Autonomous research and development of structural materials – An introduction and vision

Abstract

Blending artificial intelligence and automation enables the new field of autonomous research and development for materials science. A recent review of this still new field was evaluated to seek new opportunities, and structural materials were identified as a topic for future growth. A workshop was organized in Denver, CO on 20–22 April 2022 to explore this theme. The results from this workshop are given in this viewpoint set. The present paper describes four new themes introduced to the autonomous research and development field by structural materials: new artificial intelligence methods; a vision for rapid on-demand synthesis (RODS) of bulk (≥100 gm) metallic and ceramic materials; new methods for measuring properties; and a new synergy between materials development and engineering design. The remaining papers in this viewpoint set present ideas and discussions from the Denver workshop and more in-depth presentations of major workshop themes.