The sustainability debate in materials science sometimes asks the wrong questions. How do we recycle more aluminium & steel? These are legitimate — but they treat recyclability/sustainability as an afterthought, forcing materials never designed for circularity back into something useful at considerable cost and energy penalty: facts that Europe, specially, cannot anymore afford. The presence … Continue reading New recycling processes or new materials?
"I choose my friends not by their skin or other archetype, but by the pupil.They have to have questioning shine and unsettled tone.I'm not interested in the good spirits or the ones with bad habits.I'll stick with the ones that are made of me being crazy and blessed.From them, I don't want an answer, I … Continue reading Crazy & Saints – Oscar Wilde
Throughout history, humanity has poured its greatest minds, resources, and energy into two competing endeavours — the pursuit of knowledge, and the pursuit of conflict. The choice between them could not be more consequential. War destroys. It consumes lives, erases cultures, and sets civilisations back by generations. Whatever political aims it serves, its legacy is … Continue reading An Humanist Perspective in 2026
We are pleased to share our latest preprint, now available on arXiv: Unlocking nanoscale microstructural detail in aluminium alloys through differential phase contrast segmentation in STEM (arXiv:2603.11643). In this work, we show how differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging in scanning transmission electron microscopy can be turned into a powerful, quantitative tool for characterising the microstructures … Continue reading New Preprint: Unlocking Nanoscale Detail in Aluminium Alloys with DPC Segmentation
Hydrogen is often celebrated as the clean fuel of the future, but its relationship with metals is far more complicated than it might seem. When hydrogen atoms enter a metal, they can silently weaken it from the inside — a phenomenon known as hydrogen embrittlement — and despite being recognised for over 150 years, the … Continue reading “Seeing” hydrogen embrittlement for the first time at the nanoscale
What will the materials powering tomorrow's clean energy systems, quantum computers, and deep-space missions actually be made of — and how do we design them? We are thrilled to share our latest featured article in The European magazine, where we explore how cutting-edge research is engineering matter at the atomic scale. From the nanolaminated MAX … Continue reading Atom-by-atom materials shaping future technology
We are pleased to share our latest research, now published in Applied Surface Science. This study led by Ahmad Alem explores the use of radio frequency (RF) oxygen plasma as a powerful tool for functionalising the surface of carbon felts – materials with significant potential in energy storage, catalysis, and environmental technologies. By systematically varying … Continue reading Paving the Way for Hydrogen Energy with Carbon Felts
As we stand at the incipience of 2026, gazing upon a world that continues to grapple with conflict and wars, we find ourselves questioning not only our future but also our very purpose. In such turbulent times, it is more crucial than ever to look towards science – an embodiment of knowledge, progress, and hope … Continue reading The Position of Science in a World in Conflict
A beautiful poem written by Anna-Carina Seitlinger to her beloved boyfriend Christoph Frühwirth on the 19th December 2025' [X-MAT] Secret Santa and end of yearly dinner meeting! I am reproducing the poem in its full format as released by both Anna and Christoph! Once king of fission, neutron and core,Criticality fears him – equations adore.Reactors … Continue reading “An ode to a nuclear genious who met the microstructure”
The recent Nature editorial highlights the persistent and often underestimated problem of bullying and harassment in academia. It stresses that scientific excellence cannot be separated from the integrity of the research environment: organisations that ignore harmful behaviour ultimately undermine both their people and the quality of their work. The article calls for transparent procedures, responsible … Continue reading Stop Harassement in Science!
Materials at Extremes 