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Material Measurement Laboratory

About the Material Measurement Laboratory

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The Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) is one of two metrology laboratories within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The laboratory supports the NIST mission by serving as the national reference laboratory for measurements in the chemical, biological, and material sciences.

MML activities range from fundamental and applied research on the composition, structure, and properties of industrial, biological, and environmental materials and processes, to the development and dissemination of tools including reference measurement procedures, certified reference materials, critically evaluated data, and best practice guides that help assure measurement quality.

Jump to: Divisions | Impact | Facilities

Our research and measurement services support areas of national importance, such as:

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From the lab bench to the nanoscale: MML scientists are dedicated to advancing measurement science to solve critical challenges in advanced materials, biomanufacturing, forensics, and more.
Credit: NIST

  • Advanced materials, from nanomaterials to structural steels and complex fluids

  • Energy, from the characterization and performance of fossil and alternative fuels to next-generation renewable sources of energy

  • The environment, from the measurement of automotive exhaust emissions and other pollutants to the assessment of climate change and the health and safety aspects of man-made nanomaterials

  • Health care, from clinical diagnostics to tissue engineering and more efficient manufacturing of biologic drugs

  • Infrastructure, from assessing the country's aging bridges and pipelines to the quality of our drinking water

  • Manufacturing, from lightweight alloys for fuel-efficient automobiles to biomanufacturing, advanced electronics, and data for chemical manufacturing

  • Safety, security, and forensics, from gunshot and explosive residue detection, to ensuring the performance of body armor materials, to DNA-based human identity testing.

 

We shape our programs based on national needs with input from industry and government. 
Our success depends upon the timely dissemination of our:

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Divisions: 

The Material Measurement Laboratory is comprised of seven scientific divisions and two offices:

Applied Chemicals and Materials
Applied Chemicals & Materials
Biomolecular Measurement Division 
Biomolecular Measurement
Biosystems and Biomaterials Division 
Biosystems & Biomaterials 
Chemical Sciences Division 
Chemical Sciences 
Material Data Division 
Material Data
Materials Measurement Science Division 
Materials Measurement Science 
Materials Science and Engineering Division 
Materials Science & Engineering 
Material Measurement Laboratory Office 
Laboratory Office
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Reference Materials 

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Impact:

The work of the Material Measurement Laboratory helps:

  • Policy makers and regulatory bodies make science-based decisions about environmental quality and potential threats to the environment
  • Physicians make more accurate diagnoses and better monitor the effectiveness of therapeutic regimens
  • Forensic investigators make decisions based on scientifically sound evidence
  • Trading partners confidently and fairly exchange commodities such as food, fuel, structural steel, and other materials
  • Manufacturers reliably develop and use advanced materials and processes

  • Industry connect the performance of materials with their structure and processing.

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Facilities:

The Material Measurement Laboratory is home to approximately 1,000 staff members and visiting scientists at five locations:

NIST Gaithersburg Campus
The white blossom trees frame the top of the image in a natural archway. In the foreground, trees are scattered along a freshly cut plain of green grass. In the center, framed by the trees, sits a tall rectangular office building, specifically building 101. The building is white and covered with many rows of tiny dark windows. To the right of the office building, peeking behind the branches of a tree, is another rectangular building of apparent equal height.
NIST Gaithersburg campus, with Building 101 centered in the image and Building 227 partially obscured by trees on the right.
Credit: NIST

NIST's main campus is in Gaithersburg, MD, where staff and affiliated researchers conduct fundamental and applied research to support industry through the development of standards in chemical, biological, and material sciences. 

NIST Boulder Campus
In the foreground of the image, there is a wide lawn with patches of tall, dry grass, and a few young trees, growing mostly on the left side. On the ground, a tall, angular, pinkish-tanned wall connects to a building with long, green-tinted glass windows framed with tan walls. A small concrete awning covers its front entrance. In the background there is a mountain beneath a partly cloudy sky.
Depicted here are buildings located on NIST's Boulder campus.
Credit: R. Jacobson/NIST

NIST's Boulder campus is in Boulder, CO, where the Applied Chemicals and Materials Division (ACMD) and Material Data Design (MDD) perform research in measurement science to improve chemical characterization, materials analysis, the accuracy of measurement methods, and the development of standards supporting industrial and scientific applications. 

Hollings Marine Laboratory
A wooden walkway with metal railings leads toward the entrance of a curved, multi-story, brown brick building. A small body of water runs underneath the walkway. The building has many dark blue reflective windows that frame a glass entryway. Above the entrance, a sign reads “HOLLINGS MARINE,” with a few people lingering near the front steps. The building is surrounded by several palm trees, benches, and umbrellas, all beneath a bright, partly cloudy sky.
The main entrance of the Hollings Marine Laboratory, in Charleston, where NIST staff are members in various research groups. 
Credit: NIST

The Hollings Marine Laboratory is in Charleston, SC, where NIST staff work side-by-side with scientists from NOAA, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the College of Charleston, and the Medical University of South Carolina to provide the science, biotechnology, and standards needed to understand links between environmental conditions and the health of marine organisms and humans.

Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research
Concrete stairs with metal railings lead up to a sunny courtyard outside a modern campus building. The entrance to this building is decorated with tall glass windows and dark bricks. To its left is a logo for the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR). To the right, there is a larger brick building with a sloped roof that has solar panels, and a wooden walkway structure. The scene is brightly lit by the clear blue sky.
The Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) is located near Gaithersburg, MD, and is a collaboration between the University of Maryland and NIST.
Credit: Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research

The Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research is in Rockville, MD, where scientists from NIST, the University of Maryland College Park, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine conduct research on measurement science and standards issues associated with advanced therapeutics.

Brookhaven National Laboratory
This image shows an aerial view of a large, circular facility, with a silver metallic ring-shaped roof. This ring is surrounded by smaller rectangular buildings connected to its outer edge, with parking lots and driveways around the complex. Inside the ring, there is a green lawn with paved paths and a building in the middle. The complex is carved out of a dark green forest that stretches to the end of the image under a cloudy sky.
Aerial overview of Brookhaven National Laboratory's National Synchrotron Light Source II, which is a state-of-the-art 3 GeV electron storage ring.
Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory

Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY is a partnership with the Department of Energy and home to a user facility that enables researchers from industry, academia, and other government agencies to apply synchrotron-based x-ray spectroscopy techniques to the development of products like oil additives and next-generation electronics.

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Bioscience, Chemistry, Energy, Environment and Nanotechnology
Created June 29, 2026, Updated July 15, 2026
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