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Intelligent Processing of Materials Laboratory

Founded in 1988, the University of Virginia's Intelligent Processing of Materials Laboratory (IPML) is a premier center for research on the design and synthesis/processing of new materials. Located in the University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the laboratory integrates the development of synthesis and processing techniques with predictive process modeling, in-situ sensing, and closed loop control and applies the methodology to the synthesis of second generation thermal barrier coatings, spintronic device fabrication and multifunctional cellular materials. The goals of IPML research:
  • Create innovative process technologies to facilitate creation of new materials and devices.
  • Develop mathematical models for predicting a materials evolution during its synthesis and processing.
  • Investigate novel in-situ sensors for tracking material changes during processing.
  • Explore model-based, process path optimization and feedback control concepts to steer unstable process to desirable outcomes.
The laboratory's research is highly interdisciplinary, with extensive interaction with other universities, industry and numerous government laboratories. The laboratory's faculty, scientists, and students have backgrounds in materials science, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, engineering physics, computer science, chemistry and physics. They have published more than 350 technical papers, and numerous books. The laboratory has made many inventions and its members have over 25 patents either issued or pending. Two companies have been spun out of the group's research program.

© 2007 · Intelligent Processing of Materials Laboratory · Materials Science and Engineering Department
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences · University of Virginia