MBN actively collaborates in EU-funded and Italian national R&D projects, working with industrial partners and research institutions to develop advanced materials and innovative manufacturing processes. These research partnerships accelerate the translation of nanostructured powder technologies from laboratory to industrial applications.
Our main collaborative research areas:
Additive Manufacturing
Development of micro laser sintering deposition processes and tailored metal powders for additive manufacturing through our spin-off company Manudirect srl.
Energy Materials
Creation of thermoelectric materials for energy harvesting and rare-earth-free permanent magnets for sustainable motors and generators.
Biomedical Nanomaterials
Engineering of magnetic nanoparticles with controlled magnetic response for diagnostic imaging, targeted drug delivery, and hyperthermia cancer treatment.
CoBRAIN – Integrated Computational-Experimental material Engineering of Thermal Spray coatings.
Wear and corrosion protection play a crucial role in the effort of European manufacturing industries to maximize both efficiency and productivity, heavily affecting component lifetime and cost. Thermal Spray technologies for hardmetal deposition were developed to provide high wear resistance along with good corrosion protection. However, innovation in this field often relies on trial-and-error approaches, as coating properties depend on numerous thermodynamic and kinetic factors, limiting physical modelling. On the other hand, tools based on experimental data, require extensive datasets to be reliable, typically not available from the fast-evolving industrial R&D. CoBRAIN addresses this by integrating computational and experimental data through semantic interoperability, creating an intelligent tool to propose novel High Entropy Hardmetals for HVOF, HVAF, and CGS, capable of assessing their economic and environmental impact.
Within this framework, MBN contributes to the AI-guided development of new green cermets from the experimental side, producing pilot-scale powders of selected Co-free high entropy hardmetals for the different thermal technologies available in the consortium. Initial coating data will serve as the dataset for neural network training and for physical modelling validation, while AI-proposed compositions will be manufactured at a later stage. Some of the new materials, based on TiC ceramic phase and multiprincipal element metal binder, already show promising wear and corrosion resistance in the testing environment.
More information at www.cobrain-project.eu and DOI 10.3030/101092211.
FutureMag – Development and optimization of new sustainable magnetic materials for the future of electromobility.
The FutureMag project aims to develop rare-earth-element free magnetic materials for “gap magnets”, in order to substitute NdFeB alloys – that are based on critical raw materials – for those application not requiring high magnetic performances. Indeed, gap magnets can fulfill application requirements for many automotive components, such as actuators, sensors and auxiliary systems, and for electrical mobility engines, such as for e-bikes and e-scooters. Proposed materials are based on (Fe,Co)2(P,Si) structure and will be manufactured by scalable and efficient methodologies of solid state powder metallurgy. MBN is focused on the optimization of powder manufacturing towards the improvement of both magnetic performances, such as Curie Temperature and BHmax, and material sustainability, transferring the production process to the pilot scale.
Contact us for more information at research@mbn.it.
PASSENGER – Pilot Action for Securing a Sustainable European Next Generation of Efficient RE-free Magnets.
Producing sustainable and efficient rare-earth free permanent magnets for a new horizon in energy and transport.
Permanent magnets are used in everyday life: transport, wind turbines, electronics, home appliances, pump motors, generators, industrial equipment and the list is increasing with emerging technologies!
These magnets are however controversial, as they require rare-earth elements (REE), critical materials mainly imported from Asia with volatile prices and high risk for supply chain stability.
MBN is part of the innovative value chain for the manufacturing of new magnets based on manganese-aluminium-carbon alloy by powder metallurgy technologies, focusing on the metastable tau-phase. The powder magnetic properties are enhanced by the solid state process of High Energy Ball Milling and ongoing collaboration with research and industrial partners is focused on the production scale-up.
More information at www.passenger-project.eu and DOI 10.3030/101003914.
FLAMINGO – Fabrication of Lightweight Aluminium Metal matrix composites and validation In Green vehicles
The goals of FLAMINGo are related to the manufacturing of strengthened aluminium metal matrix nano-composites (Al-MMnC) with elevated properties, in terms of strength and stiffness, and the reduction of weight compared to current components used in automotive. FLAMINGo will provide engineering solutions to substitute steel components in BEV automotive parts and achieve a substantial reduction of its weight, targeting the increasing demand for safer, cost-effective and lower energy consumption cars.
MBN is working on the synthesis and dispersion of ceramic nano-reinforcements based on TiC and SiC for Al alloys, providing such nano-additives to the pilot and industrial casting lines for the manufacturing of automotive lightweight prototype components. The nano-additives have been engineered to ease the dispersion of the nano-particulate in the melt pool, avoiding clustering, and hence enhancing the mechanical properties in the final material, such as casting alloys for LPDC/HPDC and extrusion alloys. First lightweight automotive components engineered and manufactured by such innovative value chain have been delivered for installation into a utility electric vehicle, in order to demonstrate their performances on the road.
More information at www.flamingo-project.eu and DOI 10.3030/101007011.
MOZART – Metal Matrix nano-composite coatings utilization as alternative to hard chromium.
MOZART project has the ambitious purpose of assisting the fulfillment of REACH requirements to eliminate Hard Chromium (HC), a toxic and carcinogenic substance, offering an environmentally less harm and less toxic alternative to the coating industry. Its main goal is to replace the HC coatings by developing high quality durable metal ones, based on Nickel (Ni) matrix nano-composite electroplating processes following Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles. MOZART aspires to develop real applicable nano-composite coatings that will revolutionize the surface finishing industry in specific applications such as the automotive, manufacturing and machining industry.
To ensure a safe handling of nano-reinforcing ceramic particles, MBN has been developing a manufacturing route for nano-additive product as ready-to-use, stable and concentrated pre-dispersion in liquid media of nanoparticles, based on carbides, oxides and graphene-related materials. Such pre-dispersions can be easily and safely used at electroplting lines, with precise dosing and suspension stability in the baths and without release of airborne nanoparticles. In the ongoing project developments this approach is enabling fast development and fabrication of new nanocomposite coating types for piston rods, stamping dies and helical gears.
More information at www.mozart-project.eu.
FORGE – Development of novel and cost-effective coatings for high-energy processing applications
The EU-funded FORGE project addresses critical challenges in energy-intensive industries where equipment suffers from corrosion, erosion, and thermal degradation in operations like CO2 capture, kiln processes, and waste heat recovery systems.
FORGE develops innovative high-performance coatings using compositionally complex alloys (CCAs) and advanced ceramics, combining machine learning, thermodynamic modeling, and high-throughput experimentation. These novel thermal spray coatings and laser cladding solutions protect vulnerable components while enabling CO2-emission reduction technologies.
The project targets steelmaking, aluminum, cement, and tile manufacturing industries, implementing smart online monitoring of coating degradation to maximize component lifetime and production efficiency.
MBN Mechanomade® Technology for CCA Powders
Has been employied to produce compositionally complex alloy powders with ultrafine microstructure and homogeneous chemical distribution. This mechanical alloying technology, scaled from laboratory to industrial production, combines thermal treatments and powder classification to deliver materials optimized for thermal spray deposition and laser cladding applications, ensuring superior coating performance in extreme industrial environments.
More informations on CORDIS
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Grant agreement 958457.
START – Sustainable Energy Harvesting Systems Based on Innovative Mine Waste Recycling
The EU-funded START project unites mining and energy sectors to develop sustainable thermoelectric waste heat recovery systems using tellurium-free materials. This circular economy innovation transforms discarded mining waste sulphides into valuable p-type thermoelectric semiconductors, replacing conventional tellurium-based materials.
Five Strategic Objectives:
MBN’s Mechanomade® Synthesis plays a central role, processing secondary sulphide waste from mining sites using its proprietary high-energy ball milling technology to synthesize advanced thermoelectric semiconductor materials. The mechanical alloying process optimizes material composition by balancing thermoelectric performance with maximum mining waste utilization, supplementing with primary raw materials during mechanosynthesis to achieve target properties for efficient waste heat harvesting applications.
Co-Funded by the European Union. Project offical website and on CORDIS
PEACOC – Pre-commercial pilot for the efficient recovery of Precious Metals from European end of life resources with novel low cost technologies
Europe’s end-of-life electronics contain significant precious metals (gold, silver, Platinum Group Metals), yet conventional recycling technologies like smelting and hydrometallurgy require high energy consumption and generate harmful environmental impact.
The EU-funded PEACOC project develops novel low-cost, environmentally friendly precious metal recovery technologies for complex waste streams including spent automotive catalysts, printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA), and photovoltaic panel waste—materials currently underutilized in EU circular economy systems.
PEACOC demonstrates pre-commercial scale recycling processes that maximize secondary raw material recovery while minimizing carbon footprint, addressing Europe’s resource security and sustainable manufacturing goals.
MBN’s Role: Upcycling Recycled Metals into Advanced Manufacturing Powders
MBN transforms by-products from PEACOC recycling processes using its mechano-chemical synthesis technology to create high-value metal powders for additive manufacturing. These recycled metal powders are engineered specifically for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) technologies, enabling sustainable 3D printing materials and closing the loop in the precious metal circular economy.
Project offical website and on CORDIS
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 958302