The science and technology of niobium
The Charles Hatchett Award, sponsored by the Brazilian company CBMM, the premier supplier of niobium products and technology, is a global recognition of excellence in research on the science and technology of niobium. The annual Award, selected by a panel of international experts and ratified by the UK’s Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3), has been a significant part of the global niobium community for over 40 years. Beta was involved in its original concept and development and has managed the award process since its inception in 1979.
Current trends in niobium research
The Award aims to showcase research excellence and help identify new uses and markets for niobium. Historically, winning papers have primarily focused on the role of niobium in steels, including lightweighting and high-temperature applications. However, in the last six years, the winning research has shifted to reflect the growing interest in niobium’s role in supporting the energy transition and green technologies. Dominant in the field of new applications is energy storage, and foremost among the researchers exploring the role of niobium has been Nobel laureate Prof. Stanley Whittingham. A summary of the recent winners is as follows:
- Batteries/energy storage (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024).
- Catalysts (hydrogen generation) (2020).
- Piezoelectric (2021).
The 2024 Charles Hatchett Award was won by US researchers Pete Barnes from the Idaho National Laboratory and Claire Xiong from Boise State University, along with their collaborators. Their paper shows how niobium can help create high-performance anode materials for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
Beta will coordinate the organisation of a technical conference on niobium based batteries in December 2024 on behalf of the award sponsor, CBMM. At this conference, the winning authors will be invited to present their winning research paper.
