Sana Saeed from the Department for Nanostructured Materials at the Jožef
Stefan Institute received the Best Poster Award at the CAMD Summer
School 2026 – Electronic Structure Theory and Materials Design, held
from 16 to 21 August 2026.
Her poster, “Ab-initio and STM Investigation of the Nd₂Fe₁₄B Surface,”
presented a combined experimental and computational study of the (001)
surface of neodymium–iron–boron (Nd₂Fe₁₄B), an important material for
high-performance permanent magnets. Using scanning tunneling microscopy
(STM), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and density functional
theory (DFT) simulations, the research identified an ordered surface
reconstruction with a periodicity of 12.41 Å. The agreement between
experimental and simulated STM images supported a reconstructed Nd-rich
surface model.
The work was carried out in collaboration with researchers from the
Institute Jean Lamour in Nancy, France, and was conducted within the
framework of the GREENE project. The GREENE project focuses on advancing
research in materials and technologies relevant to sustainable energy
applications.
This award recognizes the scientific quality, relevance, and
presentation of the research and strengthens the international
visibility of materials research conducted at the Jožef Stefan
Institute.
More information about the GREENE project is available at https://www.greene-project.eu/
Projekt omogoča trajnostno preoblikovanje odpadkov z vsebnostjo redkih zemelj v visoko zmogljive Nd-Fe-B magnete s pomočjo inovativnih »waste-to-value« tehnologij. Glavni cilji projekta so omogočiti klasifikacijo in ekstrakcijo REE z visoko učinkovitostjo, proizvesti kovinske predhodnike visoke čistosti in oblikovati magnete naslednje generacije za potrebe elektromobilnosti.
Trajanje: 1.4.2026 – 31.5.2029
Skupna predvidena vrednost projekta znaša 8.069.708,00 EUR, vrednost sofinanciranja pa 4.999.305,75 EUR.
Operacija je bila za sofinanciranje izbrana na Javnem razpisu »Spodbujanje izvajanja raziskovalno-razvojnih programov (TRL 3-6)« (JR RR PROGRAMI (TRL 3-6)).
Operacijo delno financira Evropska unija iz Evropskega sklada za regionalni razvoj in proračun RS.
Projekt omogoča trajnostno preoblikovanje odpadkov z vsebnostjo redkih zemelj v visoko zmogljive Nd-Fe-B magnete s pomočjo inovativnih »waste-to-value« tehnologij. Glavni cilji projekta so omogočiti klasifikacijo in ekstrakcijo REE z visoko učinkovitostjo, proizvesti kovinske predhodnike visoke čistosti in oblikovati magnete naslednje generacije za potrebe elektromobilnosti.
Trajanje: 1.4.2026 – 31.5.2029
Skupna predvidena vrednost projekta znaša 8.069.708,00 EUR, vrednost sofinanciranja pa 4.999.305,75 EUR.
Operacija je bila za sofinanciranje izbrana na Javnem razpisu »Spodbujanje izvajanja raziskovalno-razvojnih programov (TRL 3-6)« (JR RR PROGRAMI (TRL 3-6)).
Operacijo delno financira Evropska unija iz Evropskega sklada za regionalni razvoj in proračun RS.
On Monday, July 13, 2026, as part of the 41st International Conference on Environmental Geochemistry and Health (SEGH 2026), we participated in conducting a workshop titled “Microplastics in sediment, groundwater, and wastewater.” We presented a portion of the research conducted in collaboration with Gorenje d.d., IzVRS, and NIB within the framework of an ARIS applied research project.
We demonstrated the practical procedure for preparing washing machine wastewater samples to the participants, focusing on filtration and the subsequent preparation of filters for microscopic analysis. The first part covered the setup of the filtration apparatus, the filtration process, and sample preparation for observation.
Subsequently, participants examined the samples using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The demonstration illustrated how microscopic methods allow for the observation of microfibers released during the washing of synthetic textiles, as well as the assessment of their shape, size, and surface characteristics.
The workshop aimed to demonstrate the entire workflow—from wastewater collection to microscopic analysis—and to discuss the capabilities and limitations of various methods used in microplastics research.
The young Ceramists Additive Manufacturing Forum (yCAM) 2026 took place at Jožef Stefan Institute, from 11th to 13th of May 2026. During yCAM, 3DCERAM Award for Best Speaker was won by Dr. Ipeknaz Özden Moser from Department for Nanostructured Materials (K7), for her talk on “Ceramic additive manufacturing by micron sized droplet jetting of thermoplastic feedstocks”. 3DCERAM Award for Best Poster was won by Pia Popovič, also from Department for Nanostructured Materials (K7), for her poster on “Thermoplastic material jetting of paraffin-wax-based alumina suspensions”. With these awards, they received the chance to present their work at the 2026 Ceramic AM Summit which will be held from 29th of June to 1st of July in Freiburg, Germany, as well as registration and travel grants for this event. Congratulations to both, as well as their supervisors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andraž Kocjan and Dr. Aljaž Iveković.
