capabilities to people in the field of materials from Alabama and surrounding states, AMI is hosting an open house August 13-14, where one can see these capabilities on display and learn more how to engage AMI in helping with their materials needs. The two-day event will feature tours and demonstrations of the new and upgraded space along with speakers and deep-dive tutorials from industry leaders.