The typical method of atomic modeling is a bottom-up approach in which each atom connects with its closest neighboring atoms. This method works reliably for most solids, but bottom-up analysis of noncrystalline materials has always made Egami uneasy because of their unstable, chaotic nature. “The bottom-up approach is very self-centered, like the geocentric view of the universe where the Earth is at the center,” he said. Like Copernicus, Egami has looking for the cosmic truth about these materials his whole career.
After completing undergraduate studies in applied physics at the University of Tokyo, a doctorate in materials science from the University of Pennsylvania and postdoctoral studies at the University of Sussex and the Max Planck Institute, Egami taught at the University of Pennsylvania for 30 years. In 2003, he came to ORNL where to focus on the underdeveloped field of liquid physics.
“Water itself is a major mystery,” said Egami. “The classical physics of water is well understood, but there are many things about water we don’t understand. It’s such basic stuff, right? Life came out of that, and we don’t know why.”
Egami uses enigmatic metallic glass to study the structure, function and deformation of noncrystalline materials.
Metallic glass presents as solid, but its disorganized atomic structure makes it technically a frozen liquid. The opaque substance is made of metal alloys — made by mixing two or more metallic elements — that are supercooled so atoms do not have a chance to organize themselves into a lattice structure.
This lack of structure makes metallic glass highly elastic, extremely strong and easy to magnetize. Since entering the marketplace in the 1970s, metallic glass has been used in products such as sporting goods, smartphones and medical devices. Still, not much is known about the source of its mechanical properties, which has limited its commercial use.
This Oak Ridge National Laboratory news article "Materials scientist Egami describes new world order for glasses, liquids" was originally found on https://www.ornl.gov/news
