Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of North Carolina have demonstrated a new design for an instrument, an "instrumented nanoscale indenter", that makes sensitive measurements of the mechanical properties of thin films - ranging from auto-body coatings to microelectronic devices — and biomaterials.

Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Kansas State University have demonstrated a spray-on mixture of carbon nanotubes and ceramic that has unprecedented ability to resist damage while absorbing laser light.