
Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast
In this podcast, Taylor and Andrew investigate the past, present, and future of materials science and engineering. Topic areas ranging from cutting edge materials technology, the history of different materials, the commercialization of new materials, and exciting advances in processing and characterization are all covered in detail. Our episodes include things like the unlikely discovery of superglue or teflon, the fascinating backstories about modern biomaterials like dialysis filters, and updates on new technologies including wearable electronics, next generation batteries, and nanomaterials. In short, we hope to help listeners understand the critical role that materials have played in society and even glimpse into what the future may hold for new materials.
Latest episodes

Feb 1, 2021 • 0sec
Episode 33: Photography
The development of photography is inextricably linked to the development of advanced materials and chemicals. In this episode, Andrew and Jared discuss the science that makes photography possible. The episode includes everything from the structure of film, to digital sensors, to radioactive elements in glass.
Articles Discussed:
2018 Schneider, Rare Earth Glass Leica Lenses: A Quick and Quirky Overview [LINK]
1990 Ła̧czka M, Rare earth elements as components of special glasses. Journal of the Less Common Metals.
2012 Chiu CP, Liquid lenses and driving mechanisms: a review. Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology.
1958 Kodak - How film is made.
2007 Rogers D, The chemistry of photography: from classical to digital technologies.
2010 Shu-wei H, Photographic Film Structure [LINK]
2013 Link A, How Photos Were Edited in the Darkroom Days [LINK]
2016 Witten, The Chemistry of Photography
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-host, co-creator), Andrew Falkowski (co-host, co-creator), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (co-host and editing assistance).
Keywords: film chemicals photography materials science kodak chemistry glass
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Jan 16, 2021 • 18min
Episode 32: μ: The Elixir of Civilization
A review of the book "Scientific Freedom: The Elixir of Civilization" by Donald Braben. Taylor and Andrew dive into the radical ideas Braben implemented in his role as Director of Venture Research at BP. They examine the principles behind Venture Research and the potential for this approach to revolutionize scientific discovery by increasing freedom and creativity. Who knows? Maybe this approach would discover this century's Einsteins, Plancks, Rutherfords and more!
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (co-host and production).
Keywords: scientific freedom elixir civilization book review braben
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Jan 4, 2021 • 0sec
Episode 31: Ionic Conduction
Diffusion is when atoms move through a material in response to a concentration gradient. However, some ions can move through a material in response to an electric field and can do so very quickly! Even more remarkable, the motion of ions can be restricted to ions of a certain type such as O2-, H+, Na+, Li+ etc. What is required of a material in order for it to be an ionic conductor? What technologies do ionic conductors make possible? Why are they necessary for batteries, fuel cells, sensors, electrolyzer, and more? We answer these questions and dive into the exciting recent news of solid-state batteries in this episode. We cover some of the key fast ion conductors like YSZ, BASE, LSGM, Nafion, LLZO, and NaSiCON.
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. Also a special thanks to ACerS Energy Materials and Systems Division sponsoring this episode.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-host, co-creator), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator), Jared Duffy (production and editing), Ramsey Issa (co-host and editing assistance).
Keywords: ionic ions conductor electrical current electron electrolytes fuel cells holes conductivity batteries solid-state
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Dec 18, 2020 • 18min
Episode 30: μ: Engineering a Better Skateboard
Skateboards have some cutting edge polymers, ceramics, metals, & composites. Wood vs carbon-fiber composite lay-ups? Silicon nitride vs steel ball bearings? Titanium vs magnesium light-weight metal alloy trucks? High hardness vs soft & grippy urethane wheels? In this episode, we chat with Norman Woods, a professional skateboarder who helps us figure out if all the advanced materials translate to dramatically improved performance.
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars and more.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Ramsey Issa (co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)
Keywords: skateboard materials decks wheels trucks composites bearings professional sports equipment
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Dec 7, 2020 • 0sec
Episode 29: Superconducting Materials
Few topics have captivated the imagination of scientists like superconductivity. In this episode, we cover the history of superconductors starting with the Gentleman of Zero Kelvin himself. We discuss applications of superconductors for high-speed trains and more and even chat about the recent discovery of the first-ever room-temperature superconductor!
Articles Discussed:
2007, April 1911: Onnes Begins work on Superconductivity [LINK]
22010 van Delft, The discovery of superconductivity [LINK]
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more. This episode was also sponsored by the electronics division of the American Ceramic Society (ACERS) check them out at their webpage.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (production and editing assistance)
Keywords: superconductor ceramic oxide discovery
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Nov 23, 2020 • 0sec
Episode 28: μ: Investing in Materials Startups
Every new startup requires capital, but most venture capital groups are very cautious about investing in materials companies due to the typically long timeframe for development. In this episode we talk to a Matt Cohen, Director of Technology at Pangaea Ventures. Matt talks about why their company dares to invest primarily in materials companies. We discuss how you can launch your own startup and recommend some books to get you started.
Articles Discussed:
2014 Thiel and Masters, Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future [LINK]
2011 Ries, The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses [LINK]
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)
Keywords: startup materials entrepreneur commercialization Pangaea ventures
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Oct 29, 2020 • 53min
Episode 27: The Materials of Cosplay
Halloween is right around the corner and like many of you, we’ve been hard at work on our spooky costumes! If you’ve ever been to Comic-Con you’ve seen the incredible costumes that cosplay artists can create. Giant suits of armor and weapons crafted out of EVA foam, Mandalorian suits with Worbla or Sintra armor plates, life-like silicone and latex masks, monsters built from Papier-mâché, Styrofoam, Plastidip, and PVC. This episode is dedicated to all the incredible material science & engineering that goes into Cosplay materials. On this episode, we’re joined by artist Cara Krebs who is a fantastic artist who specializes in using many different materials in unique and creative ways. Check out her art on her Instagram page
Articles Discussed:
1994 Stone, High wet-friction elastomeric coatings including a thermoplastic rubber and petrolatum
[LINK]
What is silicone rubber? [LINK]
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars, and more.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)
Keywords: cosplay costume design foam halloween Halloween Comic-Con EVA Worbla Sintra silicone latex masks Papier-mâché styrofoam plastidip PVC.
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Oct 19, 2020 • 13min
Episode 26: μ: When Materials Failure Leads to Wildfire
When you hear of massive wildfires you probably think of the usual suspects: lightning, a campfire carelessly left unattended, maybe a cigarette butt thrown from a vehicle? What you probably don't think of is materials fatigue of a steel hook. This micro episode centers on the story of the Camp Fire in Butte County, California that took 85 lives, decimated the land, and was the biggest insured disaster that year. A look at what mistakes PG&E made ranging from their lack of records keeping to materials incompatibility and testing methods that led to the deadliest fire in California's recorded history.
Articles Discussed:
2020 @TubeTimeUS Twitter documentary [LINK]
2016 Daware, Insulators Used In Overhead Power Lines [LINK]
2004 Iacovello and coworkers, Analysis of stress ratio effects on fatigue propagation in a sintered duplex steel by experimentation and artificial neural network approaches [LINK]
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars and more.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)
Keywords: wildfire failure fatigue camp fire PG&E
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Oct 5, 2020 • 36min
Episode 25: The Materials of Art
Can art make you a better scientist? Can an understanding of materials science make you a better artist? We think so! So does Darryl Butt, dean of the College of Mines at the University of Utah. We interview him for this episode and discuss tons of interesting aspects of materials science and art. For example, he explains how ancient artists like Da Vinci had an understanding of atmospheric light and used it in their art. We also discuss how modern materials science characterization tools like microscopy, X-ray diffraction and more can be used to inspect art, determine its provenance, and even find out if a piece is a forgery!
Articles Discussed:
2017 Bacon, The Ten Most Notorious Art Forgers Of All Time [LINK]
Detecting Art Forgeries: What Scientific Methods Can We Use? [LINK]
2015 Archuleta and coworkers, Ressurecting the poor mans purple [LINK]
2015 Alanko, A Transdisciplinary Approach to Determine the Provenience of
a Distorted, Pre-Columbian Skull Recovered in Rural Idaho [LINK]
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars and more.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)
Keywords: art science pigment forgery ceramic characterization mummy DaVinci painting artist
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Sep 18, 2020 • 21min
Episode 24: μ: Bio-Inspired Materials
In our pursuit of materials design, who better to imitate than Mother Nature? Biomimetic, or bioinspired materials are making huge strides in materials design! In this episode, Andrew chats with Dr. Steven Naleway from the University of Utah to talk about his research in this exciting field.
This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars and more.
Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!
If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.
Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)
Keywords: biomimetic bio-inspired materials design nature
Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism
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