Our group’s research interests bridge among the synthesis of nanostructured materials, additive manufacturing, and understanding the underlying mechanisms that control the mechanical behavior of various advanced materials (metals and alloys, carbon-based materials, 2D materials, and porous materials). We apply in situ characterization techniques (e.g., in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction, computed tomography, transmission electron microscopy) to probe how the defects interact with surfaces or interfaces. Our research is focused on achieving high-performance structural materials via microstructure engineering. Occasionally, we are also interested in their functional properties such as electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, catalytic activities, and electrochemical energy storage capacity. Our experimental work is more often coupled with computer modeling to help deepen our understanding of structure-property relationships. In addition to materials science, we welcome students with a strong background in applied physics, chemistry, and mechanical engineering to join the team.

1. S.A. Khairallah, A.A. Martin, J.R.I. Lee, G. Guss, N.P. Calta, J.A. Hammons, M.H. Nielsen, K.Chaput, E. Schwalbach, M.N. Shah, M.G. Chapman, T.M. Willey, A.M. Rubenchik, A.T. Anderson, Y.M. Wang, M.J. Matthews, W.E. King, “Controlling interdependent meso-nanosecond dynamics and defect generation in metal 3D printing”, Science 368, 660-665 (2020).
2. X. Ke, J.C. Ye, Z. Pan, J. Geng, M.F. Besser, D.X. Qu, A. Caro, J. Marian, R.T. Ott, Y.M. Wang, F. Sansoz, “Ideal maximum strengths and defect-induced softening in nanocrystalline-nanotwinned metals”, Nature Materials 18, 1207-1214 (2019).
3. W. Chen, T. Voisin, Y. Zhang, J.B. Florien, C.M. Spadaccini, D.L. McDowell, T. Zhu, Y.M. Wang, “Microscale residual stresses in additively manufactured steel”, Nature Communications 10, 4338 (2019).
4. B. Yuan, V. Smalyuk , P. Amendt, R. Tommasini, J. Field, S. Khan, D. Bennett, E. Dewald, F. Graziani, S. Johnson, O. Landen, A. MacPhee, A. Nikroo, J. Pino, S. Prisbey, J. Ralph, R. Seugling, D. Strozzi, R. Tipton, Y.M. Wang, E. Loomis, E. Merritt, D. Montgomery, “Enhanced energy coupling for indirectly driven inertial confinement fusion”, Nature Physics 15, 138-141 (2019).
5. Y.M. Wang, T. Voisin, J.T. McKeown, J.C. Ye, N.P. Calta, Z. Li, Z. Zeng, Y. Zhang, W. Chen, T.T. Roehling, R.T. Ott, M.K. Santala, P.J. Depond, M.J. Matthews, A.V. Hamza, T. Zhu, “Additively manufactured hierarchical stainless steels with high strength and ductility”, Nature Materials 17, 63-71 (2018).
6. Y.Y. Liu, J.J. Wu, K.P. Hackenberg, J. Zhang, Y.M. Wang, Y.C. Yang, K. Keyshar, J. Gu, T. Ogitsu, R. Vajtai, J. Lou, P.M. Ajayan, B.C. Wood, B.I. Yakobson, “Self-optimizing, highly surface-active layered metal dichalcogenide catalysts for hydrogen evolution”, Nature Energy 2, 17127 (2017).
7. X.Q. Huang, Z.P. Zhao, L. Cao, Y. Chen, E.B. Zhu, Z.Y. Lin, M.F. Li, A.M. Yan, A. Zettl, Y.M. Wang, X.F. Duan, T. Mueller, Y. Huang, “High-performance transition metal-doped PtNi Octahedra for oxygen reduction reaction”, Science 348, 1230-1234 (2015).
8. J. Geng, K. Kim, J. Zhang, A. Escalada, R. Tunuguntla, L.R. Comolli, F.I. Allen, A.V. Shnyrova, K.R. Cho, D. Munoz, Y.M. Wang, C.P. Grigoropoulos, C.M. Ajo-Franklin, V.A. Frolov, A. Noy, “Stochastic transport through carbon nanotubes in lipid bilayers and live cell membranes”, Nature 514, 612-615 (2014).
9. Y.Y. Liu, Y.M. Wang, B.I. Yakobson, B.C. Wood, “Assessing carbon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries: a universal description of charge-transfer binding”, Physical Review Letters 113, 028304 (2014).
10. Y.M. Wang, F. Sansoz, T.B. LaGrange, R.T. Ott, J. Marian, T.W. Barbee, Jr., A.V. Hamza, “Defective twin boundaries in nanotwinned metals”, Nature Materials 12, 697-702 (2013).

• Strong Yet Ductile Nanolamellar High-entropy Alloys by Additive Manufacturing | Nature, August 2022

Ph.D., Materials Science, Johns Hopkins University, 2003

• The top 2% of the most cited researchers throughout their career (subfield: Materials and Applied Physics) (Mendeley Data, 2020).
• Director’s S&T Award, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (2016, 2014, 2013).
• Fellow of American Physical Society (2014).
• Selected top five reviewers of Scripta Materialia (2008).
• Nano 50 Innovator Award, Nanotech Brief (2008).
• Harold Graboske Fellowship, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (2004-2005).