Argonne researchers develop new membrane technology to extract lithium from water

As global demand for lithium surges due to its critical role in electric vehicles, electronics, and defense technologies, concerns about supply and sustainability are mounting. In response, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory—some of whom are also affiliated with the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering—have developed an innovative membrane technology that efficiently extracts lithium from water. This breakthrough could help secure a more reliable and scalable lithium supply chain for the future.

“The new membrane we have developed offers a potential low-cost and abundant alternative for lithium extraction here at home,” said Seth Darling, chief science and technology officer for Argonne’s Advanced Energy Technologies directorate. He is also director of the Advanced Materials for Energy-Water Systems (AMEWS) Energy Frontier Research Center at Argonne and a PME senior scientist.

Right now, most of the world’s lithium comes from hard-rock mining and salt lakes in just a few countries, leaving supply chains vulnerable to disruption. Yet most of the Earth’s lithium is actually dissolved in seawater and underground salt water reserves. The problem? Extracting it from these unconventional sources has been prohibitively expensive, energy-hungry and inefficient. Traditional methods struggle to separate lithium from other, more abundant elements like sodium and magnesium.

In salt water, lithium and other elements exist as cations. These are atoms that have lost one or more electrons, giving them a positive electric charge. The key to efficient lithium extraction lies in filtering out the other cations based on both size and degree of charge.

The new membrane offers a promising low-cost solution. It’s made from vermiculite, a naturally abundant clay that costs only about $350 per ton. The team developed a process to peel apart the clay into ultrathin layers — just a billionth of a meter thick — and then restack them to form a kind of filter. These layers are so thin they’re considered 2D.

But there was a hitch: Untreated, the clay layers fall apart in water within half an hour due to their strong affinity to it. 

To solve this problem, researchers inserted microscopic aluminum oxide pillars between the layers, giving the structure the look of a high-rise parking lot under construction — with many solid pillars holding each ​“floor” in place. This architecture prevents collapse while neutralizing the membrane’s negative surface charge, a crucial step for subsequent modifications.

Next, sodium cations were introduced into the membrane, where they settled around the aluminum oxide pillars. This changed the membrane’s surface charge from neutral to positive. In water, both magnesium and lithium ions carry a positive charge, but magnesium ions carry a higher charge (+2) compared with lithium’s (+1). The membrane’s positively charged surface repels the higher charged magnesium ions more forcefully than it does the lithium ions. This difference allows the membrane to capture lithium ions more easily while keeping magnesium ions out.

To further refine performance, the team added even more sodium ions. This decreased the membrane’s pore size. The result is that the membrane allows the smaller ions like sodium and potassium to pass through while catching the larger lithium ions.

“Filtering by both ion size and charge, our membrane can pull lithium out of water with much greater efficiency,” said first author Yining Liu, a Ph.D. candidate at UChicago and a member of the AMEWS team. ​“Such a membrane could reduce our dependence on foreign suppliers and open the door to new lithium reserves in places we never considered.”

The researchers believe this breakthrough could have broader applications, from recovering other key materials like nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements, to removing harmful contaminants from water supplies.

“There are many types of this clay material,” said Liu. ​“We’re exploring how it might help collect critical elements from seawater and salt lake brines or even help clean up our drinking water.”

In a world increasingly shaped by access to clean water and secure supplies of critical materials, innovations like this may help power not just our devices, but our future.

For more information: Nature Materials

Image: Atomic structure of vermiculite membrane showing 2D layers supported by aluminum oxide pillars. Yellow balls are doped sodium ion. (Image by Argonne National Laboratory.)

Robotic probe quickly measures key properties of new materials

MIT researchers have developed a fully autonomous robotic system designed to accelerate the discovery of new semiconductor materials for solar cells and electronics. The system uses a robotic probe to automatically measure photoconductance—an essential property that indicates how a material responds electrically to light. By automating this process, the technology aims to overcome a major bottleneck in materials research, significantly speeding up the pace of innovation.

The researchers inject materials-science-domain knowledge from human experts into the machine-learning model that guides the robot’s decision making. This enables the robot to identify the best places to contact a material with the probe to gain the most information about its photoconductance, while a specialized planning procedure finds the fastest way to move between contact points.

During a 24-hour test, the fully autonomous robotic probe took more than 125 unique measurements per hour, with more precision and reliability than other artificial intelligence-based methods.

By dramatically increasing the speed at which scientists can characterize important properties of new semiconductor materials, this method could spur the development of solar panels that produce more electricity.

“I find this paper to be incredibly exciting because it provides a pathway for autonomous, contact-based characterization methods. Not every important property of a material can be measured in a contactless way. If you need to make contact with your sample, you want it to be fast and you want to maximize the amount of information that you gain,” says Tonio Buonassisi, professor of mechanical engineering and senior author of a paper on the autonomous system.

His co-authors include lead author Alexander (Aleks) Siemenn, a graduate student; postdocs Basita Das and Kangyu Ji; and graduate student Fang Sheng

Since 2018, researchers in Buonassisi’s laboratory have been working toward a fully autonomous materials discovery laboratory. They’ve recently focused on discovering new perovskites, which are a class of semiconductor materials used in photovoltaics like solar panels.

In prior work, they developed techniques to rapidly synthesize and print unique combinations of perovskite material. They also designed imaging-based methods to determine some important material properties.

But photoconductance is most accurately characterized by placing a probe onto the material, shining a light, and measuring the electrical response.

“To allow our experimental laboratory to operate as quickly and accurately as possible, we had to come up with a solution that would produce the best measurements while minimizing the time it takes to run the whole procedure,” says Siemenn.

Doing so required the integration of machine learning, robotics, and material science into one autonomous system.

To begin, the robotic system uses its onboard camera to take an image of a slide with perovskite material printed on it.

Then it uses computer vision to cut that image into segments, which are fed into a neural network model that has been specially designed to incorporate domain expertise from chemists and materials scientists.

“These robots can improve the repeatability and precision of our operations, but it is important to still have a human in the loop. If we don’t have a good way to implement the rich knowledge from these chemical experts into our robots, we are not going to be able to discover new materials,” Siemenn adds.

The model uses this domain knowledge to determine the optimal points for the probe to contact based on the shape of the sample and its material composition. These contact points are fed into a path planner that finds the most efficient way for the probe to reach all points.

The adaptability of this machine-learning approach is especially important because the printed samples have unique shapes, from circular drops to jellybean-like structures.

“It is almost like measuring snowflakes — it is difficult to get two that are identical,” Buonassisi says.

Once the path planner finds the shortest path, it sends signals to the robot’s motors, which manipulate the probe and take measurements at each contact point in rapid succession.

Key to the speed of this approach is the self-supervised nature of the neural network model. The model determines optimal contact points directly on a sample image — without the need for labeled training data.

The researchers also accelerated the system by enhancing the path planning procedure. They found that adding a small amount of noise, or randomness, to the algorithm helped it find the shortest path.

“As we progress in this age of autonomous labs, you really do need all three of these expertise — hardware building, software, and an understanding of materials science — coming together into the same team to be able to innovate quickly. And that is part of the secret sauce here,” Buonassisi says.

Once they had built the system from the ground up, the researchers tested each component. Their results showed that the neural network model found better contact points with less computation time than seven other AI-based methods. In addition, the path planning algorithm consistently found shorter path plans than other methods.

When they put all the pieces together to conduct a 24-hour fully autonomous experiment, the robotic system conducted more than 3,000 unique photoconductance measurements at a rate exceeding 125 per hour.

In addition, the level of detail provided by this precise measurement approach enabled the researchers to identify hotspots with higher photoconductance as well as areas of material degradation.

“Being able to gather such rich data that can be captured at such fast rates, without the need for human guidance, starts to open up doors to be able to discover and develop new high-performance semiconductors, especially for sustainability applications like solar panels,” Siemenn says.

The researchers want to continue building on this robotic system as they strive to create a fully autonomous lab for materials discovery.

For more information: Science Advances

Pattern Materials makes its mark in Houston

Alex Lathem, a graduate student at Rice University, has launched Pattern Materials, a startup focused on revolutionizing graphene production by making it faster, more affordable, and scalable. The company leverages Lathem’s proprietary laser-induced and flash graphene technologies, which enable the rapid creation of graphene and carbon nanotube-like patterns in a single step. These advanced materials, known for their exceptional conductivity, flexibility, and strength, have the potential to significantly enhance electronic devices such as sensors. Pattern Materials is already gaining traction, earning $134,500 and fourth place at the Rice Business Plan Competition, along with third place at Energy Venture Day during CERAWeek.

The technology was developed in the lab of Rice’s James Tour, professor of materials science and nanoengineering and the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, who discovered and has been innovating with graphene for more than a decade. He’s also an advisor to Pattern Materials.

“There’s a lot of graphene research out there now and it should be ready for commercialization – that’s the kind of bet that we’re making,” Lathem said.

To prepare for the pitch competitions, Lathem utilized Rice’s Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie). Lilie is the home of experiential learning and co-curricular activities in entrepreneurship and innovation at Rice.

“We were still thinking too much like it was a thesis, and got a whole lot of feedback from investors saying ‘make it more clear what you’re doing,” Lathem said. “‘Focus on the product, focus on the solution.’”

Pattern Materials’ next focus is on working with sensor manufacturers to create pilot programs.

“Those are the key people we want to be working with, because our patterns basically could serve as the template or the backbone for those sensors,” he said. “In a sensor, there’s always some component that’s the actual sensitive material – that’s what graphene is really good for. Our intention is to replace that piece with our material, and so that will involve working with these manufacturers pretty closely to know what properties they need.”

The company plans to be based in Houston and work toward vertical integration. The city has a lot of interest in new technology and new manufacturing, Lathem said.

“The ceiling is very high for what we can do, the potential. We want to see how far we can take it, not just on domestic usage, but packaging,” he continued. “We believe in the material. We love the potential and we want to see how far we can take it and what impact we can have on not just domestic manufacturing, but sensor usage and making the world kind of a better, safer place in all the ways that sensors are used nowadays. And hopefully as well, it will be a great sort of example for what’s possible in Houston.”

For more information: Rice University

AI system helps researchers unlock hidden potential in newly discovered materials

Researchers at the University of Toronto Engineering have developed a new multimodal AI tool that could significantly accelerate the application of newly discovered materials. Led by Professor Seyed Mohamad Moosavi, the team’s study introduces an AI system capable of predicting how a material might perform in real-world conditions from the moment it is created—helping ensure that promising innovations reach their full potential.

The system focuses on a class of porous materials known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Moosavi says that last year alone, materials scientists created more than 5,000 different types of MOFs, which have tunable properties that lead to a wide range of potential applications.

For example, MOFs can be used to separate CO2 from other gases in a waste stream, preventing the carbon from reaching the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. They can also be used to deliver drugs to particular areas of the body, or to add new functions to advanced electronic devices.

According to Moosavi, one major challenge facing the field is that a MOF created for one purpose often turns out to have the ideal properties for a completely different application.

For example, in one of their previous studies, it was found that a material originally synthesized for photocatalysis was instead very effective for carbon capture — but this discovery was only made seven years later.

“In materials discovery, the typical question is, ‘What is the best material for this application?’” says Moosavi.

“We flipped the question and asked, ‘What’s the best application for this new material?’ With so many materials made every day, we want to shift the focus from ‘what material do we make next’ to ‘what evaluation should we do next.’”

This approach aims to reduce the time lag between discovery and deployment of MOFs.

To help make this possible, ChemE PhD student Sartaaj Khan developed a multimodal machine learning system trained on various types of data typically available immediately after synthesis — specifically, the precursor chemicals used to make the material, and its powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) pattern.

“Multimodality matters,” says Khan. “Just as humans use different senses — such as vision and language — to understand the world, combining different types of material data gives our model a more complete picture.”

The AI system uses a multimodal pretraining strategy to gain insights into a material’s geometry and chemical environment, enabling it to make accurate property predictions without needing post-synthesis structural characterization.

This can speed up the discovery process and help researchers recognize promising materials before they’re overlooked or shelved.

To test the model, the team conducted a ‘time-travel’ experiment. They trained the AI on material data available before 2017 and asked it to evaluate materials synthesized after that date.

The system successfully flagged several materials — originally developed for other purposes — as strong candidates for carbon capture. Some of those are now undergoing experimental validation in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada.

Looking ahead, Moosavi plans to integrate the AI into the self-driving laboratories (SDLs) at U of T’s Acceleration Consortium, a global hub for automated materials discovery.

“SDLs automate the process of designing, synthesizing and testing new materials,” he says.

“When one lab creates a new material, our system could evaluate it — and potentially reroute it to another lab better equipped to assess its full potential. That kind of seamless inter-lab coordination could accelerate materials discovery.”

For more information: Nature Communications

Image: PhD student Sartaaj Takrim Khan, left, and Professor Seyed Mohamad Moosavi (ChemE) created a multimodal AI tool that can predict how metal-organic frameworks might perform in the real world. (Photo by Tyler Irving)

Norman Noble receives NTMA Superior Safety award for second consecutive year

Norman Noble, Highland Heights, Ohio, has been honored with the National Tooling & Machining Association’s (NTMA) 2024 Superior Safety Award for the second year in a row. The accolade recognizes member firms achieving exceptional workplace safety performance, and Norman Noble earned this distinction by keeping its incident rate well below the industry average across all advanced manufacturing sites.

The company uses a daily management system to track key performance indicators—such as lost-time claims, recordable injuries, first-aid incidents, near misses, days of restricted work activity, and streaks without a lost-time claim—to monitor progress toward its health, safety and environmental objectives. Julie Bennett Lowry, director of facilities and environmental health and safety, explained that integrating safety observations into daily gemba walks and immediately logging any issues ensures rapid follow-up. Thanks to this proactive process, the firm recorded zero lost-time claims in 2024 and, as of May 1, 2025, has surpassed 1092 consecutive days without a lost-time incident.

Operating over 275,000 square feet of manufacturing space with more than 500 employees, Norman Noble produces precision components for life-saving medical vascular and orthopedic implants. The company said its continued focus on safety underpins both employee well-being and its commitment to maintaining rigorous quality standards.

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Tokamak Energy and Furukawa Electric Group to build fusion magnet manufacturing base in Japan

Tokamak Energy and Furukawa Electric Group, Tokyo, Japan announced that they will establish a joint operational base in Japan to manufacture high-temperature superconducting magnets critical for fusion power plants. The facility will support the Fusion Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (FAST) development project, which aims to demonstrate electricity generation from fusion by the 2030s, under a private-sector collaboration led by Starlight Engine Ltd.

The partnership leverages Tokamak Energy’s network of government, commercial, scientific and academic collaborators in Japan alongside Furukawa Electric’s expertise in REBCO-coated HTS tape production through its SuperPower subsidiary. Beyond fusion, the companies plan to explore applications of their HTS magnet technology in sectors such as data-centre cooling, zero-emission electric motors, power generation and propulsion systems for land, air, water and space.

Warrick Matthews, chief executive of Tokamak Energy, explained that scaling up magnet manufacturing will be pivotal to translating the promise of clean, limitless fusion into commercial reality and will unlock new performance levels across multiple industries. Hideya Moridaira, president of Furukawa Electric Group, added that deepening the collaboration reflects Furukawa’s long-standing commitment to superconducting research and its ambition to support energy and healthcare innovations.

The agreement follows a UK-Japan government fusion partnership announced during ministerial talks in London, underscoring both nations’ strategic push for sustainable, safe and abundant fusion energy.

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Platinum deficit predicted for third year as palladium returns to balance, Johnson Matthey reports

Johnson Matthey, London, England announced that the platinum market will remain in deficit in 2025 while palladium moves back into balance, according to its 2025 PGM Market Report released ahead of London Platinum & Palladium Market week. The company forecasts a 3% decline in primary platinum output due to operational restructuring, extreme weather and maintenance in South Africa, with secondary supplies subdued globally except in China, where a renewed trade-in incentive scheme is boosting scrap returns. Industrial platinum demand is expected to grow modestly, driven by capacity expansions in chemicals, fibreglass, biofuels and synthetic fuels, even as automotive use declines 5% amid the shift to battery electric powertrains.

Palladium, which faced structural deficits from 2012 to 2024, should reach equilibrium in 2025 as stronger recycling in China offsets reduced primary output from South Africa and the U.S., despite weaker scrap flows elsewhere, and a 5% drop in automotive palladium use.

The rhodium market is forecast to stay in deficit after South African supply falls and auto consumption dips, while industrial demand rebounds with normalized glass-industry purchasing. Ruthenium demand is set to climb 2% on data-centre expansions and robust chemical catalyst use, likely resulting in a significant shortfall without further inventory drawdowns. A slight rise in iridium production should help balance that market, as lower chemical usage is offset by increased crucible demand.

Rupen Raithatha, market research director, noted that uncertainty over U.S. import tariffs could weaken vehicle output and scrap volumes, posing downside risks. Margery Ryan, advocacy and market development manager, added that increased defence spending may drive additional PGM demand given their vital role in military and aerospace technologies.

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Cirtec Medical expands operations in Costa Rica to support growing demand

Cirtec Medical, Alajuela, Costa Rica announced that it is more than doubling its manufacturing footprint in the Coyol Free Zone to meet rising needs in neuromodulation, interventional, electrophysiology and structural heart markets. The 50,000-plus square foot expansion will add extrusion, braiding, coil winding, device assembly and packaging capabilities alongside the company’s existing facility.

The move is expected to accelerate customers’ time-to-market, optimize costs through greater vertical integration and broaden the company’s end-to-end product-lifecycle services, which span research and development in the U.S. through production in Costa Rica.

Cirtec’s chief executive explained that Costa Rica has evolved into a vital hub for high-quality medical device manufacturing, and the enlarged site will deliver faster turnaround and expanded offerings while preserving quality standards.

Costa Rica’s minister of foreign trade noted that the investment underscores the country’s appeal for foreign direct investment, reflecting confidence in its institutional framework, investment promotion policies and stability to host complex global operations. The foreign trade agency’s general manager added that the expansion demonstrates the maturity of Costa Rica’s industrial ecosystem, access to specialized talent and competitive conditions that attract medical-technology leaders.

Cirtec’s local general manager said the additional capacity will allow the team to leverage a highly educated workforce to shorten development timelines and enhance flexibility for customers worldwide.

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Symphony of Elements Exhibition at Sloss Furnaces Offers Metallography Education and Engagement

Against the backdrop of towering smokestacks and steel-laden history, the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, Birmingham, Ala., became a portal into the inner workings of modern metallurgy with the opening of the Symphony of Elements: Art and Science of Metals exhibition on May 23. This innovative showcase, running through August 2025, offers a rare and compelling fusion of technical achievements, advanced materials science, and visual art.

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One minute Mentor: Numerical Simulation in practice

 The comparison of the change in length, e.g. after hardening and tempering, is the next step in the model validation. The figure shows the comparison in the change in length of the cylinder. In the left part the change in length after hardening with nitrogen and additional tempering is shown; in the right part one can see the effect of a more rapid hardening with helium and additional tempering. More important is the fact that the model very well describes the tendency of distortion with a maximum in the center of the cylinder and higher values for the helium quenching.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 17. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980

Air Products to withdraw from three US projects, refocuses on core hydrogen and energy initiatives

Air Products, Allentown, PA, announced that it will exit three U.S.-based projects as part of a strategic review initiated by its newly elected board of directors and chief executive officer. The decision, intended to sharpen the company’s project portfolio and resource allocation, is expected to result in a pre-tax charge of up to $3.1 billion in its fiscal second quarter of 2025. The charge, which covers asset write-downs and the termination of contractual commitments, will not affect the company’s adjusted earnings per share for the fiscal year.

The canceled projects include:

  • World Energy Partnership, Paramount, CA: Air Products has terminated its agreement with World Energy for the expansion of a Sustainable Aviation Fuel project, citing challenging commercial conditions and operational concerns.
  • Massena, NY Green Hydrogen Facility: The company has canceled plans for a 35 metric ton per day green liquid hydrogen plant, along with associated distribution and dispensing infrastructure. The decision was influenced by recent regulatory changes that rendered hydroelectric power ineligible for the federal Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit (45V), as well as slower-than-anticipated hydrogen mobility market growth in the region.
  • Carbon Monoxide Project in Texas: A planned carbon monoxide production facility has been canceled due to unfavorable economic conditions.

Air Products also reaffirmed its focus on two major initiatives: the NEOM green hydrogen project in Saudi Arabia, which is nearing 80% completion and targeting green ammonia production by late 2026; and the Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, expected to start operations in 2028. The company is actively seeking equity partners for the Louisiana project to optimize capital deployment, particularly in the ammonia loop and carbon sequestration segments.

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Simulations reveal how grains in metals and ceramics grow

An international team of scientists headed by Prof. Marco Salvalaglio from TUD–Dresden University of Technology in Germany discovered that internal stresses—not just interface energy—play a key role in shaping the microstructure of crystalline materials. These findings challenge classical theories and may improve how we design materials for engineering and technology.

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Amatanweze confirms new methods to reduce steel defects

When producing ultra-strong steel parts for vehicles, military gear, and heavy manufacturing, even minor cracks or distortions during heat treatment can cause significant delays and material waste. Dr. Kingsley Amatanweze, a recent Ph.D. graduate from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, has developed new methods to reduce these costly issues by improving the induction melting, pouring, and cooling processes of steel.

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Thermoelectric material with high-conductivity but slow thermal transfer

Thermoelectric materials like germanium telluride (GeTe) can convert waste heat into electricity, offering a promising energy solution. To better harness this potential, researchers used a novel “neutron camera” technique to study GeTe’s structure. They found that while GeTe maintains its overall crystalline form—essential for conducting electricity—it also exhibits dynamic disorder, where parts of the structure move and slow heat conduction. This unique combination enhances thermoelectric efficiency, making GeTe a strong candidate for advanced solid-state devices like heat pumps and generators. The study also resolved previous inconsistencies in structural measurements.

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Near-perfect defects in 2D material could serve as quantum bits

Scientists worldwide are striving to scale quantum technologies, which hinges on reliably generating qubits—the basic units of quantum information. One promising material for this is hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), a two-dimensional substance known for hosting solid-state single-photon emitters (SPEs). These atomic structures can emit individual photons, making them strong candidates for building scalable quantum systems.

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Scientists discover an unusual chiral quantum state in a topological material

Chirality, or “handedness,” is a fundamental property where an object differs from its mirror image, seen across nature from molecules to DNA. In a breakthrough, Princeton University researchers have discovered a hidden chiral quantum state in a material previously believed to be non-chiral. This finding not only challenges existing assumptions in physics but also deepens our understanding of quantum phenomena, potentially opening new avenues in quantum research.

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Daido Steel launches new vacuum arc remelting plant to meet semiconductor industry demand

Daido Steel Co. Ltd., Nagoya, Japan, announced the successful start of operations at its new vacuum arc remelting (VAR) plant at the company’s Chita site. Developed in collaboration with ALD Vacuum Technologies, the plant is designed to increase production capacity for high-purity stainless steels and nickel alloys used in high-performance applications, particularly within the semiconductor industry.

The first VAR plant became operational in December 2024, with finished ingots now undergoing downstream processing. A second remelting unit is scheduled to begin operation in March 2025, with additional capacity expansions planned over the coming years.

The custom-designed VAR plant, supplied by ALD, enables the production of ultra-clean steel with a homogeneous microstructure, meeting the stringent quality standards required for semiconductor components. VAR-processed materials are known for their durability, purity, and consistency, making them ideal for critical industries.

Daido Steel’s investment reflects a strategic move to support the growing global demand for advanced materials in next-generation technologies. The company continues to position itself as a key supplier in the global supply chain for high-performance alloys.

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Solar Atmospheres of Michigan expands thermal processing capabilities with new air tempering and cryogenic systems

Solar Atmospheres, Chesterfield, MI, announced the addition of advanced air tempering and cryogenic equipment to its Michigan facility, marking a significant expansion of its processing capabilities. These upgrades support the company’s commitment to offering high-performance thermal treatments for a broad range of industrial applications.

The newly installed equipment includes a large car-bottom air furnace, manufactured by Heat Treat Equipment Inc., with dimensions of 6’6” wide × 4’ high × 14’ long. It features a 30,000-pound load capacity and maintains temperature uniformity within ±10°F across a range of 300°F to 1400°F, making it well-suited for large and heavy components that demand precise thermal control.

Also added to the facility is a DMP “Cryo/Temper Systems” unit with a 42” wide × 60” deep × 36” high hot/cold zone. The system supports cryogenic treatment and high-temperature tempering in a single integrated solution, with temperature uniformity within ±10°F from -300°F to 1200°F.

Bob Hill, president of Solar Atmospheres of Michigan, stated that the new systems are part of a strategic effort to provide customers with greater processing flexibility and to meet the evolving demands of various industries.

These installations represent the initial phase of a broader expansion within Solar Michigan’s new 50,000-square-foot facility, which currently houses 12 production vacuum furnaces. Additional equipment investments are planned as the company continues to grow its footprint and capabilities.

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Consarc and Vulcan elements commission new strip casting furnace to support US. rare earth magnet production

Consarc Corporation, Rancocas, NJ, and Vulcan Elements, Durham, NC, announced the successful delivery and commissioning of a Vacuum Induction Melting Strip Casting Furnace (VIM-SC) at Vulcan’s facility in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. This collaboration represents a key step in strengthening domestic capabilities for rare earth magnet production and bolstering U.S. national security and supply chain resilience.

Engineered and manufactured by Consarc in New Jersey, the state-of-the-art VIM-SC furnace is now fully operational and will enable the rapid solidification of Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB) alloys. These materials are essential for producing high-performance magnets used in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, advanced electronics, and defense applications.

Jai Narayan, president of Consarc Corporation, emphasized the company’s role in supporting critical domestic manufacturing. He noted that Consarc’s vacuum induction melting technology is central to reestablishing a secure U.S. base for rare earth magnet production. John Maslin, chief executive officer of Vulcan Elements, highlighted the importance of domestic equipment partners like Consarc in building a resilient and traceable magnet supply chain.

Consarc, the only U.S. supplier of both pilot and production-scale strip casting furnaces, was selected to provide the VIM-SC furnace as Vulcan scales its operations. The partnership reflects a shared mission to revitalize American manufacturing and reinforce supply chain independence in strategic sectors.

Consarc Corporation is part of the Inductotherm Group and brings over 60 years of experience in vacuum and controlled atmosphere furnace technology. Vulcan Elements specializes in the manufacture of permanent sintered NdFeB magnets and is dedicated to advancing innovation and supply chain security for critical U.S. industries.

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TESCAN expands its presence in Asia

Czech-based electron microscope manufacturer TESCAN plans to establish a local subsidiary in Taiwan in 2025 to meet rising demand from semiconductor clients across the Asia-Pacific region.

Founded in Brno, the Czech Republic’s second-largest city, TESCAN built its reputation over three decades in fields like materials science and geoscience. In recent years, however, the company has pivoted toward the semiconductor industry, with a particular focus on the rapidly expanding advanced packaging segment.

TESCAN’s advanced packaging FA solution is built around a hybrid workflow that integrates scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focused ion beam (FIB), and other inspection tools into a seamless, cross-platform system. The setup aims to reduce testing time, cut labor requirements, and speed up R&D while improving yield outcomes.

Described as a “full-body checkup” for chips, the solution uses a suite of diagnostic tools—much like a team of medical specialists—to identify failure points across materials and structures. This approach has proven essential for OSAT providers, foundries, and IC design houses alike.

According to TESCAN Taiwan country manager Robert Feng, FA begins with non-destructive testing to locate potential defects without damaging the sample. The next phase involves destructive analysis using laser cutting for speed, followed by dual-beam systems to isolate and expose the faulty regions.

The process continues with SEM imaging via the dual-beam system to analyze interfaces and defect signatures. To address the rising need for structural stress and material composition analysis, TESCAN also provides a 4D STEM-enabled platform that measures internal stress fields and compositional shifts, supporting both process refinement and next-gen packaging evolution.
TESCAN’s semiconductor strategy—centered on failure analysis and advanced packaging—is gaining momentum thanks to integrated technologies and region-specific applications.

According to APAC managing director Sean Lee, the semiconductor business in Asia-Pacific contributed nearly 50% of the company’s global revenue in 2024. “There’s still plenty of room to grow,” he said.

For 2025, Lee projects a 40% revenue surge in APAC, fueled largely by Chinese demand, with semiconductor-related sales expected to account for about half of that growth.

As a challenger in the semiconductor equipment space, TESCAN is still trailing global leaders in market share. To gain ground, the company is leaning into product flexibility and differentiation.

Lee highlights technologies such as CoWoS, 2.5D/3D, and heterogeneous integration as major drivers of increased FA complexity. TESCAN’s strategy focuses on large-format and customized inspection demands, delivering broader and deeper coverage tailored to client-specific requirements.
TESCAN’s edge, Lee says, lies in its singular focus: “We only do electron microscopes.” Unlike competitors with sprawling product portfolios, the company offers more streamlined and responsive collaboration.

Most equipment vendors favor standardized models to maximize cost and production efficiency. TESCAN, however, starts with the unmet needs of leading customers and gradually scales into more price-sensitive segments—a strategy built on flexibility and differentiation.

Across the region, Lee says, packaging customers want FA tools that are faster, more precise, and competitively priced. TESCAN has targeted sample preparation, the bottleneck in the testing workflow, and introduced AI and machine learning to streamline it. The result: faster output, fewer manual errors, and relief for an industry plagued by skilled labor shortages.

Feng notes that training an operator in sample preparation and analysis typically takes six to twelve months. But with product lifecycles shrinking, delays are no longer acceptable. TESCAN’s solution reduces prep time from four hours to under one, even for first-time users.

Lee points out that Taiwan and China together account for over 70% of the global advanced packaging market. Many Chinese customers are Taiwan-owned or managed by Taiwanese executives, making Greater China the most critical hub for packaging technology and a core driver of TESCAN’s APAC expansion.

Although Lee concedes that launching the Taiwan office in 2025 is “a beat late” and would have been better timed two years earlier, he believes conditions remain favorable. As client technologies mature and US-China chip tensions intensify, China’s localization drive makes this an opportune moment.

Following the acquisitions of TESCAN Korea and anti-vibration system maker Daeil Microanalysis Laboratory (DML), the company will open new subsidiaries in Taiwan and Singapore in 2025. Moving away from agent-based distribution marks a major step in strengthening brand visibility and service capabilities across the APAC semiconductor market.

In the past, Taiwan clients relied on local agents for sales and service, which created delays in communicating feedback to TESCAN’s R&D hub in the Czech Republic, slowing development and impeding local adaptation.

To avoid missing out on co-innovation opportunities, TESCAN opted to establish its subsidiaries, enabling technical teams to work directly with clients. This move shortens communication loops, accelerates market responsiveness, and enhances local support across key APAC markets—including Taiwan, China, South Korea, and Malaysia—while deepening regional collaboration.

 

Image – Sean Lee (L) and Robert Feng (R). Courtesy of: DIGITIMES.

 

For more information:
TESCAN
https://www.tescan.com/