B-MRS Newsletter: Year 12, issue 5

 

 

cabeçalho

 

Year 12, issue 5. July 1st, 2025.

Papers by the community

 

1

 

Researchers from CNPEM, in partnership with UFABC, have developed a sustainable material that can be used to package delicate electronic components, such as chips and transistors, protecting them from damage caused by electrostatic discharges. The new material (a cryogel) also hinders the spread of flames and was developed using cellulose and carbon black – materials that can be prepared from agro-industrial waste. The invention, which can replace current antistatic packaging based on petroleum-derived plastics, has been the subject of a patent application. The article reporting the study was featured on the cover of Advanced Sustainable Systems. Go to the paper.

 

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An article featured on ACS Nano´s cover presents an overview of the development and application of oncology nanovaccines. The review was entirely produced by researchers from IFSC-USP. These vaccines are based on nanoparticles that transport tumor antigens and immunological adjuvants directly to the body’s defense cells to teach the immune system to recognize tumor cells and activate a long-lasting response against cancer. Nanoparticles can be designed to fulfill several functions in this process, from protecting the vaccine components and releasing them in a controlled manner, to modulating the desired immune response in order to respond precisely to the type of cancer, stage of the disease and patient profile. Go to the paper.

 

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Researchers from Unesp, UFABC and CNPEM have developed a nanomaterial with increased capacity for detecting ethyl acetate (a volatile compound naturally produced by bacteria and fungi, the detection of which is important, for example, to ensure the quality of some foods). The new sensor is made up of nanorods of indium oxide, a semiconductor characterized by its strong interaction with gaseous molecules. To boost the sensor, the scientific team developed a method that additions two phases of indium oxide: the cubic and the rhombohedral one. The combination of the phases generated a synergistic effect, in which the defects in the material increased its reactivity towards ethyl acetate, improving the performance of the device. The article was featured on the cover of ACS Applied Nano Materials. Go to the paper.

 

4

 

Researchers from institutions in Minas Gerais and São Paulo have teamed up to understand phenomena that impair the performance of solar cells and LEDs based on mixed halide perovskites. These materials are low-cost and highly efficient at converting sunlight into electricity. However, they are not able to maintain their properties over time. In this new research, the scientific team used a combination of experimental and computational techniques to study films formed by mixed halide perovskite nanocrystals. The authors were able to understand in detail the migration of halides that occurs in these materials, causing changes in their structure and instabilities in their performance. 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.

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

 

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Record number of registered participants: more than 2,600!

Important dates. Early bird registration is open until August 11th, with discounts of up to 33%. Please note that payment of the registration fee is required in order to reserve your spot on a short course. Find out more about registration fees.

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.

Student Awards. Works approved for oral or poster presentation by undergraduate, master’s or doctoral students are eligible to compete for the Bernhard Gross Awards and ACS and RSC Prizes. To participate, it is necessary to submit an extended abstract by July 15th. Learn more.

Early Career Woman Scientist Prize. Women who have defended their doctorate between 2016 and 2025 and whose work has been approved for oral presentation at the event can compete for this award by submitting an extended abstract by July 15. Learn more.

Science Popularization Award. All event participants who have abstracts approved for presentation can compete for this new award by creating a short, original video that explains their research topic to a lay audience. The video must be submitted by July 30. 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. The names of the renowned scientists who will deliver the seven plenary lectures of the event have already been confirmed. See 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

– 14th International Symposium on Polyelectrolytes (ISP 2025). Campinas (SP, Brazil). July 13 to 18, 2025. Site.

– 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.

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

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B-MRS Newsletter: Year 12, issue 4

 

 

cabeçalho

Year 12, issue 4. June 2nd, 2025.

Papers by the community

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In an article highlighted by Nano Letters on the cover of its 25th anniversary issue, a team from UFSCar and CNPEM introduced the concept of Mem-Emitter. The term refers to an optical memory based on the synergy between two properties of some materials: the ability to “remember” past activities and the ability to emit light. In this pioneering article, the authors demonstrate the operation of a Mem-Emitter formed by ultrathin heterostructures based on transition metal dichalcogenides. The technology could enable innovative applications in neuromorphic computing, photonic networks, adaptive sensors and optical communication. Go to the paper.

2

A gas sensor that solves a problem of power grid transformers was developed by a team from CTI Renato Archer, Unicamp, Unesp and the energy company CPFL. Through nanoengineering work, the researchers created a filter to remove contaminants in the sensor, which allowed them to measure the presence of hydrogen gas in mineral oil, in real time and with extremely high sensitivity. The device enables early detection of serious failures in transformers. The work opens up possibilities for developing sensors immersed in oil for industrial processes and critical systems. Go to the paper.

3

A new glow-in-the-dark liquid has been featured on the front cover of Chemistry – A European Journal. It is an organic material with low toxicity and flammability that can be used in OLEDs and other organic electronic devices as a light emitter. This is the first example in the scientific literature of a liquid that exhibits delayed fluorescence in blue and phosphorescence at room temperature in orange. The study was conducted by scientists from UFSC, USP and institutions in France and the United Kingdom. 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.

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

1

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.

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 places are limited. Learn more.

Important dates for authors. Notifications of approval, modification or rejection of abstracts will be sent by June 6th. Authors may submit corrected abstracts, if necessary, until June 17th. Final notification of approval of the works will be sent by June 30th.

Awards. The deadline for submitting extended abstracts to compete for the awards for students and early career women is July 15th. To participate, the work must have been accepted for presentation at the event. Learn more.

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. The names of the renowned scientists who will deliver the seven plenary lectures of the event have already been confirmed. See here.

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

News from our members

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Prof. Elson Longo da Silva, founding member and former president of B-MRS, is ranked first in Brazil in the field of Chemistry according to his scientific productivity and impact. Prepared by the international platform Research.com, this ranking is based on the D index, which considers the number of publications and citations of a researcher in a given discipline. With 1,333 publications and 51,451 citations collected in November of last year, Longo has a D index of 122. Elson Longo is Professor Emeritus at UFSCar, director of the Center for Development of Functional Materials and Professor Honoris Causa at UFPB. His long scientific career is marked by very high productivity and by training of human resources impacting academia and industry.

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Prof. Monica Alonso Cotta, member, former scientific director and former president of B-MRS, was approved as the Provost of Undergraduate Studies at Unicamp for the period 2025 – 2029. A tireless advocate for women’s participation in science, Monica was the first woman to hold the presidency of B-MRS and the directorship of the Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics (IFGW) at Unicamp. Now, she joins the group of five provosts of her university, four of whom are women. Cotta has a distinguished role as a scientific manager at national and international levels. She is currently the coordinator of the Physics and Astronomy Advisory Committee of CNPq, executive editor of the journal ACS Applied Nano Materials, member of the International Scientific Advisory Board of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (Canada) and honorary advisor of the international VinFuture Prize (Vietnam).

Opportunities

– Postdoctoral fellow at UFABC in a project involving nanoparticles combined with gaseous transmitters for biomedical and agricultural applications with a 24-month scholarship from FAPESP. Applications open until June 3. Learn more.

– The submission of scientific articles for a special issue on functional materials for a sustainable world in the journal Sustainable Chemistry One World (Elsevier) is now open. The guest editor of the issue is Ieda Maria Garcia dos Santos (UFPB), a member of B-MRS. There is no cost for publication. Submissions are open until August 31, 2025. Learn more.

To follow all opportunities in real time, enter our Linkedin group.

To publicize an opportunity, write to comunicacao@sbpmat.org.br.

Upcoming events

– 21st International Conference on Diffusion in Solids and Liquids (DSL2025). Naples (Italy). June 23 to 27, 2025. Site.

– 14th International Symposium on Polyelectrolytes (ISP 2025). Campinas (SP, Brazil). July 13 to 18, 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.

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

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Postdoctoral Fellowship

Field of Knowledge: Chemistry and Biology
FAPESP Process No.: 2024/12112-2 https://fapesp.br/en: Development and Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Potential of Gasotransmitter-Releasing Nanoparticles
Area of Focus: Chemistry, Nanomaterials
Number of Positions: 1
Principal Investigator: Prof. Amedea Barozzi Seabra (http://lattes.cnpq.br/4549950625515088)
Institution: Center for Natural and Human Sciences (CCNH), Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André, SP (https://www.ufabc.edu.br/en/)
Application Deadline: June 3, 2025
Location: Federal University of ABC, Santo André Campus, Avenida dos Estados 5001, Santa Terezinha, Santo André, SP
Application Email: amedea.seabra@ufabc.edu.br

Summary of the Post Doc Position (granted by Fapesp)

An opportunity for a Postdoctoral Fellowship is available in the Research Group on Nitric Oxide (NO)-Releasing Nano/Biomaterials at the Center for Natural and Human Sciences (CCNH) of UFABC, under the supervision of Prof. Amedea B. Seabra. The project is linked to the FAPESP Regular Project: “Nanoparticles Combined with Gasotransmitters for Biomedical and Agricultural Applications.” The objective is to develop synthesis strategies and characterize polymer nanoparticles labeled with fluorophores and loaded with NO or H2S donors, as well as to evaluate the cytotoxic profile of the obtained nanomaterials.

Required expertise includes knowledge of nitric oxide chemistry and biochemistry, synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, quantification of nitric oxide in biological systems, cell biology, in vitro cytotoxicity assays, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, among others.

The project is set to begin in July 2025, lasting for 24 months. Candidates must have an excellent scientific and technological track record, international experience, and solid knowledge of Chemistry, Biology, and Nanomaterials. A background in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering is desirable.

Interested applicants should email a motivation letter, two recommendation letters, a link to their Lattes CV or your CV, and graduate academic transcripts to Prof. Amedea B. Seabra (amedea.seabra@ufabc.edu.br).

B-MRS Newsletter: Year 12, issue 3

 

 

 

cabeçalho

 

Year 12, issue 3. May 2nd, 2025.

Papers by the community

 

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A team of researchers from Brazilian institutions UFMG, UEMG, CEFET-MG and UFV produced a highly porous carbon material and applied it to the cathode of a lithium-sulfur battery, a promising technology for electric vehicles that stands out for being more sustainable than the lithium-ion technology that currently predominates. The new material was able to store sulfur atoms in its nanometric pores and to improve the cathode’s performance with its good electrical conductivity. Furthermore, because it is produced with tannin and environmentally friendly processes, it maintains the battery’s sustainability standard. Go to the paper.

 

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Researchers from Brazilian institutions CNPEM and UNESP have taken advantage of the properties of synthetic melanin to develop more efficient and sustainable neuromorphic devices, which are those that mimic the functioning of our brain. The authors mixed synthetic melanin, which is biodegradable and processable in environmentally friendly solvents, with a conductive polymer that is normally used in these devices. With this material, they assembled organic electrochemical transistors capable of emulating neural synapses. Go to the paper.

 

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In another study on sustainable neuromorphic devices, a scientific team from UNESP (Brazil) and UNINOVA (Portugal) developed a transistor using a wood sheet, a printed carbon electrode, zinc oxide nanoparticles and a honey electrolyte. The low-cost device performed well in emulating brain synapses. The study was featured on the front cover of the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems. 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.

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

 

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Historic record of submissions: more than 2,600 abstracts received!

Important dates for authors. Notifications of approval, modification or rejection of abstracts will be sent by June 6th. Authors may submit corrected abstracts, if necessary, until June 17th. Final notification of approval of the work will be sent by June 30th.

Auxílio Fapesp. The form to participate in the collective request for support from the São Paulo Research Foundation is open until May 23. Authors of submitted works who have an employment relationship with a research institution in the state of São Paulo may participate in the request. Learn more.

Awards. The deadline for submitting extended abstracts to compete for the awards for students and early career woman is July 15th. To participate, the work must have been accepted for presentation at the event.

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.

Symposia. 22 thematic symposia covering all areas of Materials research make up this year’s event. See the list here.

Plenary lectures. The names of the renowned scientists who will deliver the seven plenary lectures of the event have already been confirmed. See here.

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

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

Exhibitors. 24 companies and startups have already confirmed their participation in our booth exhibition. See here.

Opportunities

– FAPESP and M-ERA .NET launche call for funding for ambitious transnational R&D projects in the area of ​​materials. Submission of pre-proposals is open until May 13. Learn more.

– The Journal of Materials Research (Springer) is accepting articles for a special issue on nanomaterials for biomedicine and biomedical engineering. The issue has three editors from Brazil, including B-MRS member Mariana Amorim Fraga, a professor at Mackenzie. Submissions are open until May 15. Learn more.

– The submission of scientific articles for a special issue on functional materials for a sustainable world in the journal Sustainable Chemistry One World (Elsevier) is now open. The guest editor of the issue is Ieda Maria Garcia dos Santos (UFPB), a member of B-MRS. There is no cost for publication. Submissions are open until August 31, 2025. Learn more.

To follow opportunities in real time, enter our LinkedIn group.

To publicize an opportunity, write to comunicacao@sbpmat.org.br.

Upcoming events

– I Simpósio Nacional de Mulheres na Nanociência. Juiz de Fora (MG, Brazil). June 3 to 6, 2025. Site.

– 21st International Conference on Diffusion in Solids and Liquids (DSL2025). Naples (Italy). June 23 to 27, 2025. Site.

– 14th International Symposium on Polyelectrolytes (ISP 2025). Campinas (SP, Brazil). July 13 to 18, 2025. Site.

– Simposium “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.

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

Follow us on social media

B-MRS Newsletter: Year 12, issue 2

 

 

cabeçalho

 

Year 12, issue 2. April 2nd, 2025.

Papers by the community

 

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Scientists from PUC-Rio, UFMG and CBPF, in collaboration with a researcher from ITS SASA (Serbia), have unraveled the relationship between structural defects and optoelectronic properties in semiconductor nanoparticles that are promising for use in batteries and catalysts. The authors studied “F-type color centers”, defects in the crystal structure that alter the optical properties of materials, often leading to distinct colors. The authors demonstrated how the heat treatment conditions of the material influence the quantity and type of the “F-type color centers” formed. Go to the paper.

 

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A team from UFPR, UnB and UFRJ has conducted a theoretical study that could help improve the efficiency of organic solar cells and LEDs. The authors studied fundamental phenomena that occur in “non-fullerene acceptors” – carbon-based semiconductor molecules that are used to accept and transport electrons in organic optoelectronic devices. In 10 different molecules, the team investigated “intersystem crossing”, which occurs when a molecule changes from one type of spin state to another, affecting the performance of the devices. Go to the paper.

To share a prominent scientific article with significant participation of authors from Brazilian institutions, write to comunicacao@sbpmat.org.br.

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

 

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Submissions. Abstract submission deadline has been extended until April 14th! All guidelines for preparing and submitting abstracts are available here.

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

Symposia. 22 thematic symposia covering all areas of Materials research make up this year’s event. See the list here.

Plenary lectures. The names of the renowned scientists who will deliver the seven plenary lectures of the event have already been confirmed. See the list.

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

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

Exhibitors. 22 companies and startups have already confirmed their participation in our booth exhibition. See here. Organizations interested in the exhibition and other forms of sponsorship can contact comercial@sbpmat.org.br.

News from our members

 

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Professor Priscila Alessio (Unesp – Presidente Prudente) is on the list of 19 early-career researchers chosen from among 300 candidates worldwide by the journal ACS Materials Au as “Rising Stars in Materials Science 2024”. The selected scientists are featured in a special issue, which brings together articles published by them over the past year, as well as an editorial containing their mini-bios and photos. Our member was highlighted for being the corresponding author of the perspective article “Nanostructured thin films enhancing the performance of new organic electronic devices: Does it make sense?”.

Note of condolence

It was with deep sadness that we received, on March 23, the news of the death of Marcia Liliane Santos Bicalho, who was the B-MRS Secretary from the beginning of the society until 2023. Now, we remember with great affection and gratitude Marcia’s contributions to B-MRS and offer our condolences to her family and friends.

Opportunities

– The Journal of Materials Research (Springer) is accepting articles for a special issue on nanomaterials for biomedicine and biomedical engineering. The issue has three editors from Brazil, including B-MRS member Mariana Amorim Fraga, a professor at Mackenzie. Submissions are open until May 15. Learn more.

– Call for scientific papers for a special issue on MXenes and their sustainable applications, in the journal Surface and Coatings Technology. The issue has Carlos A. Figueroa (UCS), a B-MRS member, as guest editor. To publish the article, the issue follows the journal’s options for free or “gold open access” publication. Submission open until April 30, 2025. Learn more.

– The submission of scientific articles for a special issue on functional materials for a sustainable world in the journal Sustainable Chemistry One World (Elsevier) is now open. The guest editor of the issue is Ieda Maria Garcia dos Santos (UFPB), a member of B-MRS. There is no cost for publication. Submissions are open until August 31, 2025. Learn more.

To follow opportunities in real time, enter our group at Linkedin.

To publicize an opportunity, write to comunicacao@sbpmat.org.br.

Upcoming events

– I Simpósio Nacional de Mulheres na Nanociência. Juiz de Fora (MG, Brazil). June 3 to 6, 2025. Site.

– 21st International Conference on Diffusion in Solids and Liquids (DSL2025). Naples (Italy). June 23 to 27, 2025. Site.

– 14th International Symposium on Polyelectrolytes (ISP 2025). Campinas (SP, Brazil). July, 13 to 18, 2025. Site.

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

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

Follow us on social media

Marcia Bicalho: note of condolence

It was with deep sadness that we received the news yesterday of the death of Marcia Liliane Santos Bicalho, who was secretary of B-MRS from the beginning of the society until 2023. At this time, we remember with great affection and gratitude Marcia’s contributions to B-MRS and offer our condolences to her family and friends.

Board of Directors