4th AIRDS Online Seminar

The development of advanced materials is often too slow to address pressing societal challenges due to the vast number of possible compositions and processing methods. This presentation explored the use of self-driving labs (SDLs)—systems combining robotic automation with machine learning—to drastically accelerate polymer research. We highlighted our progress in two key areas. First, for energy-absorbing materials, we developed an SDL pairing 3D printing with automated mechanical testing. This achieved world-record mechanical performance and helped establish foundational SDL science. Second, we discussed flexible polymer processing, utilizing a modular, distributed equipment network to optimize functional polymer films through flexible workflows like electrodeposition, spray-coating, and UV-curing. Ultimately, these self-driving labs are poised to revolutionize the pace of discovery across the entire spectrum of materials science, serving as an invaluable resource for the broader research community.