Google DeepMind hopes to turn the tide, with a new tool which implements deep learning to radically speed up the process of discovering new materials. Named ‘graphical networks for material exploration’ (GNoME), the technology has already predicted the structures of 2.2 million new materials, of which more than 700 have gone on to be created in the lab and are now being tested.

By using machine-learning algorithms, researchers can predict and simulate how materials will behave under certain conditions, optimising their properties accordingly. This can result in identifying materials which are stronger, more lightweight or more environmentally friendly.

One of the most recent discoveries made by Microsoft and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) using AI and supercomputing, led to the identification of a new substance which could potentially reduce lithium-use in batteries by up to 70%. Lithium is inherently scarce and consequently expensive, with its mining presenting significant environmental, social and geopolitical challenges. This newly discovered material named ‘N2116’, is a solid-state electrolyte which holds promise for sustainable energy storage solutions. Using AI and supercomputing, researchers swiftly narrowed down 32 million inorganic materials to 18 promising candidates in under a week. After which, they developed a successful prototype within 9 months – a process which typically takes over two decades.

This video is a visual interpretation of what the N2116 material structure might resemble, designed by our digital creative team and built upon an initial visual created by AlphaFold.

The end image is Tom Hegen's Lithium Series 1 photograph documenting Chile's lithium extraction and its threat to local communities and wildlife habitats.

Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a cladding material with the ability to change colour, based on external temperature – serving to enhance a building’s energy efficiency.

The composite material, composed of copper foil, plastic and graphene layers alters its infrared colour in response to the temperature it encounters. On hot days it emits more heat, appearing yellow in thermal imaging, while on cold days it retains heat, appearing purple.

This innovative technology has the potential to be retrofitted to existing buildings, contributing to improved heating and cooling processes. About 35% of a building’s energy goes to heating, cooling, and ventilation, but with the help of animated materials, this could reduce energy consumption by 8%.

This new material could allow buildings to independently regulate the temperature, without the added cost to the environment. From ancestral building techniques to uber innovative

technologies, we have to rethink the way we approach and make materials.At Seymourpowell, we are constantly pushing the limits of materials and are eager to apply our experience in dealing with heat resistant materials for transportation to other industries.

Have you come across similar technologies?

This ardently intense colour was registered by artist Yves Klein as a trademark in 1957, under the name International Klein Blue (IKB). As Dr James Fox describes, this colour evokes unlimited possibilities, as well as reflecting the essence of natural elements like water and sky, signalling a reverence for the natural world.

During 2020 and 2021, we saw blues soften to reassuring shades, such as Pantone’s ‘Classic Blue’. This year, however, unrest, rebellion, and a need to speak our truths has triggered a shift to this vocal, extroverted blue – a colour of action.

Swipe once to see flocked IKB featured in STILL NOW by @feliciaferrone . Swipe twice to see @official__stormzy in @burberry at the Met Gala, Stained Glass Table Light and Mutation Club Chair by @maartendeceulaer and ‘Blue Now’, directed by Neil Bartlett.

The phrase “From Dust to Dust" symbolises the cyclical nature of things, where endings bring new beginnings and destruction leads to renewal. Karma Dabaghi's hand-blown vases, made from collected and recycled glass from the Beirut Port blast aftermath, not only serve a practical purpose, but also embody hope and resilience in the face of adversity.  

Dust is constantly created, dispersed, and reformed. As resource scarcity becomes an increasingly pressing issue, it's crucial to find innovative ways to utilise the potential of dust as a valuable resource.

A prime example of this is StoneCycling®, a Dutch company which leverages biotechnology to convert construction waste into a new building material using limestone produced by bacteria. The BioBasedTiles installation at Helix Lab in Kalundborg, Denmark, is the largest so far: saving 2,865kg of CO2 and upcycling 19,000kg of dust and debris from demolished buildings.

‍Seymourpowell's CMF Strategy team leverages creativity and innovation to transform overlooked resources into valuable products, supporting innovators by making material solutions accessible.

Through the circular accelerator and other sustainability tools, we are dedicated to promoting a circular economy which minimises waste and optimizes resource utilisation.

The animation showcases the digital twin of one of the featured technologies in the Index: Cruz Foam. Cruz Foam is a biofoam made from Chitin, a by-product from the food industry, made from the shells of crustaceans. 🦐 The fibrous substance is mixed with a blowing agent (produced from bio-derived waste) which then creates the foam structure.

The material has similar properties to Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and Expanded Polyurethane (PU) but is home compostable in just three months, making it a great alternative to the harmful (and nearly immortal!) single-use Styrofoam.

As we transition to an electric-dependant society with the rise of electronics, EV’s and new home power supply, the demand for metals, like copper and precious metals, will only increase. Analysts have estimated that virgin sources of copper will be gone by 2026 and 2030, for gold. In addition, many of these key metals and minerals come from conflict areas with unethical working practices. Startups in the business of engineering biology are looking to address these problems:

‍@cemvita_factory aims to use CRISPR engineered microbes to mine copper, gold and zinc from mine waste tailings and low-grade ore using clean, cheap biological processes that require very low energy use.

In the Malaysian jungle, a certain species of plant is being farmed to harvest nickel, drawn up through its roots in a process called 'phytomining' – a key element for the manufacture of stainless steel.

See above for the harvesting gold animation by @jam.finni for Karoline Healy, who is currently researching biological derived precious metals for use in jewellery: @h2erg_jewellery

‍Swipe once for @cemvita_factory on ore-eating microbes.Swipe twice to see the nickel-rich sap bleeding from the hyperaccumulator, Phyllanthus Rufuschaneyi, researched by Anthony van der Ent.

Swipe three times to see the Fusarium Oxysporum fungus which gathers gold nanoparticles: @csirogram

‘Appropriating the Grid’ by @i.rocamrc is a collection of modular furniture which features mined ochre, as well as a mix of soil (we named ‘terracotta powder’) and aggregate (we named ‘faded concrete’). It critiques the wastefulness in the construction industry: the built environment generates nearly 50% of annual global CO2 emissions. As creatives, we not only need to improve the way in which we produce materials, but also rethink the way in which they are sourced.

Various start-ups such as @treeviaforest and Overstory work towards such a scenario, whereby forests connect to smart sensors, remote sensing, AI-driven automation and blockchain to create an Internet of trees that extends the ecosystem into the digital space.

Similar to 'precision agriculture,' this allows for 'precision forestry’, where AI can be specifically applied to the holistic planning of logging and planting. As such, forest inventories can be kept transparently and autonomously in order to inform forestry decisions that must balance economic, cultural and conservation values on a country-scale.

While certifications like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) are essential today, we are always on the look out for new standards and practices that may also play a role in securing a sustainable material future.

Mycelium has the ability to turn its own food source into a valuable product. @ecovative has developed a sophisticated method for growing a variety of materials. Air Mycelium, a pure Mycelium-based performance foam, is grown at industrial scale for diverse applications ranging from fashion, to footwear, to food.

Swipe twice to see how coupling biological growth and manufacturing holds promising potential, in a collaboration between @vubrussel and Seymourpowell designer and researcher @larrsdittrich.

As we transition to an electric-dependant society with the rise of electronics, EV’s and new home power supply, the demand for metals, like copper and precious metals, will only increase. Analysts have estimated that virgin sources of copper will be gone by 2026 and 2030, for gold. In addition, many of these key metals and minerals come from conflict areas with unethical working practices. Startups in the business of engineering biology are looking to address these problems:

‍@cemvita_factory aims to use CRISPR engineered microbes to mine copper, gold and zinc from mine waste tailings and low-grade ore using clean, cheap biological processes that require very low energy use.

In the Malaysian jungle, a certain species of plant is being farmed to harvest nickel, drawn up through its roots in a process called 'phytomining' – a key element for the manufacture of stainless steel.

See above for the harvesting gold animation by @jam.finni for Karoline Healy, who is currently researching biological derived precious metals for use in jewellery: @h2erg_jewellery

‍Swipe once for @cemvita_factory on ore-eating microbes.Swipe twice to see the nickel-rich sap bleeding from the hyperaccumulator, Phyllanthus Rufuschaneyi, researched by Anthony van der Ent.

Swipe three times to see the Fusarium Oxysporum fungus which gathers gold nanoparticles: @csirogram