The first materials scientists might have been early humans who—through trial-and-error experiments—discovered the first "cutting-edge" technologies. They found that the best arrowheads and other tools could be made from certain types of natural, structural materials, which at the time included stones and animal bones.
Today, many of the most promising new materials are "functionalized," meaning they are often carefully and methodically designed and synthesized at the atomic scale.
At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a group of scientists has used neutron scattering techniques to investigate a relatively new functional material called a Weyl semimetal. This crystalline material hosts low-energy quasiparticles, which are atomic-scale properties treated as a particle. These Weyl fermions move very quickly in a material and can carry electrical charge at room temperature. Scientists believe that Weyl semimetals, if used in future electronics, could allow electricity to flow more efficiently and enable more energy-efficient computers and other electronic devices.
To read more, click here.