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Material Measurement Laboratory

MML conducts measurement science across the chemical, biological and material sciences. Activities range from fundamental and applied research to the development and dissemination of certified reference materials and data to industry, academia, and other government agencies to assure the quality of measurement results.

A picture of a keyboard with a key labelled "lexicon"
The NIST Bioeconomy Lexicon Aids Measurement of a Vital Industry Sector
Circular economy at NIST no text
NIST Supports Transition to a Circular Economy
Standard Reference Material for Cigarette Tobacco Filler (SRM 3222)
What is a Standard Reference Material?

Welcome to the Material Measurement Laboratory

The NIST Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) conducts measurement science research to benefit industries based in the chemical, biological and material sciences, and contributes technical expertise to the development of standards. MML researchers perform fundamental and applied research, evaluate data, and create other programs and tools to assure the quality of measurement results. Our work supports areas of national importance: We contribute to the development of new vaccines and biologic drugs, characterize the performance of alternative fuels and refrigerants with less greenhouse gas potential, assess pollutants including ocean plastics, help develop new materials for lightweight, fuel efficient transportation, and much more.

News and Updates

Events

Genome editing technologies

Genome Editing Consortium Workshop

Mon, Mar 24 - Tue, Mar 25 2025
The purpose of this workshop is to share and obtain feedback on current and future activities of the NIST Genome Editing
Flow Cytometry Consortium

AI and Flow Cytometry Workshop

Wed, Mar 26 - Thu, Mar 27 2025
The joint NIST–FDA–NIAID workshop aims to advance AI/ML applications in flow cytometry and related data. The workshop

Projects and Programs

Bioman lifecycle

Biomanufacturing Initiative

Ongoing
The objective of the NIST biomanufacturing program is to support US biopharmaceutical industry delivery of high quality and low cost protein drugs around the world. The mission is fulfilled through the development of standards, measurement science, and state of the art tools that support advances in
Graphic of a globe where the land is light green and the water is light blue. In the Atlantic Ocean portion, there is a graphic overlay representing the breakdown of megaplastics to nanoplastics. Black text wraps around the globe. “Plastic Pollution Measurement Science” around the top, and “sources, transport, fate, quantities, impacts, repurposing” around the bottom

Plastic Pollution Measurement Science

Ongoing
Plastic pollution is a complex mixture of various types of plastics with different shapes and chemical additives. From microscopic nanoplastics (as small as 1 nm) to large megaplastics (over 1 m), plastic pollution poses significant measurement science challenges. By developing accurate methods for
Photo montage showing fill the airplane with fire-fighting foam, a spilled glass of wine on the tablecloth. Cleaning clothes and furniture from stains, Discarded Fast Food Wrappers Littered on Ground, wateproof jacket with water droplets on it. Jacket using the gore-tex technology.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Ongoing
Perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) constitute a family of compounds that are distinguished by partial or complete fluorination of alkyl hydrocarbons. Dubbed “forever chemicals”, the unique chemistry of PFAS imparts a high level of stability, making the compounds resistant to
photo collage of meats, cheese, eggs, fish, and shellfish

NIST Food Safety Program

Ongoing
The Food Safety Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides advanced analytical chemistry and quantitative biology to ensure that food is free of contaminants and allergens and is authentic, promoting U.S. manufacturers’ participation in domestic and foreign markets
Cannabis

NIST Tools for Cannabis Laboratory Quality Assurance

Ongoing
Since the 1970s, cannabis (marijuana and hemp) and its constituent, Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, have been classified as Schedule I controlled substances. Seized evidence is tested by forensic laboratories, which verify the identity of the plant through macro- and microscopic evaluation and the

Automotive Lightweighting

Ongoing
The US auto industry spends $600M per year fixing and tweaking forming dies that do not make correct parts. The primary reason that the dies are inaccurate is that the computer models of the dies utilize materials models that are inaccurate. Upon surveying our industrial partners, we determined that

Developing a Materials Innovation Infrastructure

Completed
Phase Field Community Hub ( PFHub) and Benchmarks The Phase Field Community Hub provides a framework that supports phase field practitioners and code developers participating in an effort to improve quality assurance for phase field codes. The main thrust of this effort is the generation of a set of
View All Projects/Programs

Awards

Press Coverage

Setting Standards for Stool

Microbiome studies have yielded hundreds of ideas for ways to detect and influence human health, but the field struggles with reproducibility...
A woman with long black hair wearing a purple blouse and black cardigan speaking at a podium in front of an audience.

Making Standards Exceptional

The Scientist
Samantha Maragh has taken on the difficult challenge of standardizing assays, data norms, and terminology in the ever evolving genome editing field.

Contacts

GENERAL INFORMATION: 301-975-8300 (PHONE); MMLINFO@NIST.GOV; 100 BUREAU DRIVE, M/S 8300, GAITHERSBURG, MD 20899-8300