Next-Generation Materials
Developing materials to redefine what’s possible
APL is dedicated to advancing next-generation materials for critical national security applications, such as hypersonic flight, space-based missions, and naval ship construction. We discover and develop innovative and mission-specific materials, thoroughly characterizing their properties and creating advanced screening capabilities to understand how they perform in extreme environments.
Featured Work
Accelerating Materials Innovation for Defense
Developing a novel materials science paradigm—and strategically applying artificial intelligence and robotics—to dramatically accelerate the process of designing, testing, and optimizing metal components for the defense industrial base
Enhancing Naval Readiness with Onboard 3D Printing Solutions
Implementing onboard 3D printing systems to enable ships to produce essential parts at sea, thereby enhancing operational readiness and reducing maintenance delays
Shape-Shifting Antenna for Adaptive Communications
By leveraging cutting-edge additive manufacturing techniques and shape memory alloys, APL researchers have created an antenna that can change its shape based on its temperature.
Advanced Thermoelectric Materials for Next-Gen Refrigeration
Researchers at APL have developed nano-engineered thin-film thermoelectric devices that are two times as efficient as currently used bulk devices in refrigeration. This advancement paves the way for compact, scalable, and compressor-free cooling.
Reversing the Loss of Coral Reefs
Recognizing the need to safeguard America’s coastlines and the value natural structures play in their protection, APL researchers are finding ways to use materials science to support coral reef growth and restoration.
Developing Battery- and Solar-Powered Fibers
APL researchers have established new, scalable methods of developing battery- and solar-powered fibers, making it theoretically possible for electrical energy to be harvested from, and stored in, the clothing people wear.
Revolutionizing Materials Discovery for National Security
APL is reimagining and accelerating the targeted discovery of materials tailored to withstand and perform in the most demanding conditions, ensuring enhanced capabilities in extreme environments.
Creating Coatings for Extreme Environments
The leading edges of hypersonics vehicles—as well as fins, control surfaces, and apertures—need to be protected against speeds exceeding Mach 5, temperatures well above 1,000 degrees Celsius, oxidation from the atmosphere, and tremendous aerodynamic shear loads. Custom materials can enable mission success in these extreme environments.
Advancing Materials for Thermal Management
Researchers at APL have made a significant breakthrough in the development of advanced materials technology that can efficiently manage thermal conditions, particularly in buildings and data centers.
Eliminating Forever Chemicals
Multiple studies have linked PFAS exposure to harmful health effects in humans and animals, and without a natural way to break them down, the chemicals persist in soil and contaminate the environment — including water. APL scientists are developing several technologies to capture and destroy these “forever chemicals.”
Featured Program
Science of Extreme and Multifunctional Materials
Our team utilizes advanced chemistry, materials science, and computational tools across a variety of areas, inventing the future of research in extreme materials, materials characterization, materials design, synthesis and manufacturing, and multifunctional materials.
Featured Publications
Journals and Conference Proceedings
Research from APL experts is published in a number of peer-reviewed journals and in conference proceedings.
Explore recent publications from materials researchers at APL.
Related News
News
Jun 26, 2026
Master Inventor Hoffman Turns Chemistry Into Capability
Christopher Hoffman has been recognized as a Johns Hopkins APL Master Inventor, a distinction earned through a career spent asking a simple question: What can chemistry can do to solve a real-world problem?
News
Jun 12, 2026
Encapsulation Research Advances Mission-Critical Materials
Johns Hopkins APL researchers are using encapsulation, a technique that traps reactive chemicals inside microscopic shells, to control when materials activate and advance applications such as underwater adhesives and faster-drying inks.
News
Apr 29, 2026
Novel Coating Technology Withstands Extreme Combustion Environments
Scientists at Johns Hopkins APL successfully tested an innovative chemical destruction system known as the Pulse Combustion Engine. Critical to the successful test were the development and application of novel coatings to protect the system while it operates. This breakthrough marks a significant milestone in the development of advanced coatings for extreme environments and has the potential to contribute to a safer, more agile way to neutralize hazardous chemicals.
Press Release
Mar 19, 2026
Wienhold Honored for Materials Engineering Excellence
Paul Wienhold, a materials and process engineer, has received the 2025 Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering Global Fellow Award for sustained leadership in composite materials engineering. His work spans major space missions, defense systems, and hypersonic applications, advancing high-performance materials for extreme environments.
News
Mar 11, 2026
Johns Hopkins APL Pioneering Digital Calibration to Create ‘Born-Qualified’ Parts
APL is developing a comprehensive suite of capabilities to ensure that additively manufactured parts can perform predictably in mission-critical applications — no matter where, when, or on what machines they’re manufactured.