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28 Aug

Smarter, Faster, More Transparent: Active Learning and AI in Materials Design

Materials design remains a very complex challenge in science and engineering, owing to the virtually infinite number of variables such as material composition and synthesis parameters. Traditionally guided by expert intuition and iterative experimentation, the process often involves navigating a multidimensional design space with only fragmentary knowledge, which can be compared to exploring a vast territory with a map that covers only a few percent of the terrain. As a result, identifying optimal material candidates frequently requires extensive trial-and-error, consuming significant time and resources before reaching a viable solution. To accelerate this process, materials scientists are increasingly turning to models based on data to guide their research by prioritizing the next materials to study or synthesis parameters to use. In the last decade, machine learning (ML) has gained popularity in materials design thanks to its efficiency and modularity in using a wide range of datasets, whether theoretical or experimental, large or...

28 Jul

Cracking the Code of Clean Hydrogen

by Laura Cyrne

in Articles, Events, News

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How a common metal like Nickel could replace Platinum in electrolysers and accelerate the EU's green transition Imagine trying to replace the world’s best performer with a budget alternative—and not just match it, but get close enough to change the game. That’s the challenge facing scientists working to reduce the use of platinum in hydrogen production. And it’s the bold mission of the Horizon Europe project NICKEFFECT. Why Hydrogen, and why now? Hydrogen is a key pillar of the European Union’s plan to decarbonise its economy and reach climate neutrality by 2050. Produced through water electrolysis, hydrogen offers a clean energy carrier—especially when powered by renewables. The EU has set an ambitious target: installing 40 GW of electrolyser capacity by 2030, which would produce millions of tonnes of green hydrogen annually. But there's a catch. The most efficient technology for hydrogen production—Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysers (PEMWE)—relies on rare and expensive platinum group metals...

18 Jul

Webinar recap: revolutionising Memory with Nitrogen Magneto-Ionics

by Laura Cyrne

in Articles, Events, News

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NICKEFFECT recently hosted a webinar, “Magneto-Ionics for Energy-Efficient Brain-Inspired Memory Devices,” on 16th July at 10:00 CET. This insightful session, presented by Jordi Sort, a NICKEFFECT project partner from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, explored the innovative field of nitrogen magneto-ionics and its transformative potential for energy-efficient memory and computing. The presentation delved into how magneto-ionics, the control of magnetic properties through ion motion, offers a compelling solution for developing energy-efficient memory and computing systems. A key highlight was the unique advantages of nitrogen magneto-ionics in transition metal nitrides, which enables faster and more efficient magnetic switching at room temperature compared to traditional oxygen-based systems. The discussion also covered how nitrogen ion transport in thin films allows for precise tuning of magnetisation and coercivity, opening new avenues for in-memory computing, synaptic devices, and neuromorphic systems. Attendees gained valuable insights into the remarkable planar, wave-like migration of nitrogen, an ideal characteristic for designing...

Smarter, Faster, More Transparent: Active Learning and AI in Materials Design

Cracking the Code of Clean Hydrogen

Webinar recap: revolutionising Memory with Nitrogen Magneto-Ionics

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