Journal of Materials Science - The Robert W. Cahn Prize for Best Research Paper
The Cahn Prize has been named in honor of the Journal’s founding editor, the late Professor Robert Wolfgang Cahn.
Each month the Editors select a paper published in that month’s issues via a rigorous nomination and voting procedure. The winning paper is selected from the twelve finalists by a separate panel of distinguished materials scientists.
The authors of the winning paper receive an award of $5,000.
The 2023 Cahn Prize
The Winner of the 2023 Robert W. Cahn Prize for Journal of Materials Science is:
Molecular modelling of graphene nanoribbons on the effect of porosity and oxidation on the mechanical and thermal properties
By Carlos Sáenz Ezquerro, Manuel Laspalas, José Manuel García Aznar, Susana Castelar Ariza & Agustín Chiminelli
Statement from the Authors
"The research presented in our paper was conceived to be and to state a link between the experimentation and what’s beyond the reach of current experimentation. Nanomaterials, such as the graphene nanoribbons assessed in our study, have dimensions at the nanometre scale which make difficult their characterization by traditional techniques and require complex experimental tests such as nanoindentation or nanocompression. The atomistic simulations performed through molecular dynamics (MD) are established as an attractive alternative which are within the reach of any today’s desktop, and our research tries to demonstrate this point.
"For our team, receiving The 2023 Robert W. Cahn Best Paper Award is an honour and also serves us as a recognition of all the previous hard work done to reach this research. We would like to thank the editors of the Journal of Materials Science of considering our research and this will serve as motivation for future work."
Statement from the Judge
“Graphene is considered as the most promising nanomaterial of recent decades. The paper presents a detailed series of molecular simulation models of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), which were constructed with different degrees of porosity and with or without oxidation. This is to assess the effect of those parameters on the tensile mechanical and thermal conductivity properties. The paper is very well written, with excellent graphics and presents a thorough study that will be of use to researchers in this rapidly expanding area, with clear practical applications. This work also demonstrates the value of modelling to experimentalists, as such small systems cannot always be observed in situ, and reminds us of the value of collaborating across skills to extract the best information we can.”
-Professor Jan Evans-Freeman, FInstP, DistFEngNZ, CMInstD, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Sustainability at the University of Canterbury, incoming President of Engineering at the same University, Judge for the 2023 Cahn Prize.
Runners-Up:
Interlocking metasurfaces
By Ophelia Bolmin, Benjamin Young, Nicholas Leathe, Philip J. Noell & Brad L. Boyce
Residual stress analysis in industrial parts: a comprehensive comparison of XRD methods
By Ardeshir Sarmast, Jan Schubnell, Johannes Preußner, Manuel Hinterstein & Eva Carl
Previous Cahn Prize Winners and Finalists
2022 Cahn Prize
Machine learning guided alloy design of high-temperature NiTiHf shape memory alloys
By Udesh M. H. U. Kankanamge, Johannes Reiner, Xingjun Ma, Santiago Corujeira Gallo & Wei Xu
2021 Cahn Prize
Dislocation-based crack initiation and propagation in single-crystal SrTiO3
By Xufei Fang, Kuan Ding, Christian Minnert, Atsutomo Nakamura & Karsten Durst
2020 Cahn Prize
Highly stretchable, breathable and negative resistance variation textile strain sensor with excellent mechanical stability for wearable electronics
By Kai Zhao, Wenbin Niu & Shufen Zhang
2019 Cahn Prize
Robust raspberry-like all-polymer particles for the construction of superhydrophobic surface with high water adhesive force
By Cheng Chen, Liping Zhang, Mingfei Sheng, Yu Guan, Hao Dong & Shaohai Fu
2018 Cahn Prize
Measuring solid–liquid interfacial energy fields: diffusion-limited patterns
By Martin E. Glicksman & Kumar Ankit
2017 Cahn Prize
Stress and strain mapping of micro-domain bundles in barium titanate using electron backscatter diffraction
By Jane A. Howell, Mark D. Vaudin, Lawrence H. Friedman & Robert F. Cook
2016 Cahn Prize
Exploration of the mechanisms of temperature-dependent grain boundary mobility: search for the common origin of ultrafast grain boundary motion
By C. J. O’Brien & S. M. Foiles
2015 Cahn Prize
Structure, composition, and defect control during plasma spray deposition of ytterbium silicate coatings
By Bradley T. Richards, Hengbei Zhao & Haydn N. G. Wadley
2014 Cahn Prize
Mechanical characterization of hollow ceramic nanolattices
By Lucas R. Meza & Julia R. Greer
2013 Cahn Prize
Dislocation controlled wear in single crystal silicon carbide
By Maneesh Mishra & Izabela Szlufarska
2012 Cahn Prize
Room temperature fracture processes of a near-α titanium alloy following elevated temperature exposure
By A. L. Pilchak, W. J. Porter & R. John
The 2011 Sapphire Prize
The 2011 Sapphire Prize commemorated the Journal's 45th Anniversary, and was later adapted into the annual Cahn Prize.
Giant carbon solubility in Au nanoparticles
By Eli A. Sutter & Peter W. Sutter