B-MRS Newsletter: Year 12, issue 6

B-MRS Elections 2025

The process has begun, which will culminate in the election of our next Executive Board and the renewal of four members of our Deliberative Council. Members in good standing are eligible to run. Voting will take place through the B-MRS online member´s area from September 25th to October 20th of this year. Learn more.

Papers by the community

A team of researchers from UNESP, CBPF, UFABC, and HZB (Germany) used a material from the MXene class to optimize perovskite solar cells, whose performance is limited by the low stability of the perovskite materials that make up their main layer. By incorporating MXene as a perovskite additive, these scientists were able to produce solar cells with high efficiency (up to 22.84%) in converting sunlight into electricity, with good performance maintained for four times longer than devices without the additive. Incorporated early in the perovskite preparation process, the additive generated several effects that led to this positive result, such as mitigating defects that typically appear during perovskite formation. Go to the paper.

Researchers from UFPB, UFRN, and UERN have developed new catalysts capable of improving the efficiency of a reaction involved in water splitting—a process that can be used to generate green hydrogen. The team synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles and nanocomposites containing cobalt to synergistically harness the properties of both metals in order to increase the materials’ electrocatalytic activity. The nanostructures were obtained from MOFs—porous structures that combine metallic and organic elements. In tests, the new catalysts demonstrated good stability and high electrocatalytic performance. Go to the paper.

Researchers from IFUSP and UFMG, along with collaborators from England and Germany, discovered that barium bismuthate, whose atomic structure is well-ordered, conducts heat as poorly as glass, whose amorphous structure hinders the movement of heat carriers through the material. After performing thermal conductivity experiments that detected the phenomenon, the authors used computer simulations to try to explain it. The low thermal conductivity was explained by a combination of internal dynamic instabilities that hinder the mobility of phonons (vibrations of the atomic lattice that transport heat). The discovery opens up possibilities for the material’s application in thermal insulation and thermoelectric devices, for example. Go to the paper.

To share a prominent scientific article with significant participation of authors from B-MRS community, write to comunicacao@sbpmat.org.br.

Members news

Professor Valtencir Zucolotto (IFSC-USP), a B-MRS member, is the coordinator of a new research center dedicated to developing diagnostic systems and advanced therapies based on nanomedicine for use in cancer and rare diseases. Emerging from the work of the Nanomedicine and Nanotoxicology Group, led by Zucolotto, the center is now one of FINEP’s Thematic Centers and has initial funding of R$12 million, valid until 2028. The center will focus primarily on three research lines: theranostic nanomedicine (nanoparticles that detect and eliminate tumors), nanovaccines (which teach the immune system to recognize and attack tumor cells), and nanotoxicology (analysis of the risks and impacts of nanoparticles on the body and the environment, ensuring safety in clinical applications).

XXIII B-MRS Meeting
Salvador (BA), September 28 to October 2, 2025

Short courses. Each participant of the event can participate in a short course, at no extra cost, on September 28 (Sunday). There are 9 options on techniques for preparation and analysis of materials, technological entrepreneurship and scientific writing. The reservation of places is already open in the system and spots are limited. Learn more.

At-a-glance program. The general schedule of the event is available. See here.

Accommodation. The list of hotels in Salvador that offer special discounts for event participants can be found here.

Special sessions. The 7th Meeting of BRICS Working Group on Material Science and Nanotechnology will be held during the XXIII B-MRS Meeting. More information soon

Plenary lectures. Seven globally renowned scientists will deliver the plenary lectures of the event. See the names here.

Venue. The event will be held at the Salvador Convention Center, in the capital of Bahia. Learn more.

Chairs. Prof. Luiza Amim Mercante (UFBA) and Prof. Daniel Souza Corrêa (Embrapa Instrumentação) are the chairs of the event.

Exhibitors. 26 companies and startups have already confirmed their participation in our booth exhibition. See here.

Upcoming events

– XV Método Rietveld de Refinamento de Estrutura. Fortaleza (CE, Brazil). August 4 to 8, 2025. Site.

– Workshop sobre Espectroscopia de Fotoelétrons Excitados por Raios-X (WEFERX). São Pedro (SP, Brazil). September 1 to 5, 2025. Site.

– Symposium “Progress in understanding fundamental, functional material and health aspects of melanins, polydopamine and related polyindole quinone materials” at the E-MRS 2025 Fall Meeting. Warsaw (Poland). September 15 to 18, 2025. Site.

– XXIII B-MRS Meeting. Salvador (BA, Brazil). September 28 to October 2, 2025. Site.

– 11th International Symposium on Sensor Science (I3S 2025). Barcelona (Spain). November 17 to 19, 2025. Site.

– Brazilian Young Researchers in Soft Matter. Campinas (SP, Brazil). November 21, 2025. Site.

– Materials Research Meeting (MRS2025). Yokohama (Japan). December 8 to 13, 2025. Site.

– 19th International Conference on Advanced Materials (ICAM). Accra (Ghana). December 9 to 12, 2025. Site.

– 13th International Conference of the African Materials Research Society (AMRS 2026). Nairobi (Kenya). December 5 to 10, 2026. Site.

To publicize an event for our community, write to comunicacao@sbpmat.org.br.

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