Stanford Advanced Materials

06/16/2026

The 2026 World Cup is underway. You watch the goals. We watch what they're made of.

Carbon fiber. Aluminum. Steel. A materials supplier's view of the world's biggest game.

👉 https://www.samaterials.com/content/the-metals-and-composites-inside-the-2026-world-cup.html

From Nike's carbon fiber soleplates to FIFA-certified aluminum goalposts: a look at the metals and composites inside the 2026 World Cup.

06/11/2026

We tested three categories of euro coins against four different magnetic assemblies.

Coins:
1/2/5¢ – Steel core, copper plated (magnetic)
10/20/50¢ – Copper alloy (non-magnetic)
€1/€2 – Bi-metallic: Cu-Ni + Ni-brass (weakly magnetic at center)

Magnets tested:
Halbach Arrays · Magnetic Ring
Neodymium N35 · Nickel Coating
Neodymium N52 · Black Epoxy Coating
Small Gold-Plated Neodymium Magnet

Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) supplies custom magnets, Halbach arrays, and neodymium magnets in various grades (N35, N52) and coatings (Ni, epoxy, gold).
View our magnetic product line here: https://lnkd.in/eaXyPdfh
Custom assembly inquiries: https://lnkd.in/ghjHWfrz

06/11/2026

Need a dielectric constant above 25 for your RF or microwave project? 📡

We just published a practical guide covering:
🔹 Barium Titanate, BST, and high‑k microwave ceramics
🔹 What actually works (and what doesn’t) for Dk >25
🔹 Powder vs. machined parts vs. printable
🔹 A simple 3‑question framework to pick the right material

Whether you’re in 5G, satellite ground terminals, or antenna miniaturization – this will save you time.

👉 Check it out: https://www.samaterials.com/content/high-dielectric-constant-materials-dk-25-for-rf-and-microwave-applications.html

Need a dielectric constant above 25? We evaluate Barium Titanate (Dk 200+), BST (tunable), and low-loss microwave ceramics. Learn which high-k material suits your antenna or 5G design.

06/11/2026

Pyrolytic Boron Nitride (PBN) crucibles offer several advantages for MBE, semiconductor manufacturing, and evaporation processes. This 40-second video highlights four key features:
Uniform translucency – enables process monitoring
Hydrophobic and non-wetting surface – minimizes material adhesion
Dense structure – audible ring clarity indicates integrity
Chemically inert and non-stick – prevents contamination
Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) supplies custom PBN crucibles in various sizes and specifications.
View the full PBN product line here: https://www.samaterials.com/pyrolytic-boron-nitride.html
For custom inquiries: https://www.samaterials.com/inquiry.html?name=PBN0922+Pyrolytic+Boron+Nitride+Crucible%2C+PBN+Crucibles

05/18/2026

Stanford Advanced Materials attended Ceramics Expo 2026 in Cleveland last week. Great insights on where the technical ceramics industry is heading – from scaling additive manufacturing to thermal management challenges and sustainability demands.

👇 For more details, please see here: https://www.samaterials.com/content/stanford-advanced-materials-attends-ceramics-expo-2026-in-cleveland.html

Cover Image Source: Ceramics Expo / LinkedIn

Last week, our team at Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) visited Ceramics Expo 2026 in Cleveland, co-located with Thermal Management Expo North America. Dr. Samuel R. Matthews came back with a much clearer view of where the technical ceramics industry is heading.

04/24/2026

Alumina ceramics are everywhere — wear liners, electronics, semiconductor parts. But not all alumina is the same.

The main difference is purity: 96%, 99.5%, and 99.9%. Higher purity means better hardness, insulation, and heat resistance. It also means higher cost.

For most industrial jobs, 96% gets the job done. Save the high-purity stuff for where it really matters — like plasma chambers and precision optics.

Full guide from SAM →

Choosing between 96%, 99.5%, and 99.9% alumina ceramic? Compare properties, applications, and costs. Get expert recommendations from Stanford Advanced Materials.

04/10/2026

Ever wondered what actually goes into skin brightening products?

We put together a guide comparing four of the most common active ingredients: niacinamide, vitamin C, arbutin, and kojic acid.

It covers how each one works, how to combine them, and—if you're in the business of making skincare—what to look for when buying raw materials.

No hype. Just the science.

Read the full article here:

Cosmetic raw material guide: niacinamide, vitamin C derivatives, α-arbutin, kojic acid. Request COAs and samples from SAM.

04/08/2026

We’re now accepting submissions for the 2026 SAM College Scholarship.

If you’ve been working on topics related to medical materials, this is a good chance to turn your work into something more visible.

$1,000 award
Deadline: September 1, 2026

You can find the details here: https://www.samaterials.com/stanford-advanced-materials-college-scholarship.html

03/31/2026

Evidence-based formulation is changing the skincare game. 🧴🔬

This article explains how hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and panthenol work together to repair the skin barrier.

Read the full article in the comment below.

03/27/2026

Material Friday: 3 Elements With Superpowers 🦸

Some elements have abilities that seem almost supernatural. Meet three of them.

1. Tungsten (W)
The heat champion. Tungsten's melting point is 3,422°C—the highest of any metal. It glows white-hot in light bulb filaments without melting. Also dense enough that a 10cm cube weighs as much as a small adult.

2. Rhenium (Re)
The last stable element discovered. One of the rarest on Earth—just 50 tons mined annually. Yet jet engines can't reach peak efficiency without it. Rhenium in superalloys allows turbine blades to operate 200°C hotter, saving millions in fuel.

3. Iridium (Ir)
The corrosion-proof element. It survives acids that dissolve almost everything else. Found at the K-Pg boundary layer worldwide—the "dinosaur extinction" layer—confirming an asteroid impact 66 million years ago. Literally out of this world.

Question for you: Which superpower impresses you most?

Stanford Advanced Materials supplies these extraordinary elements for the most demanding applications on—and off—Earth: https://www.samaterials.com/