Capabilities
REMAT researchers accelerated materials discovery by building a unique high-throughput polymer research facility at the Beckman Institute and creating a cloud-based data platform that supports collaboration and machine learning.
These advances, combined with access to world-class facilities across the center, have increased research capacity by more than ten times. Scientists at partner institutions can now generate and share thousands of experimental datasets, helping researchers develop and discover new materials faster.
High Throughput Discovery
Crosscutting high throughput (HTP) experimentation enables testing of hypotheses, formulation development, and AI/ML modeling. REMAT has built a robotic experimentation facility and associated data management framework.
Equipment includes an auto sampling differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), front-tracking mold dispenser, robotic arm, resin maker, and temperature controlled frontal polymerization.
Ongoing experiments are full autonomous synthesis and polymerization cycling , integration of HTP rheology and DSC.
Clowder Data Repository
REMAT's research progress has been accelerated through implementation of a cloud-based, ML-ready data management platform, Clowder. Within the ecosystem of experimental capabilities, Clowder has assisted in increasing throughput in the order of magnitude of thousands of data uploads across all partner institutions. The use of this data management platform allows tailoring of data workflows to the specific needs of different modules, making data accessible across institutions within the center and to the broader scientific community.
Illinois Polymer Maker Lab
REMAT utilizes the Beckman Institute's newest core research facility is the Illinois Polymer Maker Lab (IPML), which is the first of its kind for the automated formulation and testing of polymer-based materials. At IPML, researchers design polymer-based materials and capture digital materials data, which can be plugged into artificial intelligence models. The lab enables researchers to collect a year’s worth of data in a week.