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« Back to NewsMajor investment for next-generation battery research for heavy industries
10 July 2025
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has today announced a £41 million investment (matched with a further £56 million from businesses and academia) for twenty-three new Prosperity Partnerships to tackle key industry challenges. The University of Oxford, in partnership with Fortescue Zero, will lead one of these to develop safer, more reliable, high-performance batteries for industries such as mining, transport, and construction.
Oxford University researchers recognised in the 2025 Royal Society of Chemistry Prizes
25 June 2025
Two MPLS researchers have won 2025 Royal Society of Chemistry Prizes for their work on clean energy technologies, while an Oxford-led collaboration also received a Horizon Prize for sustainable chemical manufacturing.
New breakthrough enables precise activation of quantum features in diamond
16 June 2025
A new study led by researchers at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester has achieved a major advance in quantum materials, developing a method to precisely engineer single quantum defects in diamond – an essential step toward scalable quantum technologies.
New cutting-edge microscope to boost imaging capabilities
7 April 2025
The Department of Materials celebrates a new chapter in its microscopy facilities with the arrival of the JEOL GrandARM300F. The new instrument will support cutting-edge research across the University and play a role in teaching the next generation of microscopists.
New Oxford Advanced Materials Network launches
3 April 2025
Oxford Advanced Materials Network officially launched last week. The interdisciplinary hub brings together researchers, industry partners and policy makers to address the key challenges in developing critical, next-generation materials.
Oxford secures continued support for electron microscopy with JEOL gift
27 March 2025
The University of Oxford has strengthened its long-standing partnership with JEOL, a leading global manufacturer of scientific instruments, with a generous gift. This funding secures the JEOL Professorship of Electron Microscopy until 2030, ensuring the continued advancement of cutting-edge research in the field.
Professor Sir Peter Bruce Elected to the Prestigious Leopoldina, German National Academy of Sciences
19 February 2025
Professor Sir Peter Bruce has been elected a member of the Leopoldina, the German National Academy of Sciences. This honour recognises Professor Bruce's exceptional contributions to scientific research and his esteemed stature within the international scientific community.
In The Conversation: New solar cells break efficiency record
30 September 2024
New solar cells are breaking efficiency record – and could eventually supercharge how we get energy from the Sun writes Professor Sebastian Bonilla from the Department of Materials.
SCGC-FIRST Round Two Launched to Accelerate Sustainable Innovations in the Chemicals Industry
9 September 2024
The University of Oxford and SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited (SCGC) are excited to announce round two of the SCGC-FIRST (Fund for Innovation and Research in Sustainability and Technology). This initiative aims to propel cutting-edge research and innovations from Oxford’s laboratories into practical, sustainable solutions for the global chemicals industry.
New ‘game-changing’ discovery for light-driven artificial intelligence
2 August 2024
Researchers from the Department of Materials, along with collaborators from Muenster, Heidelberg, and Ghent show that replacing lasers with less complex light sources can surprisingly boost performance in some optical applications, such as light-driven AI technologies.
Professor Sir Peter Bruce awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Aberdeen
27 June 2024
Professor Bruce from the Department of Materials has been recognised with a Doctor of Science (DSc) for his ‘visionary work and leadership in battery technology and sustainable energy.’
Recipients of the inaugural SCGC–FIRST awards announced
27 March 2024
SCGC-FIRST is a major new award scheme to develop novel ideas and nascent research from Oxford’s laboratories into environmental sustainability solutions for the global chemicals industry. The four chosen projects exemplify innovation and promise to accelerate sustainable technology development.
Boost to doctoral training will support leading research in areas of national importance
12 March 2024
The UK’s biggest-ever investment in engineering and physical sciences doctoral skills, totalling more than £1 billion nationwide, has been announced today by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. It includes funding for over 300 fully-funded DPhil studentships at Oxford in strategic research areas.
Innovative technique reveals that leaping atoms remember where they have been
15 February 2024
Researchers have used a new technique to measure the movement of charged particles (ions) on the fastest ever timescale, revealing new insights into fundamental transport processes. These include the first demonstration that the flow of atoms or ions possesses a ‘memory.’ The results have been published in the journal Nature.
University and SCG Chemicals launch £1m SCGC-FIRST fund to accelerate sustainable technology development in the chemicals industry
10 November 2023
SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited (SCGC), part of the Siam Cement Group (SCG) and one of the largest integrated chemical companies in Asia, has agreed a major new award scheme to develop novel ideas and nascent research from Oxford’s laboratories into environmental sustainability solutions for the global chemicals industry.
From square to cube: Hardware processing for AI goes 3D, boosting processing power
20 October 2023
In a paper published today in Nature Photonics, researchers from the University of Oxford, along with collaborators from the Universities of Muenster, Heidelberg, and Exeter, report on their development of integrated photonic-electronic hardware capable of processing three-dimensional (3D) data, substantially boosting data processing parallelism for AI tasks.
From The Conversation: How sodium-ion batteries could make electric cars cheaper
11 October 2023
Robert House, Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow in the Department of Materials, discusses how shifting from lithium to sodium-ion batteries could reduce dependence on critical minerals and yield cheaper battery packs.
Professor Harish Bhaskaran elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Engineering
20 September 2023
Professor Bhaskaran (Department of Materials) was elected because of his exceptional contribution to the field of applied nanomaterials and advanced nanoscale engineering.
Major boost for Oxford University's battery research
19 September 2023
Two MPLS projects have received a major funding boost from the Faraday Institution, the UK’s flagship institute for electrochemical energy storage research. The funding is part of a £19 million investment to support key battery research projects that have the potential to deliver significant beneficial impact for the UK.