What is Materials Science?

Credit that satisfying clack of colliding billiard balls to materials science and engineering

Once, all billiard balls were made of ivory, a natural material harvested from animals. But in the 1860s, fearing a shortage, a supplier offered a reward for a practical alternative—and, it had to include that satisfying clack.

John Wesley Hyatt took up the challenge. He invented a method to combine nitrocellulose, camphor, and alcohol to create an artificial plastic called celluloid. Over the years, many practical uses have been found for celluloid including denture plates, photographic film and toys.

Simply put, materials science is about designing a better world.

At Duke, materials science is an important focus of our discovery work. You're invited to learn more about materials science and engineering at Duke. Each video below is packed with interesting information and is designed for a general audience.

Video Podcast Series