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1. Nanostructured metallic glasses - Colloidal synthesis of metallic glass nanoparticles. Fabrication of nanostructured metallic glasses from nanoparticles. Characterization of mechanical, structural and thermodynamic properties using nanoindentation, micropillar testing, transmission electron microscopy and calorimetry. Analysis of deformation mechanisms and structure-property relationships within metallic glasses.

Structural hierarchy through self-assembly

Architected materials with nano and microscale features can have extraordinarily high strength, stiffness, and toughness per weight. Two well-known biological materials with these characteristics are nacre (mother of pearl)¹ and the claw of the mantis shrimp.² These materials are made of up periodic arrangements of hard domains interspersed with soft matter (Fig. 1). Structural hierarchy exists at different length scales, and varies spatially across the material.