Euro PM2026 is pleased to welcome AIM-NEXT (Accelerating the Design and Insertion of Critical Raw Materials Hard Materials for Next-Generation Extreme Applications), an innovative European research and training programme funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks under Horizon Europe.

AIM-NEXT addresses one of the major challenges facing modern manufacturing: developing high-performance hard materials with significantly reduced use of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) such as cobalt and tungsten. The project aims to deliver more sustainable and resilient solutions for demanding applications in the mining, machining and construction industries.

Bringing together leading universities and world-class industrial partners, AIM-NEXT provides interdisciplinary training for ten doctoral candidates, combining scientific excellence with industrial innovation to prepare the next generation of powder metallurgy experts.

A World-Class European Consortium

The AIM-NEXT consortium combines academic excellence with industrial leadership.

Academic partners

• UPC Barcelona (Spain)
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden)
• Lund University (Sweden)
• Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain)
• University of Aveiro (Portugal)
• RWTH Aachen University (Germany)
• Grenoble INP (France)

Industrial partners

• Sandvik
• Seco Tools
• Hilti
• Element Six
• Durit
• OMCD TEK HUB

Throughout the congress, delegates will have several opportunities to discover the project, meet the researchers, and learn about the latest developments in sustainable hard materials.

PM Forum Special Session

Monday 12 October | 12:00–13:00
PM Forum (Exhibition Area)

Open to all congress participants, this special session will be led by Prof. Luis Llanes, AIM-NEXT Project Coordinator, together with consortium representatives.

Discover:

• Innovative methodologies for accelerating hard material design.
• Strategies for the industrial implementation of low-CRM hard materials.
• The interdisciplinary doctoral training programme preparing the next generation of engineers and researchers.
• How collaboration between academia and industry is driving innovation in powder metallurgy.

Poster Exhibition

Meet the authors during the Poster Reception
Monday 12 October | From 17:30

Explore the AIM-NEXT project through three dedicated posters:

• Core Vision, Ideas & Strategic Goals
• PhD Training & Intersectional Networking
• Meet Our Fellows – Individual Graphical Abstracts

Meet the doctoral candidates, discuss their research, and discover how the project is translating scientific ideas into industrial impact.

Technical Session Presentations

Five AIM-NEXT doctoral candidates will present their latest research during the Euro PM2026 technical sessions:

• Maximilian Ziegler – A Reactive Sintering Strategy to Design Sustainable Cermets
• Fanny Marvaldi – Edge Toughness Assessment of Hardmetals
• Atieh Koochakiabkenar – Effect of Corrosive Environments on the Mechanical Behaviour of WC-6Co Hardmetals
• Paul Okhiria – pH-Dependent Corrosion of WC Hardmetals with Ni-Based Binders in Acidic Chloride Media
• Tamhasip Khan – Effects of Cubic Boron Nitride Content on Mechanical Properties of PcBN Materials Containing VN/Al₂O₃ Binders

Don’t miss these presentations showcasing cutting-edge research from the next generation of scientists working on sustainable hard materials.

Learn More

To discover more about the AIM-NEXT project, its partners and research activities, visit: www.aimnext.eu