The development of new advanced materials requires a radical acceleration in the way technological solutions are discovered, synthesized and validated. In this context, CIC energiGUNE, the Basque benchmark centre in energy storage and conversion, is promoting the development of MAITENA (Materials Acceleration and Innovation plaTform for ENergy Applications), an advanced automation and artificial intelligence platform designed to transform research into inorganic materials.
The platform integrates automation tools, experimental design, advanced data analysis and active learning algorithms to accelerate different phases of materials development, from the identification of new chemical families to their synthesis, characterization and experimental validation.
“We are entering a new stage in materials research, where automation and artificial intelligence will make it possible to enormously accelerate the development of new solutions. Although MAITENA originates in the field of batteries, the platform can be applied to the study and development of practically any inorganic material, opening up opportunities for very diverse sectors and applications, from energy to advanced electronics or the chemical industry,” explains Marine Reynaud.
MAITENA makes it possible to automate inorganic synthesis and characterization processes through different modules that integrate techniques such as X-ray diffraction or electrochemical analysis. In addition, the platform incorporates advanced tools for automated data processing and experimental planning based on artificial intelligence.
The growing complexity of new functional materials makes it necessary to combine experimental, digital and computational capabilities that can accelerate decision-making and optimize laboratory resources. This type of platform also makes it possible to generate more reproducible results and improve the transfer of knowledge towards industrial applications.
“Europe needs to accelerate its technological innovation capacity and develop its own tools that allow it to compete in the speed of scientific and industrial discovery. Platforms such as MAITENA help connect materials science, digitalization and industrialization to accelerate the arrival of new technologies on the market,” says Reynaud.
The advance of autonomous platforms and smart laboratories thus opens the door to a new generation of materials research that is faster, more efficient and geared towards responding to the technological challenges of multiple industries.
