Prof.dr.ir. Joris Sprakel is appointed professor of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter at Wageningen University and Research.

All 4TU researchers in the broad field of materials science who are seeking ways to collaborate can apply for 4TU.HTM funding for Joint Materials Science Activities. In 2019-2021 4TU.HTM has a budget of k€ 25 per year for joint initiatives.

Also check Twitter for news, vacancies, events and activities related to materials science within the 4TU (TU Delft, UTwente, TU/e & WUR).

On February 1, 2018 prof.dr.ir. Ilja Voets was appointed full-time professor in the field of Self-Organizing Soft Matter at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry of Eindhoven University of Technology. She is giving her inaugural lecture on October 25, 2019, in the Blauwe Zaal of the Auditorium (TU/e), at 4 PM.

Volume (3) of the digital magazine Innovative Materials (3, 2019) features an article by dr. Maciek Kopeć (University of Twente, currently University of Bath), in cooperation with prof. Julius Vancso (UT) and prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski (Carnegie Mellon University). The Dutch version has been written in cooperation with Mark Beerstra and dr. Joost Duvigneau from the research group Materials Science and Technology of Polymers (UT).

'Control of Molecular Structure and Function for Designer Polymers' (Pdf) by Maciek Kopeć (UT). [Innovative Materials, 2019, 3, pp. 24-28]

Starting 1 March 2019, Joris Sprakel has been appointed professor Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter at Wageningen UR.

On Wednesday 17 April 2019, Arjan Mol, professor Corrosion Technology and Electrochemistry at the department Materials Science and Engineering, 3mE, Delft University of Technology, gave his inaugural speech.

At the Universiteit van Nederland you can watch - in Dutch - five online classes on smart materials by materials scientists at Delft University of Technology and Eindhoven University of Technology.

The new 4TU.HTM web application hightechmaterials.4tu.nl makes it easy to find materials scientists and research groups within 4TU: the University of Twente, Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology and Wageningen UR. 

On Monday 17 December 2018, Jun Wu of the department of Materials Science and Engineering (TU Delft) defended his PhD thesis in Delft. After the successful defence he was awarded two doctoral diplomas: one of Delft University of Technology, handed over by prof.dr.ir. Jilt Sietsma, his promotor in Delft, and one of Ghent University, handed over by prof.dr.ir. Roumen Petrov, his promotor in Ghent. Earlier, on 7 November 2018, Jun Wu had defended his PhD thesis in a closed session in Ghent, according to the Ghent regulations.

Prof. Sybrand van der Zwaag (TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering, Aerospace Structures and Materials, Novel Aerospace Materials) has received the prestigious golden Grande Médaille awarded by the French Materials Society SF2M (French Society of Metallurgy and Materials) for his entire body of research work. In the 70-year history of the prize, Van der Zwaag will be the first Dutch scientist who the medal will be bestowed upon. This international prize – the highest conferred by this scientific association - is granted annually. Previous winners are famous metallurgists such as Bain, Mott, Haasen, Pineau, Rappaz and Purdy.

The 4TU.HTM annual symposium took place in Utrecht (Jaarbeurs, Beatrix building) on Friday 12 October 2018. Here you can find pictures and Pdf files of posters and presentations.

Full programme: Dutch Materials 2018 (Pdf file)

Materials Engineering for Stability Improvement of Perovskite Solar Cells 
Monday October 8th, 10.00 - 10.45 hours.

Everything indicates that technology based on 'quantum' will change society radically in the near future, for example via ultra-fast computers, a 'quantum internet' or by developing new medicines much more quickly. The Center for Quantum Materials and Technology Eindhoven (QT/e) will develop the technology for this so-called 'second quantum revolution'. In this centre, TU Eindhoven combines its world-leading expertise in the field of quantum materials and technology to optimize collaboration between research and industry.

In the first week of May 2018, prof.dr. James De Yoreo, has visited TU/e, UTwente and TU Delft. He was hosted by prof.dr. Nico Sommerdijk, chair of the Materials and Interface group of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at Eindhoven University of Technology. De Yoreo is affiliate professor Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Washington and involved in the 4TU.HTM research project 'Understanding structure formation in hierarchical hybrid materials through in situ liquid phase microscopies (TU/e)' lead by Nico Sommerdijk and performed by dr. Mohammad Moradi. This research project is part of the 4TU.HTM research programme 'New Horizons in Designer Materials'. 

As a part of his visit, James De Yoreo has been giving lectures at Eindhoven University of Technology (Thursday 3 May 2018), University of Twente (Monday 30 April) and Delft University of Technology (Tuesday 1 May 2018). 

Title and abstract of the lecture can be read below. Also a short biography of De Yoreo can be found below. 

On Friday April 6th 2018, prof.dr. Kees Storm will give his inaugural speech at Eindhoven University of Technology (16.00 hrs).

The 4TU.Centre for Research Data announces its report on research data management within the 4TU.Research Centres.

At the department of Materials Science and Engineering of the Faculty of 3mE, Delft University of Technology, dr. Maria Santofimia is appointed full professor Physical Metallurgy per 14 November 2017. 

On Monday 4 December 2017, the Institute of Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, hosted prof. Peter Pallfy-Muhoray from the Liquid Crystal Institute of Kent State University. He gave an ICMS lecture entitled Density Functional Theory for Nematics at High Densities.  

This is a report of the third 4TU.HTM annual Symposium 'Dutch Materials' with pictures and Pdf files of posters and presentations.

Prof.dr. Kees Storm has been appointed as full-time professor in Theoretical Biophysics and group leader within the group Theory of Polymers and Soft Matter (TPS) of the department Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology as of October 1st 2017.

Prof.dr.ir. Arjan Mol has been appointed as full professor Corrosion Technology and Electrochemistry at the department of Materials Science and Engineering of the Faculty of 3mE, Delft University of Technology. 

Nathalie Katsonis, appointed Professor of Bio-inspired and Smart Materials at the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, will be giving her inaugural lecture at 30 November 2017.

Utrecht, 7-9 February 2018 (Registration is open!) 

At this year's annual symposium Dutch Materials 2017 4TU.HTM has launched a new web application which makes it easy to find materials scientists and research groups within 4TU: the University of Twente, Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology and Wageningen UR. 

On 10 October 2017 TU Delft’s executive board has decided to appoint Amir Zadpoor Antoni van Leeuwenhoek full professor. Amir Zadpoor is chair of Biomaterials & Tissue Biomechanics at the Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology. 

Prof. Herman Terryn will receive the H.H. Ulhig corrosion award for his research of the prevention of corrosion of metals. He will receive the award at the conference of the Electrochemical Society in National Harbor (Washingthon),on 3 October 2017. 

Tom de Geus, who gained his PhD cum laude at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Eindhoven University of Technology last year, will be awarded the Martinus van Marum Award for Engineering.

Sieb Radelaar was een natuurkundige die in de afgelopen 40 jaar heel grote invloed heeft gehad op de uitoefening van het vakgebied materiaalkunde in Nederland. Hij werd in 1979 benoemd tot hoogleraar Fysische Chemie aan de afdeling Materiaalkunde van de TU Delft, als een van de opvolgers van prof. Burgers. Sieb Radelaar was zowel een uitstekend docent en wetenschapper als een bestuurder met visie. In zijn onderwijs en onderzoek bij de afdeling bleek zijn grote passie voor het vakgebied, maar bracht hij ook zijn visie op het toepassen van materiaalkundige kennis over op studenten. Die visie heeft hij kunnen realiseren in zijn werk als hoogleraar en, later, in het bedrijfsleven. Steeds bleef de combinatie van academische kennis en industriële toepasbaarheid een drijfveer in zijn werk en een inspiratie voor zijn studenten en medewerkers.

In 1998 stond Radelaar aan de basis van het technologisch topinstituut Netherlands Institute for Metals Research (NIMR), een structurele samenwerking tussen industrie, overheid en universiteiten om industrieel toepasbaar fundamenteel onderzoek uit te voeren aan de Nederlandse universiteiten. Als eerste directeur van NIMR, tot 2004, bracht hij industriële en academische onderzoekers tot een hechte samenwerking, die geïnstitutionaliseerd werd in de werkwijze van NIMR en een grote stap voorwaarts bleek voor het metaalkundige onderzoek. Met zijn overtuigende en inspirerende manier van leiding geven en zijn inhoudelijke inzicht en kennis creëerde hij een netwerk van samenwerking en persoonlijke relaties binnen materiaalkundig Nederland, dat nu nog steeds de basis is voor de werking van het Materials innovation institute M2i, de opvolger van NIMR.

Sieb Radelaar, sinds 1987 lid van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Academie van Wetenschappen, heeft zijn visie voor heel materiaalkundig Nederland kunnen realiseren en daarmee een basis gelegd voor de vruchtbare samenwerking die ook nu nog bijdraagt aan de innovatieve kracht van de Nederlandse materiaalkunde.

Professor Julius Vancso (University of Twente) has been appointed as Consulting Professor at Donghua University in Shanghai. He recently gave his inaugural lecture, entitled ‘Polymer-surface interactions from the molecular perspective by AFM force spectroscopy’.

Julius Vancso is Professor of Material Science and Technology of Polymers at the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology at the University of Twente and has been attached to the UT since 1994. His appointment further strengthens the UT’s position in the international network in the field of smart materials.

Prof.dr. C.P. Wong gave a guest lecture at the ECTM 2017 Spring Event, 18 April. This event combined the IEEE Benelux Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology Society (CPMT) technical seminar with a special 4TU.HTM symposium on nanomaterials.

In January 2017, physicist Prof. Ekkes Brück of TU Delft will receive the FOM Valorisation Prize 2016 from the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM). The professor will receive the sum of € 250,000 ‘for his persistent efforts in valorising the fundamental knowledge and expertise arising from his research in the area of energy materials’.

The FOM Valorisation Prize will be awarded on 17 January 2017 at the annual national physics congress Physics@Veldhoven.

Professor Sybrand van der Zwaag was informed that the Rector Magnificus of Mons University, Belgium has decided to award him an Honorary Doctorate for his work on self-healing materials at TU Delft. Van der Zwaag: ‘I am very proud of this international and academic sign of recognition of the inspiring work we do in the Novel Aerospace Materials group, in the Delft Centre for Materials and in partnership with our international colleagues.’ The degree will be awarded on 31 March 2017 in Mons, Belgium.

(Source: Newsletter Aerospace Engineering, December 2016)

On Tuesday 29 November 2016, Peter van Liempt will defend his thesis at Delft University of Technology.

This is a report of the second 4TU.HTM annual Symposium 'Dutch Materials' with pictures and Pdf files of posters and presentations.

At the department of Materials Science and Engineering of the Faculty of 3mE dr.ir. Lucia Nicola has been appointed as full professor Computational Materials Science (as from 1 October 2016 onwards).

In 2004 Nicola obtained her doctorate in Mathematics and Physics at University of Groningen. Since 2006 she works at at the Delft University of Technology, first as Assistant Professor, later as Associate Professor at the department of Materials Science and Engineering.In 2015 Lucia Nicola was awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant for research to attain an unprecedented understanding of metal friction and lubrication by accounting, for the first time, for all relevant phenomena occurring from the atomic to the macro-scale, and their interplay.

On 23 September 2016, Inês Carvalho defended her thesis 'Steels for fusion reactors: Eurofer97' at Delft University of Technology.

Prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, the internationally recognized polymer expert from Carnegie Mellon University and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Twente within the 4TU.HTM research program was visiting TU Delft on Wednesday 6 July 2016.

He gave a lecture on Macromolecular Engineering by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (Pdf file)

'Je moet het spul wel kunnen maken' (Pdf, 7 MB)
Binnen de polymeerchemie geldt Krzysztof Matyjaszewski als belangrijke kanshebber op een Nobelprijs. De komende jaren spijkert hij de 3TU-federatie van technische universiteiten bij. ‘Zonder fundamenteel werk kun je nooit grote stappen vooruit zetten.’
(C2W, Arjen Dijkgraaf, 9 May 2016) |

Prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski (Carnegie Mellon University) is the international expert within the 4TU.HTM research project 'From Flatland to Spaceland' (project leaders: prof. Julius Vancso (UT) and prof. Bert de With (TU/e)). For that reason he was visiting the Netherlands in February 2016. He has been giving lectures at the University of Twente and at Eindhoven University of Technology.

Remco Tuinier was appointed professor Physical Chemistry at the Department of Chemical Engineering of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). He held his inaugural lecture on Friday June 3, 2016.

The text of this lecture is available now (in Duch and in English):

Over de Fysische Chemie: Onderwijs, Onderzoek en Overheid (Pdf file)

On Friday 17 June 2016, Kaspar Jansen, professor Emerging Materials, will give his inaugural lecture 'Materials that Move'. This lecture is part of the symposium Future Materials organized by the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.

Time: 15.00 hours
Place: Aula, TU Delft

The Future Materials symposium features lectures by Ena Voûte, Erik Tempelman, Roberto Verganti, Pim Groen and Eric Biermann, live material demonstrations and poster exhibtions.

Time: 12.00 - 18.00 hours (including lunch, symposium, inaugural lecture, reception and exhibition)
Place: Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering and Aula, TU Delft

Remco Tuinier (1971) studeerde Levensmiddelentechnologie aan de Universiteit Wageningen en promoveerde op fysisch-chemische eigenschappen van polysachariden en eiwitten bij NIZO Food Research en de Universiteit Wageningen in 1999. Hiervoor ontving hij de International Food Ingredient Award in Parijs. Vervolgens werkte hij aan de Universiteit Utrecht als postdoc aan theorie voor depletie-interactie tussen colloïdale deeltjes ten gevolge van niet-adsorberende polymeren.

The University of Twente’s Professor Ton van den Boogaard has been appointed president of ESAFORM, the leading European Scientific Association for Material Forming. He took up this post during ESAFORM’s annual specialist conference in the French city of Nantes.

The 4TU research centre High-Tech Materials participated in Materials 2016, the trade fair and conference in Veldhoven, 20-21 April 2016. At this event professionals who are involved in studying, choosing, applying, processing and finishing materials, had the change to meet, to talk, to network, and to learn.

4TU.HTM was an exhibitor at stand #53 with the following materials:

On Friday 22 April 2016 the Mini-symposium on Bioinspired Materials takes place at Eindhoven University of Technology.

Speakers at this symposium are:

On Thursday November 26, 2015, prof.dr.ir. Ton van den Boogaard gave his inaugural lecture at the University of Twente. He holds the chair of Nonlinear Solid Mechanics.

The (Dutch) text of this lecture can be found online:

In the Beatrix building of Jaarbeurs Utrecht the High-Tech Materials community of the - then - three Dutch universities of technology (3TU until May 2016) was represented by about 50 colleagues in materials science and engineering. Jilt Sietsma, Scientific Director of 4TU.HTM, welcomed them all presenting (Pdf file, 1MB) the goals and ambitions of the research centre.

Biggest aim of 4TU.HTM is to collaborate! A survey of key words characterising the type of work scientists within 4TU.HTM do, shows that they all work on materials. Zooming in it reveals that there are a lot of categories in which the researchers from the three TU's find each other. This provides a lot of opportunities for the activities of 4TU.HTM.

A key note lecture - Mechanisms of toughening of soft polymeric materials: some recent advances - was held by dr. Costantino Creton. He is a CNRS Research Director within the Soft Matter Science and Engineering Labatory of the ESPCI ParisTech. He also is a scientific chairman of the Performance Polymers technology area of the Dutch Polymer Institute. Moreover, he will be involved within the 4TU.HTM research programme project proposed by dr. Kees Storm and dr. Wouter Ellenbroek, performing the role of international expert.

The 4TU Research Centre High-Tech Materials, a concerted effort by Delft and Eindhoven Universities of Technology, the University of Twente and Wageningen University, provides an impulse to the design of new materials. With the selection of six research proposals it will stimulate the development of new knowledge on materials in high-quality academic research.

Just like other 4TU Research Centres, 4TU.HTM received funding from the 4TU Federation to launch a new research programme*: “New Horizons in designer materials”. In July 2015, six research projects have been selected to act as nuclei for new academic research groups in the Netherlands for the design and development of future materials. The projects are scientifically fundamental and highly innovative. For each project an excellent postdoctoral researcher with the ambition and the potential for a tenured academic career in the Netherlands will be recruited. Each of these post-docs will be working in close collaboration with internationally renowned experts in the field of materials science.