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Material Measurement Laboratory

Chemical Sciences Division

Nearly every aspect of our high quality of life—the health care that brings us into the world, the food, vitamins, and medicines that sustain us, and the consumer products we enjoy and rely upon—depends on chemistry.

We provide the measurement science, standards, technology, and data that help members of industry, other government agencies, and academia make still more progress in the chemical sciences, from assessing human health with diagnostic tests to determining the nutritional value of food and supplements, from setting emissions standards to assessing the climate.

Climate Science
Climate Science
A close up photograph of a hand, holding a palm full of meso to microplastics of many different color, shape, and size. Behind the hand is the Hawaiian beach where the plastic was found, and there is more plastic, sand, and pieces of drift wood.
Plastic Pollution
Polyfluorinated Substances
Polyfluorinated Substances
Food safety and nutrition
Food Safety
Photograph of a researcher accessing samples stored in a liquid nitrogen vapor freezer in a clean room.
Biospecimen Science
Image showing cannabis leaf held in a hand
Cannabis Metrology
Technology related symbols with the word informatics, superimposed on a background with a man holding a pen.
Chemical Informatics
Nano Metrology
Nano Metrology
A closeup shot of a chemical vapor deposition CVD chamber, which is used to deposit thin films of material onto the wafer surface.
Advanced Materials

News and Updates

Events

NIST Food Safety Workshop

Mon, Oct 28 - Thu, Oct 31 2019
NIST has extensive experience in preparation and characterization of reference materials and providing measurement
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Projects and Programs

Photograph depicting IC manufacturing showing glowing squares on a round wafer, with a yellow triangular warning indicator labeled UV.

Advanced IC Interconnects - Process Metrology and Models

Ongoing
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is increasingly being utilized as a method of depositing the thin (nanometer-scale), conformal layers required for many microelectronics applications, including high - gate dielectric layers, diffusion barrier layers, copper seed layers, and DRAM dielectric layers
Interior view of a long, multistory scientific facility filled with large tubular guides, elevated walkways, and electronic instrumentation.

Advanced Materials Characterization

Ongoing
This program seeks to continually enhance the analytical competence of MML and other major operating units at NIST. Furthermore, the program makes available technical capabilities that U.S. industry and government need in their quest to compete on a global scale through improving methods and
Photograph of gas cylinders

Audit of EPA Protocol Gas Suppliers

Ongoing
Protocol gas standards are employed in measurements made for compliance purposes; one of the major uses is for measurements of regulated gaseous species from stationary source emitters, i.e., stack gases. Many of these stationary sources are regulated through the Cap and Trade program; therefore

Awards

Press Coverage

Featured Videos

Reference Materials and Reliable Food Measurements

Reference Materials and Reliable Food Measurements

NIST Analytical Chemistry Supports Industry and Health

NIST Analytical Chemistry Supports Industry and Health

NIST Chemist Melissa Phillips on Carbon

NIST Chemist Melissa Phillips on Carbon

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