Dr Denis Koltsov

Several relevant Horizon Europe projects have previously announced start dates of 1 November: NANOBRIDGE⁠ : Nanostructures and biosensing for precision diagnostics €981,960 cordis.europa.eu/project/id/… BactoNanoVax⁠: Bacterial outer-membrane vesicles for mRNA cancer vaccines €1,500,000 cordis.europa.eu/project/id/… NEUROMAGIC: Active nanomaterials for magnetic neural sensing and stimulation Amount not confirmed in this report cordis.europa.eu/project/id/… Congratulations to all consortium members and their supporting organisations.

Researchers have developed a flexible leather-like composite using bacterial cellulose, collagen and a bio-based adhesive. Published on 1 November in Collagen and Leather, the study combines a bacterial-cellulose nanofibre network with a textile substrate and an adhesive derived from epoxidised soybean oil and citric acid. link.springer.com/article/10… The resulting material achieved 57.3 MPa tensile strength, 32.2% elongation at break and improved water resistance. In soil-burial experiments, approximately 69.77% of the material's mass was lost after 150 days. Conclusion: Nanocellulose composites could provide new alternatives for footwear, upholstery and sustainable consumer materials. Industrial durability and complete lifecycle performance require further validation.

Researchers have developed pure-red perovskite LEDs achieving 31.3% external quantum efficiency and improved operational stability. Published on 1 November in Nature Communications, the study addresses one of the key weaknesses of mixed-halide perovskites: structural distortion and ion migration under electric fields. nature.com/articles/s41467-0… The researchers reinforced the crystal lattice using rigid-ring ammonium species and an electrostatic polymer. The resulting material exhibited more than twice the original bulk modulus, while the experimental LEDs reached a reported lifetime of 343.3 hours. Conclusion: Nanoscale lattice engineering could accelerate the development of more efficient and durable perovskite displays. Commercial lifetime and manufacturing scalability remain unproven.

MIT engineers engineered M13 bacteriophage nanofibers to display cancer antigens at controlled densities up to 35-70%. Higher-density particles raised neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells ~7-fold and reduced tumor development in mouse melanoma and colon models, supporting modular personalized vaccine platforms. eurekalert.org/news-releases… #Nanotechnology #CancerVaccines #AdvancedMaterials #Biotech #ScientificDiscovery

Passive radiative cooling materials, listed in the WEF Top 10 Emerging Technologies 2026, reflect >95% of sunlight and emit heat through the atmospheric window, enabling sub-ambient cooling without electricity. Early use in building codes in California and China supports energy-efficiency gains. weforum.org/stories/emerging… #RadiativeCooling #AdvancedMaterials #EnergyEfficiency #Nanotechnology #SustainableTech

Reduced graphene oxide has demonstrated significant improvements in selected industrial rubber formulations. Published on 31 October in the Journal of Polymer Research, the study examines graphene-reinforced EPDM and EPDM/NBR elastomers combined with a maleic-anhydride compatibiliser. The researchers reported tensile-strength improvements of up to 127% in EPDM and 81% in the EPDM/NBR blend. link.springer.com/article/10… After accelerated ageing, the reinforced blend achieved 5.1 MPa, compared with 2.2 MPa for the unmodified material. Conclusion: Careful control of graphene dispersion and polymer interfaces could create commercially useful elastomers with improved strength and chemical resistance. Application-specific durability testing remains essential.

Scientists have developed a bioinspired nanofibrous membrane that combines passive daytime cooling with nighttime thermal buffering. Published on 31 October in Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials, the research uses coaxial electrospinning to produce core–shell fibres containing a phase-change material. link.springer.com/article/10… The membrane demonstrated 97.2% solar reflectance, 94% infrared emissivity and approximately 123 J/g latent-heat storage capacity. Outdoor tests reported daytime cooling of 7.6°C relative to ambient conditions, while the phase-change core helped limit nighttime overcooling. Conclusion: Combining nanoscale optical engineering with thermal-energy storage could enable smarter passive-cooling textiles and membranes. Long-term durability and industrial production economics still require validation.

AI materials-discovery funding accelerated in 2026: 22 rounds (20 companies) through late September vs 12 rounds in the same period of 2025 (+83% deal activity). Disclosed capital ~$660.5M, dominated by CuspAI’s $450M Series B. Asia-Pacific led deal count. Source: newmarketpitch.com/blogs/new… #AIMaterials #VentureCapital #Startups #AdvancedMaterials #DeepTech

NVision’s Nature paper demonstrates the first individually addressable organic molecular spin-photon interface (AI-screened carbene). The molecule can be deposited as a thin film on conventional/photonic chips using OLED-like processes, opening a path to scalable molecular qubits. Partnership with HyperLight announced. Source: reuters.com/technology/germa… #QuantumComputing #MolecularQubits #AIMaterials #Nanotechnology #Startups

Researchers have demonstrated perovskite solar cells combining 27.05% efficiency with improved mechanical durability. Published on 30 October in Nature Communications, the study introduces a thin graphitic carbon-nitride layer between electron-transport materials. nature.com/articles/s41467-0… This two-dimensional interfacial layer reduces mechanical mismatch and suppresses microcrack formation while supporting electron transport. The resulting devices retained more than 90% of their initial efficiency after 1,056 hours of maximum-power-point testing under day–night cycling. Conclusion: Nanoscale interface engineering may be as important as absorber chemistry in developing commercially durable perovskite photovoltaics. Long-term outdoor stability and full-module manufacturing remain to be demonstrated.

Researchers have produced exceptionally strong silica-glass microstructures using nanoscale 3D printing and controlled thermal conversion. Published on 30 October in Communications Materials, the study investigates how two-photon-polymerised hybrid structures transform into dense silica glass. nature.com/articles/s43246-0… The researchers combined in-situ thermal analysis, spectroscopy and microscale mechanical testing. After treatment at 1,000°C, the resulting silica specimens achieved approximately 5.94 GPa tensile strength. The work also identifies the intermediate structural transformations that control stiffness, transparency and mechanical performance. Conclusion: Understanding nanoscale manufacturing transformations is essential for producing reproducible high-performance glass microcomponents. The reported strength applies to microscale specimens, not conventional bulk glass.

Researchers have demonstrated a solar-powered method for selectively extracting lithium from seawater and low-grade brines. Published on 30 October in Nature Water, the study combines a TiO₂ photoanode with a modified FePO₄ cathode. nature.com/articles/s44221-0… The system automatically regulates its electrode potential, favouring lithium uptake over competing sodium ions. Remarkably, it operates without ion-selective membranes or external electrical bias. The researchers reported a maximum lithium uptake rate of 300 µg/cm²/hour. Conclusion: Photoelectrochemical extraction could help diversify future lithium supplies and valorise unconventional brines. Large-scale economics, electrode durability and total resource recovery remain to be demonstrated.

Hydrogen nanobubbles boost methane yields in lignocellulosic anaerobic digestion (Bioresource Technology, Oct 29) A new study shows hydrogen nanobubble water (H₂-NBW) increased cumulative methane yields 26.4–34.5% from Paulownia leaf litter versus controls. It accelerated volatile fatty acid turnover, improved buffering, raised hydrolytic enzyme activities 12.7–42.4%, and enhanced methanogenic coenzyme F420 signals. Multi-omics linked the gains to microbial metabolic and transcriptional responses, plus possible physicochemical effects of the nanobubbles themselves. Nanobubbles remain a low-chemical, scalable tool for gas transfer and interfacial chemistry; real-world reactor stability and economics will decide commercial uptake in biogas or wastewater applications. Source: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4295… #Nanobubbles #FineBubbles #Nanotechnology #Biotech #ScientificDiscovery

Group14 closes ~$169M Series D extension for silicon battery materials, plans Spain plant Group14 Technologies raised ~$169M (€150M) as a Series D extension (total Series D now >$665M; cumulative funding ~$1.26B). Capital supports expansion of its SCC55 silicon-carbon anode material and a new 10 GWh facility (BAM-4) in Sagunto, Spain (production targeted mid-2029). Near-term global footprint reaches ~40 GWh across Korea, Washington state, and Europe. Material is already shipping to consumer-electronics customers, with automotive and data-center applications in focus. Higher energy density and faster charging are the claimed advantages over graphite; geographic diversification and customer qualification are the execution tests. Source: geekwire.com/2026/seattle-ar… #AdvancedMaterials #BatteryTech #DeepTech #Investment #EnergyStorage

NVision shows manufacturable molecular qubits via OLED-style deposition (Nature, Oct 28) German startup NVision published in Nature the first individually addressable organic molecular spin-photon interface (a designed carbene molecule). AI screened hundreds of candidates; ~40 were synthesized. The molecules can be deposited as thin films (analogous to OLED manufacturing) onto conventional photonic chips. Partnership with HyperLight targets integrated prototypes. Coherence reached 2.2 ms under dynamical decoupling at 4.5 K. The company has raised ~$120M and aims to build full systems rather than sell molecules alone. Existing foundry and display infrastructure is the practical lever; cryogenic requirements and on-chip performance remain open questions. Source: reuters.com/technology/germa… #QuantumComputing #Nanotechnology #AdvancedMaterials #Startups #AI

NanoForge AI raises ~$11M seed for AI-driven materials design + robotic lab Korean startup NanoForge AI closed a KRW 14.6 billion (~$11M) seed round led by Mirae Asset Venture Investment (with DSC, KDB, EcoPro Partners, and others). It uses AI to predict and design materials, targeting a reduction in development timelines from >10 years to ~1 month. Funds will expand electronic-structure prediction and an autonomous robotic lab that synthesizes, analyzes, and feeds data back into the models. Collaborations already include EcoPro BM and Samsung Electronics; IP generation in semiconductors and batteries is an explicit goal. The bet is closed-loop AI + robotics, not just prediction. Execution and IP quality will determine whether the timeline claim holds. Source: en.wowtale.net/2026/10/30/23… #AIMaterials #Startups #DeepTech #IntellectualProperty #MaterialsScience

AI rediscovers 33 overlooked MXenes and synthesizes 11 new ones (Science, Oct 29) Researchers at Linköping University (with Estonian and Finnish collaborators) used AI to mine materials databases, identifying 33 previously synthesized but unrecognized MXene candidates. They then produced 11 new rare-earth-based compositions. A new self-propagating method yields the ultrathin 2D materials in seconds at room temperature with far less heat, hazardous chemicals, and water. This is a practical demonstration that AI can surface “forgotten” materials already in the literature while enabling greener, faster synthesis—useful for energy storage, electronics, and catalysis. Scaling the process is the next clear bottleneck. Source: nanowerk.com/nanotechnology-… #AIMaterials #Nanotechnology #MXenes #AdvancedMaterials #MaterialsDiscovery

No words can describe the loss this civilisation suffered with the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart.

Formation Bio $600M AI drug-development accelerator fund Formation Bio (AI-native pharma, previously valued ~$1.7–1.8B) launched a $600M fund to acquire and advance 10–15 Phase 1–2 drug programs over 3–5 years. It pairs dedicated capital with its AI platform and clinical operations in a hub-and-spoke NewCo structure, aiming to cut development costs 30–50% by addressing the post-discovery bottleneck. Source: axios.com/2026/10/29/formati… #AIDrugDiscovery #Biotech #Startups #VentureCapital #IntellectualProperty

Nanobubbles advancing direct lithium extraction One World Lithium completed delivery of custom Moleaer industrial nanobubble generators to labs at UC Irvine and University of British Columbia. The equipment supports R&D on their patent-pending single-step Direct Lithium Carbonation Extraction (DLCE) process using CO₂ nanobubbles to produce lithium carbonate from brines, with a field pilot planned for early 2027. Source: mining.com/one-world-lithium… #Nanobubbles #Lithium #AdvancedMaterials #CriticalMinerals #Startups