Exceptional Properties by Design.

MATERIALS science; NANOSTRUCTURED materials synthesis; SYNTHESIS of Nanocomposite materials; NIOBIUM compounds; NICKEL-titanium alloys; MECHANICAL behavior of materials

The article discusses a report within the issue regarding materials science research by S. Hao et al. The author notes that both man-made and natural materials consist of a combination of characteristic mechanical properties, such as metals' high strength, but limited ability to deform elastically. Topics include the use of mechanical property maps by materials scientists and engineers to identify particular combinations of attributes in specific materials, the challenges of designing materials with previously unseen combinations of attributes, and Hao and colleagues' creation of a nanostructured composite made from niobium (Nb) nanowires embedded in nickel-titanium (NiTi).