Material Measurement Laboratory

A picture of a keyboard with a key labelled "lexicon"

The NIST Bioeconomy Lexicon Aids Measurement of a Vital Industry Sector

NIST Supports Transition to a Circular Economy

Standard Reference Material for Cigarette Tobacco Filler (SRM 3222)

Welcome to the Material Measurement Laboratory

The NIST Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) conducts measurement science research to benefit industries based in the chemical, biological and material sciences, and contributes technical expertise to the development of standards. MML researchers perform fundamental and applied research, evaluate data, and create other programs and tools to assure the quality of measurement results. Our work supports areas of national importance: We contribute to the development of new vaccines and biologic drugs, characterize the performance of alternative fuels and refrigerants with less greenhouse gas potential, assess pollutants including ocean plastics, help develop new materials for lightweight, fuel efficient transportation, and much more.

News and Updates

New Frequency Comb Can Identify Molecules in 20-Nanosecond Snapshots

October 30, 2023

Laser-based system now has the ability to capture moment-to-moment details of high-speed processes such as hypersonic propulsion and protein folding.

Department of Commerce to Undertake Key Responsibilities in Historic Artificial Intelligence Executive Order

October 30, 2023

Experts at NIST will lead technical work on AI safety for the U.S. government.

Historical newspaper photo shows a large ship in port with a crack down the center, splitting it almost in half.

Spotlight: The Unfortunate Origin of a NIST Metal Toughness Program Still Going Strong

October 19, 2023

A series of catastrophic failures in U.S. ships during World War II prompted the start of a program still in existence and going strong at NIST.

Someone wearing a safety vest holds up a handful of black plastic pellets.

Spotlight: Paving the Way With Recycled Plastics in the State of Hawai‘i

October 3, 2023

In the state of Hawai‘i, our collaborators are building asphalt roads with recycled plastics. It’s part of a sustainable transportation initiative. NIST is

Events

NIST Food Waste Reduction and Recovery Workshop

Tue, Dec 5 - Thu, Dec 7 2023

NIST’s Circular Economy Program is supporting the nation’s transition from a linear economic model to a cyclical one

Quantum Matters in Materials Science Workshop

Wed, Feb 21 - Thu, Feb 22 2024

As a part of the JARVIS workshops series, NIST is organizing the 3rd Quantum Matters in Materials Science (QMMS)

Projects and Programs

Biomanufacturing Initiative

Ongoing

Protein drugs are the top selling pharmaceuticals worldwide, a hundred billion dollar industry, but also the fastest growing category of health care costs. The

Plastic Pollution Measurement Science

Ongoing

While plastics have yielded immense benefits to society, discarded plastics or plastic pollution has become a pervasive highly visible problem especially in the

Photo montage showing fill the airplane with fire-fighting foam, a spilled glass of wine on the tablecloth. Cleaning clothes and furniture from stains, Discarded Fast Food Wrappers Littered on Ground, wateproof jacket with water droplets on it. Jacket using the gore-tex technology.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Ongoing

NIST works to improve confidence in measurements and conducts research on PFAS for better human health and the environment.

photo collage of meats, cheese, eggs, fish, and shellfish

NIST Food Safety Program

Ongoing

A multi-disciplinary team is helping to ensure food safety and authenticity.

NIST Tools for Cannabis Laboratory Quality Assurance

Ongoing

NIST has developed an integrated measurement services program for forensic and cannabis testing laboratories to help ensure the quality of routine analysis

Automotive Lightweighting

Ongoing

Our objective is to support the efforts of the US automotive industry and its suppliers to incorporate advanced lightweight materials for improving fuel economy

Developing a Materials Innovation Infrastructure

Ongoing

Develop a materials innovation infrastructure for the design and discovery of inorganic materials to reduce the time and cost for deploying new materials into

View All Projects/Programs

Awards

2023 - Allen Distinguished Investigator Award---Wyatt Vreeland

Composition and Functionality of the EV Corona: Learning from Lipoproteins "In this project, researchers will investigate a recently

Jake Benzing wears safety glasses as he bends over to adjust piece of scientific equipment in the lab.

2023 - ASTM AM CoE Young Professional in Additive Manufacturing Award---Jake Benzing

Jake Benzing of the NIST Material Measurement Laboratory Applied Chemicals and Materials Division Fatigue and Fracture Group is a 2023

2023 - APS Fellow---Dean M. DeLongchamp

For developing resonant soft x-ray methods to quantify polymer structure, order, and orientation, for making these tools available to the

2019 - Best Paper---Bell, Domanski, Linteris, and McLinden

This collaboration between the Applied Chemicals and Materials Division of the NIST Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) and the Building

Press Coverage

Dr. Alshae' Logan-Jackson, a Microbiologist uses #WomensHistoryMonth to reflect on the women in history who played an important role in the quality of all our lives today.

Instagram: Department of Commerce

March 24, 2023

Alshae’ Logan’s thoughts on Women’s History contributions were shared with the DOC community for Women’s History Month.

The World Depends on a Strange Collection of Items. They're Not Cheap

Veritasium YouTube Channel

November 19, 2022

Steven Choquette, Benjamin Place, and Johanna Camara talk about the world of Standard Reference Materials.

Keeping up America’s standards is the job of NIST

The Economist

August 17, 2022

Melissa Phillips and NIST collaborators explain why NIST reference materials are so important to industry, monitoring environmental and human health, and much

Four images in a grid show increasingly larger plastic particles.

Getting a grip on microplastics’ risks

C&EN

May 27, 2022

NIST's Christopher Zangmeister discusses his team's work exploring plastic nanoparticles released by food-preserving film and coffee cups.

Material Measurement Laboratory

Welcome to the Material Measurement Laboratory

News and Updates

New Frequency Comb Can Identify Molecules in 20-Nanosecond Snapshots

Department of Commerce to Undertake Key Responsibilities in Historic Artificial Intelligence Executive Order

Spotlight: The Unfortunate Origin of a NIST Metal Toughness Program Still Going Strong

Spotlight: Paving the Way With Recycled Plastics in the State of Hawai‘i

Events

NIST Food Waste Reduction and Recovery Workshop

Quantum Matters in Materials Science Workshop

Projects and Programs

Biomanufacturing Initiative

Plastic Pollution Measurement Science

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

NIST Food Safety Program

NIST Tools for Cannabis Laboratory Quality Assurance

Automotive Lightweighting

Developing a Materials Innovation Infrastructure

Awards

2023 - Allen Distinguished Investigator Award---Wyatt Vreeland

2023 - ASTM AM CoE Young Professional in Additive Manufacturing Award---Jake Benzing

2023 - APS Fellow---Dean M. DeLongchamp

2019 - Best Paper---Bell, Domanski, Linteris, and McLinden

Press Coverage

Dr. Alshae' Logan-Jackson, a Microbiologist uses #WomensHistoryMonth to reflect on the women in history who played an important role in the quality of all our lives today.

The World Depends on a Strange Collection of Items. They're Not Cheap

Keeping up America’s standards is the job of NIST

Getting a grip on microplastics’ risks

Contacts

GENERAL INFORMATION: 301-975-8300 (PHONE); MMLINFO@NIST.GOV; 100 BUREAU DRIVE, M/S 8300, GAITHERSBURG, MD 20899-8300

MML ACTING DIRECTOR