Until now, researchers and professionals in the materials science field have only assumed that as a material becomes more brittle, it also becomes less tough.

Witold Brostow, Regents Professor of materials science and engineering, working with Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science student Sameer Khoja, conducted a study that confirms that assumption. Haley Lobland ('01 TAMS, '08 Ph.D.), research associate, co-advised Khoja on the study.

They compared stress and brittleness values of materials and plotted data. They presented their findings at the 23rd annual World Forum on Advanced Materials in Lincoln, Neb., in May.