Eutectic systems have shaped mankind for millennia — bronze, solder, casting alloys — and yet, for all their industrial pedigree, the nanoscale mechanics of how they actually melt has remained stubbornly out of reach. Experimental resolution simply could not keep up with the physics. A new preprint from our group closes that gap, using in … Continue reading The nanoscale secrets of melting in eutectic systems
As the world accelerates its transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy, the pressure to recycle lithium-ion batteries efficiently has never been greater. At the heart of most recycling processes sits a fine black powder called black mass — a mixture of cathode and anode materials, binder residues, and metallic fragments recovered from spent batteries. … Continue reading Battery waste is worth billions!
A Chinese research team at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics has announced what could prove to be a remarkable leap forward in scientific instrumentation: an intelligent transmission electron microscope (TEM) capable of fully autonomous operation. The device, named Yuanyan-1, reportedly harnesses artificial intelligence to overcome longstanding limitations of conventional TEMs, which have depended on … Continue reading When electron microscopes think for themselves: has China just changed science forever?
Problems in academic/scientific environments are not dirt to be swept under the carpet. Scientists in formation — especially young ones like masters and doctoral students — are human beings, and deserve to be treated as such. Fairly. Integrity cannot be taught by those who do not practise it. A problem buried under the carpet is … Continue reading Leadership is not a carpet…
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
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
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!
With great pleasure I am sharing with you our new review paper entitled "A snapshot of high-entropy alloy processing techniques and their effects on resulting mechanical properties" written by Mr. Christopher Matthews, a brilliant alumni student from the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Dakota School of Mines, now a Master Student in Metallurgy at … Continue reading A snapshot of high-entropy alloy processing techniques and their effects on resulting mechanical properties
Professor Peter J. Uggowitzer was never officially my mentor or supervisor -- neither during my studies nor in my former postdoc in Leoben. Yet, his presence and friendship over all these years have profoundly shaped both my personal and professional life. Through him, I learned not just metallurgy, but how to think metallurgy -- how … Continue reading The Spirit of Metallurgy at 75 Years Strong
Materials at Extremes 