Materials research may provide improvements in properties by 2015 in a number of additional areas, leading to significant effects.

SiC, GaN, and other wide band gap semiconductors are being investigated as materials for high-power electronics.

Functionally graded materials (i.e., materials whose properties change gradually from one end to the other) can form useful interlayers between mechanically, thermally, or electrically diverse components.

Anodes, cathodes, and electrolytes with higher capacity and longer lifetime are being developed for improved batteries and fuel cells.

High-temperature (ceramic) superconductors discovered in 1986 can currently operate at liquid nitrogen (rather than liquid helium) temperatures. Prototype devices such as electrical transmission cables, transformers, storage devices, motors, and fault current limiters have now been built and demonstrated. Niche application on electric utility systems should begin by 2015 (e.g., replacement of underground cables in cities and replacement of older substation transformers).

Nonlinear optical materials such as doped LiNbO3 are being investigated for ultraviolet lasers (e.g., to enable finer lithography). Efforts are under way to increase damage threshold and conversion efficiency, minimize divergence, and tailor the absorption edge.

Hard materials such as nanocrystalline coatings and diamonds are being developed for applications such as computer disk drives and drill bits for oil and gas exploration, respectively.

High-temperature materials such as ductile intermetallics and ceramic matrix composites are being developed for aerospace applications and for high-efficiency energy and petrochemical conversion systems.