Artists and designers browse Material ConneXion Database for ideas and inspiration. Engineers and innovators search this resource for new materials that meet unique performance needs. It also offers photographs of more than 7,000 advanced materials.

Fifty to 60 juried, selected materials are added to the database each month. Selected materials are beautiful, functional, sustainable and interesting. Material ConneXion includes many types of materials, including textiles, plastics, ceramics, metals and glass. 

The advanced search area allows exploration and discovery. It has an option to search for materials with particular properties, such as heat resistance or colorfastness, without entering any search terms. Material ConneXion includes options for locating certified materials as well.

Material suppliers' contact information is provided. A built-in email form makes it easy to request samples and price quotes. In regular updates, entries for materials that are discontinued and unavailable are removed from the database.

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By Julie Arendt, science and engineering research librarian